Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Sunday, Jun 01, 2025

US streaming app Fireside to light up Middle East’s media landscape

US streaming app Fireside to light up Middle East’s media landscape

US-based streaming app Fireside is expanding its reach to the Middle East and North Africa region with Web3-enabled technology set to change the entire media and entertainment industry.
Co-founded by renowned entrepreneur and billionaire Mark Cuban, Fireside’s ambition is to create a streaming app for the future and use the MENA region as a stepping stone to reach global markets.

In an exclusive interview with Arab News, Fireside Co-founder and CEO Falon Fatemi said that the region presents a huge opportunity for growth thanks to its diverse and tech-savvy population.

“There’s a huge appetite for media and entertainment. I think there’s an incredible opportunity here from an infrastructure perspective, especially with the Saudi Vision 2030 and a lot of the media and entertainment initiatives that Abu Dhabi and Dubai have already invested in,” she stated.

Fatemi is extremely excited about the Middle Eastern market, which she stated is full of market opportunities because of its large entertainment consumer base.

Founded in 2021, Fireside is the first interactive Web3 streaming platform that enables user interaction with live shows and content creators to deepen the relationship between both sides.

“It is the only tech platform out there that turns talent, athletes, brands and organizations into the studio network and streaming services of the future,” said Fatemi.

She further explained that content creators could invite their audiences to be part of their show and get full ownership over their data.

It transforms audiences from being content consumers to partnering with the entertainment network and getting access to behind-the-scenes operations and exclusive merchandize through a subscription to the platform.

Taking the platform to the next level, Fireside closed the acquisition of open-streaming TV platform Stremium last month, which Fatemi explained was part of the company’s strategy to move forward on its interactive live shows.

She also gave the example of Stuart O’Keeffe’s live cooking show, where users will be able to cook along, interact, ask questions, and O’Keeffe will then invite consumers to turn the camera on their phone and join the show in real time.

“The whole point is deepening fan relationships and loyalty. Then, at the end of the show, you could reward them for participating by giving them a collect-a-recipe card, a signed copy of the book, and make it easy for them to engage in commerce,” Fatemi said.

The interactive model is still under development which will also include non-fungible tokens and decentralized technology as part of the consumer rewards process that Fatemi stated is set to go live in the first quarter of 2023.

The company is already in talks to develop partnerships with organizations, governments, and individuals to further empower the media industry in the region.

“We want to bring the brands, the athletes, the studios and the broadcasters working with us in the US to the MENA region and deepen their relationship with the audience and the fans they have here,” she added.

She further explained that the company would also be able to identify opportunities to export local talent, brands, and organizations to the global market.

Strategic partnerships

Fatemi added that the company is exploring opportunities with Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Investment and the Public Investment Fund besides seeking synergies with Huda Beauty from the UAE.

The company is also looking to partner with media production and broadcasting outlets like Saudi Research and Media Group and Arabia Pictures.

Fatemi further lauded the PIF for its interest and investments in the entertainment industry as the sovereign wealth fund announced a $13 billion commitment to develop 21 entertainment destinations across 14 cities through its fully-owned subsidiary Saudi Entertainment Ventures.

It is also worth noting that MISA invited Fatemi to participate in its entrepreneurship event Catalyze Saudi held in Riyadh from Dec. 9-11.

Last February, the company raised $25 million in its series A funding round that valued that company at $125 million, with another $8 million fundraise before that.

Investors included the Chainsmokers, HBSE, Goodwater, Animal Capital, NFL stars Larry Fitzgerald and Kelvin Beachum, former NBA star Baron Davis and billionaire Mark Cuban.

Born and raised in Silicon Valley, Fatemi started her journey in the technology world when she was 19 and working for global giants YouTube and Google by building strategic partnerships for these companies.

Fatemi co-founded another venture called Node, an artificial intelligence platform that leverages customer relationship management data to increase business performance, which SugarCRM later acquired.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
UAE Offers Free ChatGPT Plus Subscriptions to Citizens
Lebanon Initiates Plan to Disarm Palestinian Factions
Iran and U.S. Make Limited Progress in Nuclear Talks
The Daily Debate: The Fall of the Dollar — Strategic Reset or Economic Self-Destruction?
Trump Administration's Tariff Policies and Dollar Strategy Spark Global Economic Debate
OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Startup for $6.5 Billion to Build a Revolutionary “Third Core Device”
Turkey Weighs Citizens in Public as Erdoğan Launches National Slimming Campaign
Saudi-Spanish Business Forum Commences in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia and Spain Sign MoU to Boost SME Sectors
UK Suspends Trade Talks with Israel Amid Gaza Offensive
Iran and U.S. Set for Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks Amid Rising Tensions
Russia Expands Military Presence Near Finland Amid Rising Tensions
Indian Scholar Arrested in Crackdown Over Pakistan Conflict Commentary
Israel Eases Gaza Blockade Amid Internal Dispute Over Military Strategy
President Biden’s announcement of advanced prostate cancer sparked public sympathy—but behind closed doors, Democrats are in panic
A Chinese company made solar tiles that look way nicer than regular panels!
Indian jet shootdown: the all-robot legion behind China’s PL-15E missiles
The Chinese Dragon: The True Winner in the India-Pakistan Clash
Australia's Venomous Creatures Contribute to Life-Saving Antivenom Programme
The Spanish Were Right: Long Working Hours Harm Brain Function
Did Former FBI Director Call for Violence Against Trump? Instagram Post Sparks Uproar
US and UAE Partner to Develop Massive AI Data Center Complex
Apple's $95 Million Siri Settlement: Eligible Users Have Until July 2 to File Claims
US and UAE Reach Preliminary Agreement on Nvidia AI Chip Imports
President Trump and Elon Musk Welcomed by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim with Cybertruck Convoy
Strong Warning Issued: Do Not Use General Chatbots for Medical, Legal, or Educational Guidance
Saudi Arabia Emerges as Global Tech Magnet with U.S. Backing and Trump’s Visit
This was President's departure from Saudi Arabia. The Crown Prince personally escorted him back to the airport.
NVIDIA and Saudi Arabia Launch Strategic Partnership to Establish AI Centers
Trump Meets Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara in Historic Encounter
Trump takes a blow torch to the neocons and interventionists while speaking to the Saudis
US and Saudi Arabia Sign Landmark Agreements Across Multiple Sectors
Why Saudi Arabia Rolled Out a Purple Carpet for Donald Trump Instead of Red
Elon Musk Joins Trump Meeting in Saudi Arabia
Trump says it would be 'stupid' not to accept gift of Qatari plane
Quantum Computing Threatens Bitcoin Security
Michael Jordan to Serve as Analyst for NBA Games
×