“Minly is fundamentally redefining the interaction between celebrities and fans in the MENA region, and it has immense development potential,” says Peter Orth, Co-Founder and General Partner at 4DX Ventures, who will join the board. “The team has both the will and the know-how to create a full-stack digital interaction platform that has the potential to transform the way digital content is created and consumed in the region. We’re ecstatic to be working with Minly and to help them achieve their full potential.”
Minly has seen fast organic growth since its launch in 2020, with over 50,000 registered users and a remarkable list of tier A regional celebrities.
Users can purchase personalized video messages and shoutouts from their favorite celebrities through Minly, gaining unprecedented access to the talent they adore most, while celebrities gain a stronger connection with their fans. Minly has assembled a varied roster of hundreds of outstanding superstars, including athletes, artists, and internet influencers, in addition to traditional film and television stars. Tamer Hosny, Fifi Abdou, Assala Nasri, Dorra Zarrouk, Hazem Imam, and Mahmoud Trezeguet are just a few of the greatest talent in the region who have joined Minly.
The global pandemic has boosted interest in the platform; in-person events have all but gone, and Minly provides superstars with a real and personal opportunity to communicate with their biggest followers.
Tamer Hosny, an accomplished singer, actor, and filmmaker with over 50 million followers on social media, is one of the platform’s biggest stars. He says, “I’m very happy to be on Minly, connecting with my followers all across the world.” “I’m also ecstatic about the social impact Minly is having, as a portion of the proceeds goes to charity that aid the less fortunate.”
Minly aims to expand its products and services to become a full-stack passion economy platform that enables content creators to give meaningful experiences to their followers across numerous mediums. Minly co-founder Mohamed El-Shinnawy adds, “With this fresh finance and the fantastic set of partners who have joined us, we are ready to scale across the region and deliver an exciting array of new goods.” “The creative economy is still in its infancy, but it is exploding at breakneck speed. In MENA, we have the possibility to become the first unicorn in this category.”
Minly allows users to peruse public shoutouts on the platform and record their reactions, resulting in one-of-a-kind and genuine experiences. Tamer Hosny unexpectedly up at Haidy and Abanoub’s engagement party, shocking everyone and creating an unforgettable moment for the happy couple, is an example of the heartfelt Minly Moments made on the platform. Another Minly Moment was for Assala’s biggest supporters, the Al-Ghazzawi family, which was documented on the platform. On Father’s Day, Mohamad was taken aback when his wife Insaf surprised him with a personalized film from Assala honoring their lovely daughter Sham.
“As a mission-driven company, our focus is on spreading positivity and encouraging celebrities and content creators to engage with people from all walks of life. We’re particularly proud of our work with NGOs like the Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation, which makes a meaningful difference on the ground.” Shinnawy adds.
Shinnawy has over 15 years of expertise in the media and IT industries. He oversaw a team of 85 engineers that delivered work for Hollywood’s biggest studios, including Sony Pictures Entertainment, Universal, Disney, Fox, and Warner Brothers, after selling his first firm, Emerge Technology, to a media and entertainment corporation based in Los Angeles.
Shinnawy was also key in the global expansion of Apple TV+, Disney+, and Netflix, which now have hundreds of millions of users globally.
Minly’s team, co-founded and led by Mohamed El-Shinnawy, Tarek Hosny, and Bassel El-Toukhy, with industry partners Tarek ElGanainy and Ahmed Abbas, brings decades of experience from top firms in technology and entertainment, including Uber, Careem, MBC’s Shahid, Emerge Technology, Microsoft, Disney, Apple, Netflix, IBM, Amazon, and Vodafone, brings decades of experience from top firms in technology and entertainment
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