Couchonomics with Arjun
Decoding the New World Order of Finance - Unfiltered, global, weekly
As tectonic shifts reshape the financial world, Couchonomics continues to explore the trends transforming commerce, capital, and culture. This season, we expand our lens - building on our deep focus in the MENA region while bringing in voices, stories, and innovations from around the globe.
Why? Because the future of finance is no longer regional - it’s interconnected.
Whether it’s AI in Asia, tokenization in Europe, or fintech policy experiments in Africa, today’s financial shifts cross borders, industries, and disciplines.
Whether you’re in the industry or just fintech-curious, tune in weekly as we decode the big moves, bold ideas, and brilliant minds shaping tomorrow’s economy.
Episodes drop weekly. Arabic subtitles available on YouTube: youtube.com/@couchonomicswitharjunsingh438
Learn more: www.couchonomics.com
Season 4 supported by:
Adyen | Mastercard | SC Ventures | Thunes | Hala | e& | Digit 9
About the host:
Arjun's expertise covers a broad range of areas including Fintech, Payments, Digital Assets, Embedded Finance, Application of Emerging Technologies, and the Emergence of New Business Models within the Financial Services Sector in the MEA region and globally.
Arjun is deeply engaged in the Tech Start-Up ecosystem. He serves as a passive investor, advisory board member, and a notable commentator on the rapidly evolving scene.
In recognition of his impactful contributions, Arjun was honored as a Top Voice of the region by LinkedIn in 2020.
Learn more at www.couchonomics.com.
Couchonomics with Arjun
What It Takes to Scale a Tech Company Like Snoonu From Qatar
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Most startup stories focus on what companies become.
This one focuses on how they are built.
In this special Qatar Development Bank series of Couchonomics with Arjun, Arjun sits down in Doha with Hamad Al-Hajri, Founder and CEO of Snoonu, to explore how one of Qatar’s most successful tech companies was built and why its journey matters for the region.
Hamad explains why Snoonu was never meant to be just a delivery app, but a speed-led business designed for small, fragmented markets. From brand identity and culture to engineering excellence and profitability, the conversation unpacks what it really takes to scale from Qatar.
The episode also covers Snoonu’s acquisition by Jahez, the role of AI in product discovery, and how platform-led expansion could shape the next phase of growth.
An honest discussion on super apps, culture as infrastructure, and building globally relevant companies from the Middle East.
🎙️ In this episode:
• Why Snoonu was built as a speed-first business, not a delivery app
• The real meaning behind the Snoonu name and brand identity
• Why super apps work in smaller, fragmented markets
• How Snoonu achieved profitability while others struggled
• Engineering excellence and product craftsmanship as a moat
• AI-powered discovery and real-world use cases
• The Jahez acquisition and lessons from consolidation
• Platform-as-a-service versus direct market expansion
• Qatar’s evolving startup ecosystem and founder flywheel
• What it takes to build global tech companies from the GCC
👉 Watch the full conversation to understand how culture, technology, and long-term vision are shaping the next chapter of Middle Eastern innovation.
SOCIAL LINKS
Arjun’s LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/
Couchonomics LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/
Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/
Twitter → https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh
TikTok → https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomics
Newsletter → https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E
CHAPTERS
00:00 QDB series and setting the context
02:00 The story behind Snoonu’s name
06:30 Why super apps work in the GCC
11:00 Profitability and engineering culture
16:00 AI, discovery, and product excellence
22:00 The Jahez acquisition
27:00 Platform-led expansion strategy
33:00 Qatar’s startup ecosystem evolution
39:00 Building globally from the Middle East
Our website 👉 https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0
Find us on our social media platforms:
- Arjun's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/
- CCN LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/
- Instagram https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/
- Twitter https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh?s=20
- TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomics
Subscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter, Couchonomics Crunch: https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E
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