The Straight Up Start Up
The Straight Up Start Up
From Idea to Impact: How Banks Are Backing Startups with Hala Zahran
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
In this episode of The Straight Up Start Up, we sit down with Hala Zahran, Head of AB Xelerate at Arab Bank, to explore how corporate venture capital (CVC) is shaping the future of innovation in the region. From scaling startups through real bank partnerships to investing in regional fintech leaders, Hala shares insights on what it really takes to turn ideas into impact.
في هذه الحلقة نستضيف هلا زهران، مديرة مسرعة اعمال البنك العربي في البنك العربي، لنتحدث عن دور رأس المال الاستثماري المؤسسي في دعم الابتكار والشركات الناشئة في المنطقة من تجارب إثبات المفهوم إلى الاستثمار في شركات المالية الرائدة، تشاركنا هلا رؤيتها حول كيفية تحويل الأفكار إلى نتائج حقيقية
Allah Salah Fikum Fiber Namej the straight up startup. The fitna khadat aktarin tajbit itbat fiqra or proof of concept or kada ish, mitiltabi o khazne. When we have a very good thing, with strategy.
SPEAKER_01Shukrank tirajae. Thank you very much. Thank you likewise. Madres Alamie twenty countries, and the other thing is that the people who are not going to be able to do that who Ibi, the restna, Ulamatharajit, Habet Erja Il Region, Federist Bil Ambrequibel Kahira, Thasasak Tasadu Finance, Badiha, Rjait Alal Urdon, Shtagalt Futrabi Jamat Columbia Kana and Hamerkis Abhat, Fashtag Fi Tariban Sanamos, Badihat Kamat Magister, B America be University of Illinois Urbana Champagne, Kuntakir Mahazuza Kuladulkan Scholarships, Bait Fatra Tawila Midderace Barra ben Italia, Masaru, America, America, Corretino, Bahib Erjah ala il Urdon, Le innowad ishi, Binispiri Le Ailexin Mohammedaban, Bascaman, Raftal Fikre in No Z Intabet Kun inja and San Naj, Laz M Hadafaki Kun in No Inta, Tatla Baral Balat. Faana Falyan Minjuwa Ti could has in no Nisbit in Nohadar Haki Mishsah, Obidi Erja, Obidi Abni ishi Bil Urdon, Mahal Makbiret to Lhamdullayani, Kajatnihail Fursa. Fashtahalt Badiha, Biakar Makan, Samoham think tanks, Shtahalt Ma isal Bak from Razas for some time, Baden Tahalt Investment Banking, uh Ismar, Fatra, Badia Kunjah in the Amel is she, uh, endu athariktier ahala bil Mustama, wa tihat, are fatari il Shabekitil network ina shirkek nashi akampina startupstail Bimajalit technological Mali Middle East, Simhaliwa, Ukanu Bamelu ilkroed one to one, peer to peer. Insan, and the shwati fluuse, mabdi akutabil, mabdi akutta, bidi ako il suil urduni, ufalan canushirku t. Ufalan shirkani mashat la fatratawile, baden taban, the Mosam startups can't have its own challenges. Belast Mahamana m diri Tamaliyat, Ulamatlayat kon tariban acting COO, fakana tani journey minal bedayat, lamakuna ehna, sitmo zafien, lisam and fakir kifnamil framework, kifna nisht, kifna nikbar, kifbidna, e nessibel machater, laben masaral farih tariban kan matiha, natalla ala, entry bimasr, uhat interesting journey. Um badiha fatra, lbankilabi, uhdumybnu, ebi accelerate, oh uhtar hala an ishhuelham zap, butar inashabnelu, uh basically they invited me to join it. Uhhuh, and no ekna, tariban yanibil, l management, disruption l traditional financial sector, la Ambatir, Bil UK, B Europe, can't fisher cadze transfer wise, revolute, canon nasam bitrukuli bnukashani, especially in nasal azarbisen, w lihume, misamihom digitally native. Uh, Utaban ehna marifna aim to high l wave of disruption in the Berezion, but top management has that in a wave is coming, f'analazin kunjahzeen, kifnit kun az Jahaziitna. O Falyan hai il disruption Bereijan aja ilabed korona, la Masar kulinashia online, kul supermarket zir Sarbiddo website, Ashani Daribi and Nas O Sanan Shuf Shirkat Zaytabi Ligros rate Mahamkan, Alf Belme Shaharu wara Shaharu, Mashallah Alla amme Unicorn U Kaman Sanan Shuf Shirkatane, Lhiye Mishlan Technology Maliye, Zai Karim, Umanthalam Bemasar, Hadol Saruyatu, Hidmat Maliye, la Mazamina Salibisu Tawalu, La Superapsion La Am.
