Viaka Newsletter: Client growth leader and Network member superstar!
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Hi all! This week, we’re highlighting Viaka Network member Amna Ahmad, a senior director of client growth at Cedar. Amna has some great experiences to share.
What do you currently do?
I’m a Senior Director of Client Growth at Cedar, a patient financial engagement company based in NYC. In my role, I manage strategy and operations for a set of healthcare organizations that leverage our platform to engage patients in the financial and administrative aspects of their healthcare journey. I’ve been at Cedar for three and a half years and have enjoyed watching our products evolve based on insights from data science experimentation, user research, and an ongoing dialogue with our brilliant and mission-driven clients.
What prompted you to go down this career path and how did you get into this field?
My interest in healthcare started when I was in college. I focused on stranger kidney donation as a rare form of altruism for my thesis in sociology at Columbia. Through the experience of completing my thesis, I realized that I wanted to inform decisions that would make patients healthier and happier and healthcare organizations more efficient. I soon came to discover that tech startups were the settings in which I could have the greatest impact and have been working in health tech since graduate school.
What originally got you interested in connecting with the MENA startup ecosystem and other like-minded folks here in North America?
I’m an American-born Palestinian and particularly proud of the historical ingenuity of the Arab people. In my mind, Arab culture and history have always been synonymous with innovation. In spite of the challenges delivered upon the Arab world, I’m convinced that the next Arab renaissance is just ahead of us. The MENA startup ecosystem has the talent, the drive, and the hunger to achieve success. Now all they need is the community. Viaka is doing an incredible job of building bridges and organically sourcing support for the MENA startup ecosystem and I’m thrilled to be a part of it.
What types of connections are you looking to make through Viaka? This can be from the MENA side, as well as with other MENA-connected folks in the Viaka Network
So far, I’ve enjoyed connecting with entrepreneurs and other contributors at a handful of innovative startups. The conversations we’ve had have inspired me to challenge my ways of thinking about my own work and career. I hope I’ve done the same for them.
Where will that take you?
My involvement with Viaka has not only made me a better professional in my own field, but has also helped me become a better mentor to Palestinian startups that I advise in my free time.
Bonus: favorite dish from the MENA world?
Makloubeh which translates to “upside-down” in English. It’s so much more than a rice dish. It’s a metaphor for the satisfaction that comes from turning the world on its head.
Promising Opportunities from Our Partners
New opportunities added in April 2023
To advise:
eComz is looking for experts in lead generation & sales expansion into new MENA markets, particularly KSA.
Designer-24 is looking for expert advice to help them build a strategy and template to effectively franchise their model in smaller MENA markets.
To invest in:
Anecdote is raising a seed round to continue building out their AI platform that Instantly brings qualitative customer insights to product and CX teams.
To receive investment from:
533 Syndicate is looking for promising founders across stages and industries. Ticket sizes as low as $20K and as high as $100K.
Click on the button below to see all current opportunities & get involved:
Exciting Announcements From Our Network
Below is a list of updates, wins, and asks emanating from members of the Viaka Network in the “West.”
Sign up for Viaka’s April Demo Day! April’s Demo Day will focus on MarTech and Audio startups — there is an exciting line-up of founders and investors. Sign up and learn more here!
Dear Love book signing this week! Check out this book signing event for Sarah Bahbah’s book Dear Love. Click here for more.
Plug and Play Health is hiring a biz dev manager! Plug and Play Health is looking to bring on a business development manager in their Silicon Valley office. The posting can be viewed here.
uCast is hiring a sales team member! Interested in joining an early-stage startup in a sales role? Check out the posting here for more info.
If you’re a member of our Network and would like to share your own update next week, email info.viaka@gmail.com or submit an update via this form.
Reads of the Week
Viaka has launched a Network Reading List, where Network members are encouraged to submit media suggestions of their own.
Axios has published an article about the Middle East IPO train! See more here.
Here’s an article from Bret Waters on the state of fundraising right now.
Check out this deep dive from Endeavor on the “multiplier effect”.
Check out Viaka’s full reading list here.
Weekly News Digest
Check out our weekly digest — we provide news from all across the MENA startup ecosystem, every single Friday. Be sure to follow our LinkedIn and Twitter for more.
That’s it for this week. Thank you! 👋
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