Hiring in MENA is different because the talent market is different. Most good engineers and designers are employed by banks, telecoms, or government agencies. They’re not scrolling through AngelList or attending startup meetups. They’re working stable jobs and supporting families, which makes the startup pitch much harder. The traditional startup recruiting approach—equity upside, fast-paced environment, opportunity to change the world—doesn’t resonate with candidates who prioritize stability and clear career progression. Instead, you need to offer things that established companies can’t: the opportunity to learn faster, work on cutting-edge problems, and have real impact on product decisions. The best early employees are usually people who are already thinking about making a change but haven’t found the right opportunity yet. They’re talented but frustrated with bureaucracy, interested in technology but stuck in legacy systems, ambitious but constrained by traditional corporate structures. Your job is to find these people and give them a compelling reason to take the leap.

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Look Beyond the Obvious Places

Most startups hire from the same talent pools: engineering bootcamps, university computer science programs, and employees from other startups. But in MENA, some of the best talent is hidden in unexpected places. Government agencies often have incredibly smart people who understand complex systems and regulatory requirements. Consulting firms have people who understand business problems across multiple industries. Traditional companies have domain experts who understand markets better than any Silicon Valley engineer. The trick is identifying people who have the right mindset even if they don’t have the right background. Look for people who have taught themselves new skills, who have built side projects, who ask thoughtful questions about your business. Technical skills can be taught, but curiosity and drive can’t.