The Investor’s View: Does Attending Ecosystem Events Improve Chances Of Investment

By Samih Toukan | Jun 29, 2016
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How many ecosystem events have you attended this year as an entrepreneur hoping to meet a potential investor? Startups tell us that one of the primary reasons they choose to go to MENA region events is to improve their chances of funding. We asked investors based in the Middle East, from angels to VCs, to talk back and give us their views on whether startups attending events were better positioned to garner investor interest.

THE Q When assessing startups for potential investment, do you consider how often they attend events in the ecosystem?

“Actually, I have never used attending events as part of the assessment. However, I do encourage our portfolio entrepreneurs to participate in events in the ecosystem. I think it’s important for networking and learning and sharing experiences. It can also help in building relationships with investors and other stakeholders in the ecosystem.”

Related: The Investor’s View: Does Attending Ecosystem Events Improve Chances Of Investment

How many ecosystem events have you attended this year as an entrepreneur hoping to meet a potential investor? Startups tell us that one of the primary reasons they choose to go to MENA region events is to improve their chances of funding. We asked investors based in the Middle East, from angels to VCs, to talk back and give us their views on whether startups attending events were better positioned to garner investor interest.

THE Q When assessing startups for potential investment, do you consider how often they attend events in the ecosystem?

“Actually, I have never used attending events as part of the assessment. However, I do encourage our portfolio entrepreneurs to participate in events in the ecosystem. I think it’s important for networking and learning and sharing experiences. It can also help in building relationships with investors and other stakeholders in the ecosystem.”

Related: The Investor’s View: Does Attending Ecosystem Events Improve Chances Of Investment

Samih Toukan

Chairman, Jabbar Internet Group
In the year 2000, Samih founded and became the CEO of Maktoob.com, the world's first Arabic email and largest Arab online community with over 16 million users. In 2009, Maktoob was acquired by Yahoo! in the largest technology acquisition deal in the history of the region.Following the acquisition, Samih became the Chairman of Jabbar Internet...

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