SPEAKER_00Keep Hasmin Kata Neqki l Hukume, alma satell for kri, la katar innovation will ibda, will ebtikara, will corporate VC, will venture capital.
SPEAKER_01Taba n halla Yanifdinis, private sector. Toban, ehnam nishtor a la policy, u kif mkini kun lk tsad y tower, ishirkat il munkan owe soril countries and munkina'min maha agreements, ashana hasan lak tsad of natufros la Shababil Belad Akter, la can nkun juzuqmin a shirkat husa, kaman, e ilha authar Taban, andi sha positive, hadori shirkat la abu do riktier muhamuminhom, taban il Bankil Arabi, albankil Arabian Domas Sachuman, and doktier a programs Adam Shabaab, Bakir programs to Tedam Talim, uhoreen, la damil innovation, uhriptikarbesion. Mish busil hikumelazn termikul ishikaman, il private sector lazmi, lazam ya tula inhumabirjao, isemit ulani botu fullibizrao, then il aishirke Urduhat was lifmel Urdon, il customers Bonamal Urdon, fa Watiha Nakutira Am Bakran L Gates Foundation, Ukif in Nobel Gates, Ambichtinf, Isaac, Terraform Ishiz. But it was all impact driven, yamil halla surely impact driven. Um, tani.
SPEAKER_00Bazop, like, strategy come Amta Tower, Amta Tawa Bikti fail com into Lemata alasu, kivitwa aznubin e tuthulu, be kata art and buy now pay later, our neo banks, uh, alaqata wahadizabu horizontal or vertical industries. Fa ekina akta nahadmodu wa kif tala aliha ish ishia ili bedrayer uhl awit trends, aw tijhat which uh measura statmart abacom aw tijhat statmartkom.
SPEAKER_01Halakma nerjalal initial reason AB accelerate in khala lihuwe to help us adapt to disruption. Ehna, I ishmal disruption financial technology, our financial industry, echna bidnakunil owl investors female nasam talale. Hadal haki, what kurona matalan, can buy now pellator, ukuman can e-commerce. Ya ni, min kan ykut fibarul banki labi tala marketplaces. Temal B2B uh e-commerce, bimasar, for example. Let no endom angle, ill buy now pellater for businesses. Saliam, yatu curudo, uh invoice financing la, il supermarketal. Sari unhomimo transaction. Ba a dain halla mural wait Sarena. Impact disruption ktira ali, ala il financial sector. Ilyom is ana bank, betim it completely alal manual processes, operations, hata matalan mm absolut ishi, law ana matlana endi eqta almorid al basharieye, booktob endu sitasaba and booktub job descriptions. Ana already ktiwa it inni to attract, asan, uh su and bank tanya and bestahdem uh l genitive AI. Fa lyum hana la, ehna department innovation. Faly yan de facto department innovation fil bank. Fa ehna kulish way il mandate tabatah telef will scope tabaina bit was sa o bit alal hasabi response less so. Eh, mafruodin kun dynamic. Fahna, we cannot go vertically depth and obdi atala ana albain operator, amil kulil applications, biddi amil, e-commerce, amil madaris. I can't do that. Ana biddi ashuf. What makes sense in terms of disruption that I need to adopt very quickly, ashan hik anabother aset merfilium and al focus to bay matalam, al focus to bay ala markets, industries, outsize benefit l bank. Will benefit lal bank, my short diamond in no, will anabasetmer bisherke or ba m alfiha exit, or jaali return ali. Hadaktir bamfar Lil Bank, let's say Lyom ana, batalma'ru alafere, KYC in person, bastahtim tul termili digital onboarding. So, Hadakti ilufer ala revenue to bail bank, l'efficiency of processes will accuracy, had mandate, lawada shirkatal maujude anabal portfolio, and bastah dimha. After min ma inno walla high shirke anab diamal aliha exit. Taba mean bikrahil exitum absulta exit hello. Basil primary focus who will strategic alignment. Munkin at allaminha, munkin at shirke, mumkin in no azahtima internally, Bilbank. For the next disruption wave.
