The Web Summit Qatar 2025 gathered world leaders, entrepreneurs, and investors to discuss the ever-changing face of technology. With over 25,000 participants from 124 nations, 1,520 startups, and 723 investors, the summit became the biggest startup conference in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

One of the highlights of discussion was the evolution of super apps and their role as game changers in worldwide digital business. The panelist discussion was facilitated by CNBC-TV18's Shruti Mishra and included such heavyweights from the tech space as Juan Pablo Ortega, Co-Founder, Rappi; Hammad Al Hajri, CEO, Snoonu; and Philip Kandal, CPO, Grab. Discussion revolved around how super apps are reshaping digital engagements through services like payments, online commerce, transportation, and ordering food—all combined within one single application.

Strategic Integration of Services in Super Apps

The session started with a discussion on how firms select services to integrate into their super apps. Philip Kandal of Grab highlighted their customer-centric strategy, stating, "The decision is very straightforward for us—we exist to serve our drivers and merchants so that they can live a better life by earning more." He went on to describe how Grab diversified from mobility services to food delivery, strategically looking to optimize driver utilization at various times of the day, as mobility is high in the morning and evening, while food delivery has complementary peak hours.

Hammad Al Hajri touched on the significance of super apps in less developed markets, specifically the GCC, when he said, "The market is relatively small, with about 45-50 million people. Several startups won't be proven in such a small market unless they're embedded in super apps." Herein lies the power of super apps in being able to maintain services which otherwise would struggle to exist as a separate app in lesser regions.

Balancing User Experience with Service Diversity

Another key topic of discussion was how to balance an intuitive user experience with broadening the service offering. Juan Pablo Ortega spoke about Rappi's experience, explaining, "We came along and followed user preferences and put more services in there, but at some point we expanded too much by putting live streaming and video games. We dialed it back and now we have the focus on delivery and financial services, which are of value to users." This highlights the need for a concentrated strategy and full awareness of user needs instead of trying to cover too much ground.

The discussion then shifted to how super apps evolve to accommodate regional tastes and cultural variations. Hammad Al Hajri described how localizing services offers a competitive edge: "Food is universal, but super apps can leverage the local experience by offering various services to suit customer demand. This gives us an edge over international players like Uber." He referenced Snoonu's innovative food ordering services, with four different dining experiences: delivery, takeaway, drive-thru, and fine dining, crafted to meet regional consumer behavior.

Overcoming Scaling Challenges and Infrastructure Needs

One of the biggest challenges for building super apps is establishing strong infrastructure that is able to scale well. Philip Kandal described Grab's journey, saying, "Today, Grab is core infrastructure in Southeast Asia when Grab is down, the city stops moving. We've spent a lot in stability and scalability, working with top cloud vendors and tech players." This refers to the role of super apps as urban infrastructure, necessitating huge investments in technical reliability.

Competing on a Global Scale and Unfolding Strategies

The panelists discussed how they compete against global technology behemoths. Juan Pablo Ortega highlighted the competitive advantage emerging-market businesses enjoy, stating, "Our competitive advantage is our local view and ability to customize the app to local markets. We've successfully competed with Uber in most markets, proving that tech companies from emerging markets can compete globally." Hammad Al Hajri reinforced this, saying regional players such as Grab and Rappi can beat the global giants because they know local market dynamics.

Future Expansion and Growth Plans

In the future, the panelists shared their expansion plans and market priorities. Hammad Al Hajri announced Snoonu's IPO plans by 2027 in Qatar, attributing the country's good history of IPO fundraising. He also said that they were considering listing in Hong Kong or Riyadh. At the same time, Philip Kandal underscored Grab's sustained Southeast Asian focus, pointing to the recent establishment of their full-service bank and the company's refusal to move into markets such as India, since there is still so much potential in Southeast Asia.

Emerging Trends Shaping the Future of Super Apps

Lastly, the panelists predicted emerging trends that will shape super apps of the future. Generative AI was the star of the show, with Kandal suggesting it will make teams 5-10x more productive. Hammad Al Hajri named AI-powered recommendation engines and tailored user experiences, and Juan Pablo Ortega predicted the growth of frictionless payments.

As super apps advance, they are destined to be an even more seamless aspect of everyday life, integrating state-of-the-art technology with people-oriented design to create smooth digital experiences for worldwide markets.

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