Step CEO Describes MENA Startup Ecosystem Growth

Step co-founder and CEO Ray Dargham previews Step Dubai, held February 11-12 at Dubai Internet City, and assesses MENA's startup maturation. He says the region—led by Dubai and Riyadh—is accelerating in AI, fintech and digital infrastructure, with Step attracting over 8,000 attendees, 400 startups, and investors representing $12.6 billion in deployable capital. He urges disciplined scaling, product-market fit, and stronger ecosystem support.