Tiffany and Nike collaborated on a new shoe release — but sneakerheads aren’t loving it: The internet lost its collective mind over the weekend when luxury jewelry brand Tiffany & Co and athletic wear giant Nike announced they’re joining forces to create a collaboration sneaker, dubbed the Nike Air Force 1 Low Tiffany & Co “1837.” But unofficial leaked images on social media have not been well received by sneaker collectors, who argue that it isn’t as impressive as they had hoped for from such a high-profile collaboration. The disappointment is compounded by the shoes’ price tag: The limited release will come with an eye-popping price tag of USD 400 (or a rather painful EGP 12k) — at least double what you’d expect to pay for a regular Air Force 1, according to Insider.

This partnership comes as Tiffany strives to modernize its image and appeal to a younger clientele. Since LVMH’s 2021 purchase of Tiffany, the company has participated in a number of partnerships, including one with Beyoncé and Jay-Z. LVMH owner Bernard Arnault has recently overtaken tech tycoon Elon Musk as the richest man in the world.

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African startups are bucking the trend and continuing to raise funds: African startups continued to grow and secure VC funding despite global pessimism and caution from investors, raising more funding by volume and value in 2022 than in 2021, according to TechCrunch. African startups raised some USD 4.8-5.4 bn from 975 transactions in 2022, data estimates suggest, compared to USD 5.2 bn from 790 transactions in 2021. “Despite the challenges that emerged in the second half of the year, 2022 was another year of growth for Africa … This is particularly noteworthy, as every other region experienced a double-digit drop in funding activity during the same period,” African data tracker The Big Deal co-founder Max Cuvellier told TechCrunch.

Where did the money go? Companies in Africa’s big four — Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt and South Africa — brought in 75% of the funding secured. Fintech companies continued to account for the largest chunk of funding, with around 38% of the funding secured by African startups last year. That number is a significant drop from the 62% recorded in 2021. Other notable sectors drawing in funds include cleantech, logistics, and mobility. The Enterprise Startup Tracker counted 94 investments in Egyptian startups worth USD 507 mn in 2022.

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Dubai’s Orfali Bros. Bistro crowned MENA’s best restaurant in 2023 from the World’s Best 50: The homegrown eatery was founded by three Syrian brothers, and represents “the new Dubai cuisine,” according to co-founder Mohammed Orfali, Bloomberg reports. Dubai bagged 15 spots on the list, including top six of the top 10, giving it the highest number of eateries on the list for the second consecutive year. Tel Aviv follows with six restaurants on the list, and Amman with five. There are a substantial number of Asian and other non-Middle Eastern eateries featured on the list, which is something many chefs expressed that they would like to see change. There is little overlap between the restaurants that are awarded Michelin stars and those that make the 50 Best lists, which tend to be more progressive.

Four Egyptian restaurants made the cut: A round of applause for our friends at Zooba who came in ninth place, consolidating its success as a homegrown brand that began in Zamalek a decade ago and now has multiple branches in Egypt and abroad. Restaurateur Ayman Baki’s Japanese restaurant and bar Kazoku came in 12th place, while his flagship restaurant Sachi came in 30th. Japanese restaurant Reif Kushiyaki, the first franchise of the Dubai-born Japanese street food eatery, came in 45th place only a year after it opened in Egypt in December 2021.

The top 10: Orfali Bros Bistro (Dubai), Trèsind Studio (Dubai), Fusions by Tala (Manama), Ossiano (Dubai) , 3 Fils (Dubai), George & John (Tel Aviv), Kinoya (Dubai), Fakhreldin, (Amman), Zooba in Zamalek (Cairo) and Moonrise (Dubai).