SPEAKER_00Tirfah madad hakti had Borjina dish hammiet in no shirkat dikulazm to tower with our ill, mal Muhammad Mu Sasi, our corporate venture capital, um Sarayat ilmuasat, khirmuhim uh shirkat in Nashia, Zemakit exit kir muhim ltikar be bisher kinafsa. Bidiasel kinum lenik intibi had al majadam chtiglifiyo uh ma bankila be ifi had it tawaum. A day muhim the hai mat, kun endha hai il rasalman muhamar almusar amal hai la tudman day muta, la tudman istimrari tabl bilkitafkin akta na hada modu.
SPEAKER_01Yani uhni, hu mish ishi umni nice to have. Mish is she interpedder termilo, we couldn't end that is she wallahi ana kifa in the department, uh research, hone shweet research. Hada ishi yani essential yani bemel benispi ili it's a strategic risk not to have an innovation department. Intalion, Abitul uh ficti bnukwe tari, abitul anabamel operations high, basatmel ad hoc, home bhatushweat masari, home bhatushwe, barf shakselfulani bahatub shirkito, um mish mish misha tariha, the feedlist strategy laam, jemia anha il bank uhl ishi, fehlan biasray momentil bank long term, intelyomashan, my kun and that department, uh badl bnuk betebru cost center, they risk in no ikunu completely left out mil innovation wave. Lennozemahaken, tallam, ashana asetmer bishirke, maha, um proof of concept, anabakuntalata la ishrin shirk laalam. Stakeholders jewel bank, itarrafala is founder and bibno ishi special, ufalteruhom, her baluhom, uhtaru asantalate. The heyal commit knowledge, what deshtor is the founders Bijuana Bekkofil Bank Nazimhom, Bijub Tarrafa, il risk car compliance. So, mapte dartibha in no anamil investment or exit. It is about survival. Having an innovation department or collaborating startups is not a nice to have, it's about survival bank.
SPEAKER_00But this is nice to have, which is really high the mindset to share, uh, yeah, uh, collaboration for uh, bit comma had a big behind mindset change in no matter. It's not a nice to have, it's a must to have.
SPEAKER_01So, data lakes, they can't even start anywhere with AI. So you have to start somewhere and as soon as possible with a department that will lay down the foundation for you for that.
SPEAKER_00It's all about uh the vision vision, but sadhir, bottom up or top-down command for the house.
SPEAKER_01Exactly.
SPEAKER_00Alhada sahtibuchy startups could yum u Tamil Mahom integrated in Bishka Ekina.
