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1/ #Anghami HQ relocating to Abu Dhabi
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8 years ago when @EddyMaroun and me launched @anghami , we wanted to build a business that would hopefully get some traction & show that
can build a tech startup in a competitive field such as music.
Thread time >
8 years ago when @EddyMaroun and me launched @anghami , we wanted to build a business that would hopefully get some traction & show that
can build a tech startup in a competitive field such as music.
2/ Why? Because it just didn't exist in this part of the world! We needed music 
and so did plenty of arabs who had to pirate for the lack of a legal service.
and so did plenty of arabs who had to pirate for the lack of a legal service.
3/ Building music service is no simple feat, especially when it has to be available on every device, be local, contain a 57 Million songs legal library , be fast, be different 
.
.
4/ It becomes even harder when you have to build a payment network from 36 telcos across the region - and amass over 80 million users.
What's the hardest part in building all this?
What's the hardest part in building all this?
5/ The talent!
The people who spend endless hours working to build the vision and constantly churn fix after fix to make it sparkle.
That talent came mostly from Lebanon, 90% of the team hailed from my country. And made us absolutely proud!
The people who spend endless hours working to build the vision and constantly churn fix after fix to make it sparkle.
That talent came mostly from Lebanon, 90% of the team hailed from my country
. And made us absolutely proud!
6/ A startup is meant to grow. Growth requires continuous investment 
. And while our original investors helped us build. We needed more to keep innovating & competing.
Over the past 2 years, we tried hard to bring more investment to #Lebanon but to no ado.
. And while our original investors helped us build. We needed more to keep innovating & competing.Over the past 2 years, we tried hard to bring more investment to #Lebanon but to no ado.
7/ Little did we know, that 2019 will end with lashed hope of country revival 
, followed by a domino of doom that started by financial crisis, strapped funds and ended with human suffering on 4 August 
.
, followed by a domino of doom that started by financial crisis, strapped funds and ended with human suffering on 4 August .
8/ As a founder, I was distraught between my belonging to this country that I had never ever left - and the company that I built with a magnificent bunch of people that I am not yet ready to let go 
.
.
9/ In 1990, I was traveling to continue my education abroad when one of these endless Lebanese wars ended. I stayed fully believing in the renewal after the storm 
.
.
11/ In 2020, I didn't give up. My country gave up on our dreams, and the hopes of a generation of builders
.
I had spent 30 years working & believing in a better tomorrow, and it was slowly vanishing.
.I had spent 30 years working & believing in a better tomorrow, and it was slowly vanishing.
11/ A promise from all of us: Our #Beirut office will never ever close 
. We will keep recruiting fresh graduates and seasoned team members.
office will never ever close . We will keep recruiting fresh graduates and seasoned team members.
12/ However, our new HQ will now be Abu Dhabi 
. A city that welcomed us with utmost support. Well beyond our expectations. A city that will invest in our team, technology & research over the many years to come.
. A city that welcomed us with utmost support. Well beyond our expectations. A city that will invest in our team, technology & research over the many years to come.
13/ In 2021, @anghami is now more Arab than ever before with Abu Dhabi , Beirut , Dubai , Cairo 
& Riyadh 
offices and users from all the world 
.
Firmly upping my belief that if we all work together, share learnings & failures we all become better as an Arab nation.
, Beirut , Dubai , Cairo & Riyadh offices and users from all the world . Firmly upping my belief that if we all work together, share learnings & failures we all become better as an Arab nation.
14/ We can dream, we can build, we can compete, we can lead the way & hopefully inspire others to do better.
This is just the beginning.
Our #Chapter2 starts very soon
Stayed tuned & Use Local
This is just the beginning.
Our #Chapter2 starts very soon
Stayed tuned & Use Local
