An article by Darya Nikulina, Director of Operations & Marketing at Dubai-based travel tech company Visarun
Whenever a crisis hits, companies default to caution. Hiring slows, launches are delayed, expansion plans are frozen, and investors retreat into wait-and-see mode.
This pattern becomes even more pronounced during geopolitical conflict. And right now, MENA is navigating exactly that reality.
Startup funding across the region fell to $941 million in Q1 2026, down 37% year-on-year, as geopolitical instability weighed heavily on investor sentiment. Across major commercial hubs including Dubai, parts of the retail sector have slowed, travel disruption has created operational uncertainty, and several global events have been postponed, cancelled, or restructured.
For many companies, the instinct is to step back.
