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In a big strategic push to further its reach into MENA’s startup ecosystem, RiseUp, the company behind the iconic startup event RiseUp Summit, has acquired MENAbytes

MENAbytes is counted among the leading startup and technology publications in the region. Per the deal, RiseUp will now also be the proprietor of trackMENA, a data platform developed by MENAbytes to help readers track startups, venture capitalists, investments, and acquisition/merger deals.

Founded in 2017 by Zubair Naeem Paracha, MENAbytes claims to have only one full-time employee — Zubair himself. He will continue to lead both MENAbytes and trackMENA as the digital publication prepares to expand its presence to Pakistan and Turkey. 

“I am very excited about becoming a part of RiseUp and working with Abdelhameed and the brilliant team there especially because of their vision of building a platform to offer every online and offline resources that an entrepreneur may need to grow their startup in MENA,” Zubair noted after inking the deal with RiseUp.

With this new development, MENAbytes has now been fully incorporated into the digital content arm of RiseUp. 

While RiseUp expects to gain from MENAbytes’ extensive network in MENA’s startup community, the latter will also benefit from RiseUp’s resources to emerge an even bigger data and news platform. 

RiseUP CEO Abdelhameed Sharara, meanwhile, reacted to the MENAbytes acquisition by saying:  “We’re immeasurably excited about the opportunities MENAbytes will offer RiseUp. The acquisition, and working with Zubair, is the first big step in our vision of being a one-stop-shop for the entire spectrum of resources entrepreneurs and startups need to grow.”