Tech Communities in Saudi and MENA: Insights from a GST Webinar

Last week we held a webinar panel discussion bringing together tech leaders in the Saudi Arabian tech ecosystem to discuss important trends and opportunities amid the Covid-19 outbreak. The discussion focused on the government’s response to the outbreak, how it has affected SMEs and entrepreneurship as a whole and what could be done to alleviate the various limitations placed on the community due to social isolation.

A summary of the conversation topics follows:

• The whole world is going through the stages of shock, grief, and denial. We are now slowly accepting reality, and finding new ways to cope and thrive
• In Saudi Arabia, digital transformation within corporations is in shambles, yet the Saudi government has been quite agile and has begun switching to e-government for the last few years with Vision2030. It has now been accelerated because of the pandemic.
• Many startups and SMEs are having layoffs, but the Saudi government is paying a percentage of salaries for the companies and is being very supportive of the tech ecosystem
• The corporate sector in Saudi is realizing the utmost importance of tech startups
• Vision2030 has transformed Saudi Arabia and is being taken as a source of inspiration; currently, digitalization is being accelerated in many different sectors.
• Most tech investments are being deployed to companies with a clear digital strategy and to companies that are already known within the VC’s circle
• This is a great opportunity to level the playing field for introverts or for people who have been working remotely and have learned different, more efficient ways to collaborate online with teams
• Financial planning will be very important for startups. It will be particularly critical to consider the future of consumer spending after lockdowns are eased
• The world is being debugged and is making everyone think about how our basics needs are met and will be during this crisis. Some key areas are around energy production, healthcare, education, agriculture and manufacturing
• In UAE, less than 30% of the population goes to an office now, and there are fewer working hours for banks
• Consumer behavior is being “digitalized” fast, but logistics and deliverable services are not matching up to current and future demands

Problems

• Manufacturing and supply chains are being challenged and transformed. What tech solutions and frameworks will make the means of production and distribution work with the current state of affairs?
• For many countries including Saudi Arabia, face-to-face interactions are a key determinant for trust and collaboration. What tech, policies and frameworks do we need to alleviate the need for in-person socialization?
• How do we keep a team motivated and with high morale during this crisis and isolation?
• Mental health will be the next big problem across the world. What tech and frameworks do we need in place to alleviate this issue?
• How have socialization and economic transactions evolved with online remote communication?

Tips and Tools for Team Management in the Covid era:

• More consistent communication throughout the day and having more honest discussions
• Stick to working hours, and try and set boundaries
• Be more human when dealing and communicating with your team
• JIRA — Project Management software
• Microsoft planner
• Krisp online meeting
• How to work more effectively online https://www.linkedin.com/posts/astrolabs_workingfromhome-productivitytips-activity-6655361408710037504-jCb3
• https://www.linkedin.com/posts/astrolabs_workingfromhome-activity-6648133919709413377-TNqj