SPEAKER_01Yani Anna Basmahaktier Hajj Nazar and no hadam ship tikkar had ta'lid, Bas Yani Shuf. Ah, Yani Shuf Akila Ehnni Lil Hosnal House, sorry, L Hosnal House, Echna Anna Ktier, Majal, Bil Eswa, Tabatna, Enno, Ne Mil Isha Ishdi the Hatter of Kanat, Nawa Anma Ta'lid. Halla isa entabak jeep shirkem in barra. Wita milha e ithawilha shirke birajan hadam bil marra, u akbar mistal, il shirkatali ana and shirkili anabalashtfiha e jerni tabati bil bilfintak, ilhi by now pelater. Bina sorry, mshana P2P landing yes. P2 peer lending, iktier model sahel, uktirkan model scalable, bil UK, bil US, Kul ishi online, kul ishi temilo, modify truhbit khadi online, bim shilhan. Hawenna innu ehna na milu translation bil Urdon, ktiirkan sab inuinjahle inno, kul ishi, ba taj kun in person at the time, kalisin dozn chisdwa in person, lazn ana shu fak in person, amal alek KYC, bala shop fiqra, lhihi il il il se it cannot min barra, la kan innak mujada nakit terjimha, lal aswa anna, hadakho.
SPEAKER_00Humakasal ibda bikun akhtar ala minas suffer tam mina sufred baht in no i tarat ish deed ali IP wa ali ni manshaft min ab, which is fi kasa zahek andabathay.
SPEAKER_01Safi, ubanshof tier Sarahaw, hala mtoka and shof akter e le inno sarfi en na zematul eb disha ki democratization, but ishi za hek, la il il building tools, thehommel AI tools, hala sara talla tangible. I had aad bay makan, bi dar yibni ala kosiktiraal, isa endu access la chipiti, u la uh cursor, uhadori bihlu yhla different tools. U felling yan anabatwa kaal fatrajai, and sho fiq tier innovation to tlam the region, akhtar baktier minzaman, then uh hai tools are universal. Wahad ayad bi San Francisco, wahat ayad hon, and do access la naf sele tools better. A bella there, shwaka.
SPEAKER_00Ktier hadma f democratization and jat fell and zemah kiti swap tower how call the tools fell and sara mutahaana. Uh okay. I think it's very important impact cleans, but I think we be uh bubbles had impact who had a mush revenue generating, mafia a real problem. How do you keep you assess how to do it? Impact muhem, but revenue, bahim cum exits, uh dish muhim let the startups, adish muhem, let they move that startups. Impact versus revenue versus uh L startup will bank. I think how revenue generating who feet rejected the water isn't halasar Mazam Sherikat in Nash, Mush Mazam, Humb Tim Sherikat in Nashia, and best should raise funds.
SPEAKER_01We do this for every investment we make, especially AI space. It's a very high done. Uh I hope that's the question. We do pull the plug on many projects we start. We are eventually uh responsible for safeguarding the money of our shareholders. Some of the solutions we've brought, analysis. But we do have a global network. So easily introductions, la sister companies, affiliates, or fully owned companies. When an aru ki regulator, isha mojudanna. Toban regulator uh connections or market depths or customer trust, fact isha and give you an example. It gives you the ripple effect. Outside of Arab Bank, we connect people to inside home and home, it's a investors be markets, and we have to do that.
SPEAKER_00Which is it, you want to fundraise the Modur, Mahal Muhtheref. It is global, but it's a global journey, but it's a local journey. And if we have Shumuli wa Alam, you can't do it.
SPEAKER_01Put your ego aside. It's not about you. Okay? That is not just uh about to put your face on the map. You can trust the ecosystem, la inno, it's about execution. Most uh top voice on LinkedIn, our 30 under 30. We're here to create value. This is what uh market will reward, creating value.
SPEAKER_00Wow, Timam. Thank you so much, Allah Nik Jitima Alal Podcast. Shukran ktir, Abdati.
SPEAKER_01Shukran iktir, it was lovely talking to you. Shukran ala wata.
SPEAKER_00Thank you, thank you. Martins with Tamalu subscribe dal kana, ured dal khalf. Utah, karatna on YouTube is a habbeen tahbaruhala. Ulaina maakum, bil halkaj mean the straight-up startup.