Marketing technology is a huge industry, with the number of martech tools and solutions increasing enormously over the last ten years. In 2014, there were estimated to be around 1,000 tools, rising to over 7,000 by 2019. As of this year, there are more than 15,000, according to McKinsey. Nevertheless, some businesses are struggling to demonstrate how this complex collection of technologies is actually driving better business results. This means there are rich opportunities for startups that can create the right product.
The key for startups is to focus on the problems at hand. The first issue a startup’s potential clients face is that they don’t want more and more software. Rather, they want to get more out of what they already have. Second, measuring the ROI of their martech, specifically attributing sales, can be challenging. Third, they want their current and any future apps to integrate fully with each other. Finally, they want stronger security measures to ensure their data is protected.
In other words, clients are asking for a lot. And nowhere more so than the MENA region which is becoming an increasingly attractive market for martech. This is driven by fast-growing digital economies, high smartphone adoption among the population, as well as governments prioritising data protection and innovation.
So, this article looks at the essential tools startups should consider building, as well as the challenges and opportunities of the martech space.
The essential martech tools that marketers need in 2025
Let’s start by examining some of the areas that startups could consider focusing on:
Privacy
With third-party cookies disappearing, brands need a reliable solution. A customer data platform (CDP) that prioritises privacy can help by managing consent natively, accurately linking customer identities across channels, and integrating with a company’s marketing systems. A CDP that provides transparency and delivers actionable and legally compliant data meets a real need.
Meanwhile, as online privacy rules continue to tighten, marketers are turning to smarter ways of reaching their audiences. Showing ads based on the content people are viewing or broad interest groups (rather than individual tracking) is making something of a comeback. Startups that can build tools that use real-time data from publishers to understand context and deliver relevant ads (while prioritising privacy) should find a sizable market.
Startups that make it easy to track the origin of data, automatically identify personal information, and maintain clear consent records will be in high demand from compliance teams.
Integration
For marketing teams that don’t have a fully-integrated stack, it takes too much time to manually connect different tools and systems. A good orchestration platform can solve this issue by allowing marketers to do what they do best – manage campaigns and data – all from a single place. These platforms should easily connect with CRM, e-commerce, and analytics tools and because they use no- or low-code interfaces, even non-technical marketers can automate processes.
It’s also impossible for generic platforms to perfectly serve every industry. But solutions that are built for key sectors (whether that’s hospitality, financial services or real estate) and offer industry-specific integrations and compliance will attract users more quickly.
Automation
Personalisation doesn’t have to mean custom design for every audience segment. By using templates and automation, tools that combine asset management with live A/B testing can help brands deliver relevant experiences at scale, while keeping costs under control.
Measurement
One of the biggest frustrations in martech is the lack of a clear ROI. Businesses will opt for tools that can report on the marketing results attributable to a specific campaign and integrate tools that analyse how these different marketing activities drive revenue. If you can make complex measurements genuinely accessible and understandable to non-data teams, you will be ahead of the competition.
The challenges and opportunities of martech
Bringing a new martech product to market has its opportunities as well as its pitfalls. The most successful founders will be those who start with a clear focus and understand that they are solving a very specific problem. That should be the goal, before thoughts of expansion are even considered.
This approach could involve addressing a specific problem, such as improving paid search performance through incrementality testing, or using consented personalisation to make renewal campaigns more effective. Whatever the specific solution, your primary mission is to successfully prove product-market fit. Only after laying that critical foundation can you begin to build outward and scale the product.
We’ve mentioned integration a lot, and there’s a reason for that. For startup founders, it’s vital to integrate early, since marketers are not looking for isolated tools – they want complete solutions that fit into their existing systems. So, the better your product connects with the tools they already use, the faster adoption will be.
And let’s not forget about price. Keep in mind that performance-based pricing means you align your success with your customer’s. It also demonstrates your confidence in your product’s potential. You might also consider distribution deals with platforms that can resell your product, providing you with rapid access to scale and swift market credibility.
Finally, there are a few common traps to avoid. Don’t build something that users can’t understand or trust. Transparency and explainability are essential. Don’t overlook legal and compliance requirements, as this can derail growth just as quickly as technical issues. And resist the temptation to chase every new marketing channel or buzzword. History has shown that companies that endure are often those that stay focused on delivering clear, measurable value.
The next generation of martech
To return to the key points: martech success is about consolidation and achieving measurable outcomes. If startup founders bear this in mind and keep a close eye on changes in privacy rules, it will help guide their ideation. The market is clearly sizable – it was estimated at USD 465 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 1.3 trillion by 2030. It’s down to the startup founder, then, to create martech that can justify its seat at the revenue table. If you do that, you will find customers ready to pay for it.
As the MENA region continues to invest heavily in digital transformation, founders who build practical tools that integrate easily and make privacy a priority stand a strong chance of finding a market. In the end, marketing is about systems – how well they work, how simple they are to use, how compliant they are, and how measurable they are. It’s the job of the startup to meet that challenge.
