Founders Media, the parent company of WAYA Media, has announced a strategic investment from Foras.ai. The deal is set to accelerate the platform’s growth in delivering bilingual business and startup news to founders, investors, and operators across Egypt, the Gulf, and the wider MENA region.
Quick Facts
- Investor: Foras.ai, founded by Mohamed Aboulnaga (Nagaty).
- Focus: Expanding bilingual coverage across MENA.
- Advisor: The transaction was facilitated by Exits MENA.
Fueling a Region-First Media Vision
WAYA Media was launched to address a clear gap in the market for business journalism that genuinely understands the region’s ecosystem. The platform argues that much of the existing media is either imported or disconnected from the realities on the ground. Co-founded by Gamal Helmy and New York-based HOF Capital, WAYA aims to provide rigorous, independent reporting tailored to its audience in both English and Arabic.
The investment from Foras.ai builds on support from early backers including HOF Capital, Onsi Sawiris, and Saoud Al-Humaidhi, reinforcing the thesis that a properly built, region-first media platform is both necessary and scalable.
Reflecting on the partnership, Gamal Helmy, Co-Founder and CEO of WAYA Media, stated: “WAYA was built on the belief that the MENA region deserves business journalism that is rigorous, independent, and built for the audience it serves, in both languages. Nagaty and his team understand the vision and bring the network and reach to accelerate what we are building across editorial and commercial. This is the right partner at the right moment.”
A Three-Pronged Growth Plan
The new capital will be used to strengthen three core areas of the business. First, it will fund the expansion of WAYA Media’s editorial and operational teams to increase coverage and output. Second, it will deepen the platform’s data-driven content capabilities to deliver more analytical journalism. Finally, the investment will accelerate the development of video content and other digital formats to broaden audience reach.
Onsi Sawiris, Co-Founder & Partner at HOF Capital, noted the investment marks a turning point for WAYA’s market position: “We backed WAYA at the start because we believed in the team’s ability to build something genuinely differentiated in a market that was underserved. Nagaty and Foras.ai bring the reach and commercial network to turn WAYA into the definitive source for business news across the Arab world, and I’m excited to see what this next chapter delivers.”
More Than Just Capital
Foras.ai brings significant strategic value beyond funding. Its founder, Mohamed Aboulnaga, has a highly engaged professional audience in the region, which is expected to amplify WAYA Media’s visibility. Foras.ai will also actively support business development for WAYA’s commercial arms, WAYA Works (branded content) and WAYA Studio (editorial production services), as it grows its client base across Egypt and the Gulf.
Mohamed Aboulnaga, Founder of Foras.ai, emphasized the broader opportunity in the region’s evolving media ecosystem: “In an era where audiences constantly refresh their feeds to stay informed, and where AI has leveled the landscape of company creation, our ambition is to build the region’s largest distribution network for media and financial communication. Gamal and the WAYA team have built an impressive platform, one they should be proud of.”
About WAYA Media
WAYA Media is a bilingual business and startup news platform serving founders, operators, and investors across the MENA region. Published in both English and Arabic, it covers venture capital, technology, financial markets, and economic trends. The platform also operates two commercial divisions: WAYA Works, a branded content arm, and WAYA Studio, an editorial production service for regional clients.
Source: Waya
