Venture Capital | Page 3

"The MENA is slowly catching up, but we still see a lot of strange asks from some of the newer ecosystem investors."

An unprecedented era of capital abundance is all set to massively accelerate innovation in the world as we know it.

Being discerning when selecting venture capitalists is as critical as any other business decision.

For those of us who have been watching the Middle East entrepreneurial ecosystem for a while now, it wouldn't be a stretch to say that the region has seen a surge in the number of accelerators and incubators in the recent past.

Look out Silicon Valley, MENA is looking to increase its footprint.

Kareem Elsirafy has had his fair share of struggles and successes in the entrepreneurial world, and now, in his new role as an investor, he's keen to support the ecosystem.

As is the case in many emerging markets, hurdles to investment will arise

Corporates and family businesses have a lot to gain by entering the VC landscape.

UAE-based Crescent Enterprises has led a Series A round of investment totaling US$16 million in ColubrisMX and XCath, two US-based micro-robotic medical device enterprises.

The investment was raised from 65 private family offices and High Net Worth Individuals (HNWI) belonging to the GCC and larger MENA regions.

Mohamed Alabbar and Rashid Alabbar on lessons they've learnt from supporting MENA's tech ecosystem, and what it needs.

We have developed a structured assessment process, consisting of checklists, which we adapt according to the development stage of the startup, and which we also constantly update based on our learning.

With this raise, Ibtikar increases its capital to $10.45 million, giving it the ability to invest in more Palestinian startups.

While the finer details of the investment remain undisclosed, a spokesperson of MEVP that we reached out to notes that it's "not a majority transaction."

With Fetchr closing US$41 million in its Series B round, co-founder Joy Ajlouny is turning the tide for female entrepreneurship.

The announcement contains plenty for entrepreneurs and venture capitalists to sink their teeth in to.

VC-ready startups are few and far between, and investors are looking for much more than a nice idea and a few early sales.

The new PROOF VC Fund will invest in capital alongside a select group of early-stage VC firms in their best performing companies.

The investment comes from IFC's $30 million commitment towards the Startup Catalyst initiative that backs funds and accelerators in emerging markets.

While venture capitalists may have deep pockets, they only got that way through calculated, shrewd, and precise investments.

If you are a seed-stage or early-stage startup seeking initial investment to build your product, then there's a new regional VC fund that you can approach!