From Startup Scaling at Careem to Venture Capital at Shorooq — Omer Zabit shares his insights and lessons on this episode of The Perfect Pitch Podcast by Lucidity Insights. Host and Founder of Lucidity Insights, Erika Welch sits down with Omer to unpack these lessons from being part of building one of the Middle East’s biggest unicorns and now backing the next generation of founders at Shorooq.

Omer opens up about the mindsets that separate great founders from good ones — from operating in “Founder Mode” and “Beast Mode” to knowing when to take a sabbatical to reset and realign. He also shares how AI is reshaping the startup landscape, making it faster, cheaper, and easier than ever to build… and why he thinks Dubai is the best place in the world to build a business today. Plus, we dive into Shorooq’s investment thesis, what the firm is looking for in early-stage founders, and why operational experience gives investors a unique edge.

Omer Zabit Linkedin
Shorooq Partners Investor Profile

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"The Perfect Pitch," is a newly launched Podcast Show by Lucidity Insights. Join LucidityInsights.com for an exclusive masterclass series featuring top Venture Capitalists in the Middle East & Africa region. Get all the essential insights to kickstart your fundraising journey. 🚀

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In this episode of the Lucidity Insights podcast: The Perfect Pitch, we sit down with angel investor and ecosystem builder Lucy Chow, who shares hard-won truths about startup fundraising.

From explaining why founders should “fire their angel” if the fit is wrong, to stressing the danger of giving away too much equity early on — Lucy doesn't hold back. She unpacks the biggest funding red flags, the different stages of capital (friends & family, angels, VCs), and how early investors often bring more value through mentorship and network than money itself.

Lucy also dives into why she invests in female founders, how gender diversity correlates with higher returns, and the rising role of C-suite executives as angel investors. Whether you're a founder navigating your first raise, a woman looking to become an angel, or just curious about how funding really works in the Middle East and beyond — this conversation is full of insight, honesty, and action-ready advice.

LUCY CHOW’S LINKEDIN

"The Perfect Pitch," is a newly launched Podcast Show by Lucidity Insights. Join LucidityInsights.com for an exclusive masterclass series featuring top Venture Capitalists in the Middle East & Africa region. Get all the essential insights to kickstart your fundraising journey. 🚀

[ Watch this episode on video ]

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Lucidity Insights wrapped up its debut The Perfect Pitch podcast season in 2024, offering actionable advice to aspiring entrepreneurs.

Erika Welch shared her top 5 takeaways from conversations with the Middle East and Africa's most influential investors: not every business is VC-backable, bootstrapping can often be better than fundraising, your founding team matters more than your idea, embrace failure early, and always research your investors.

This series has empowered thousands of founders to craft the perfect pitch, navigate funding challenges, and build investable teams. As we gear up for an even more impactful 2025 season, dive into these invaluable lessons for startup success.

"The Perfect Pitch," is a newly launched Podcast Show by Lucidity Insights. Join LucidityInsights.com for an exclusive masterclass series featuring top Venture Capitalists in the Middle East & Africa region. Get all the essential insights to kickstart your fundraising journey. 🚀

[ Watch this episode on video ]

Follow our Socials: LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram | Twitter (X)