Flat6Labs is the MENA region’s leading seed and early stage venture capital firm, currently running the most renowned startup programs in the region. Annually, Flat6Labs invests in more than 100 innovative and technology-driven startups enabling thousands of passionate entrepreneurs to achieve their daring ambitions and ultimately becoming their institutional co-founders. Flat6Labs manages a number of seed funds with a total AUM in excess of $85M. More than 25 leading institutions have invested into the Flat6Labs managed funds; believing in the asset class and Flat6Labs’ proven track record as the market leader.. Flat6Labs provides a wide range of investment ticket sizes ranging from $50K to $500k, supporting startups through their early journeys from Pre-Seed all the way to Pre-Series A stages. Alongside to the investments, Flat6Labs’ exceptional startup programs, executed to cater specifically for the needs of the innovative entrepreneurs, helps them accelerate their growth by providing them with a plethora of support services and connecting them to unparalleled opportunities with an expansive network comprising hundreds of business mentors, investors and corporates. Launched and headquartered in Cairo since 2011, Flat6Labs has multiple offices across the region; with ongoing plans to expand into other emerging markets.
Lorax Capital Partners is a private equity firm established in 2015 and headquartered in Cairo, Egypt. The firm manages approximately $200 million in committed capital, primarily sourced from the Egyptian American Enterprise Fund. Lorax Capital Partners focuses on investing in companies within various sectors, including financial services, clean energy, logistics, infrastructure, healthcare, consumer products, retail, and manufacturing. The firm aims to connect Egypt with global investors, offering opportunities for attractive risk-adjusted returns while also contributing to the country’s economic development.
Falak is a start-up accelerator designed to support and empower the next generation of Egyptian entrepreneurs and contribute to the development of the start-up ecosystem in Egypt. Their program offers funding, mentorship, training, and a wide variety of perks and benefits, with the aim of providing entrepreneurs the necessary tools, resources, and contacts to develop and expand their businesses.
A15 is an entrepreneurial company that invests in digital products and technology brands. They aspire to empower the human race to overcome its limits and expand its capabilities by creating real products for real people. They help them scale by providing them with investment, the support of our ecosystem, and act as their launchpad for expansion. It was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Cairo, Egypt.
Algebra Ventures invests in technology startups that leverage innovation to transform large markets. They seek high-growth companies, led by passionate and capable teams, that have a unique value proposition, and that can generate significant economic returns. Algebra Ventures looks for entrepreneurial teams that possess vision and insight as well as the execution skills needed to build scalable companies. Algebra Ventures focuses on Series A and Series B rounds in Egypt although they do not exclude investments in earlier-stage startups or in other parts of the MENA region. They prefer to meet startups early on and get to know the team as the opportunity is shaping up.
International Finance Corporation (IFC), established in 1956 and headquartered in Washington, District of Columbia, is the private equity and venture capital arm of The World Bank Group. It focuses on fostering sustainable economic growth in developing countries by financing private sector investments and mobilizing capital in international financial markets. IFC provides a wide range of financial products, including loans, equity, quasi-equity, and advisory services, targeting sectors such as agriculture, forestry, financial services, education, healthcare, infrastructure, manufacturing, retail, tourism, and technology. The organization aims to support businesses and financial institutions in emerging markets to create jobs, improve corporate governance, and enhance environmental performance. IFC typically invests between $1 million and $100 million, often taking minority stakes but preferring majority ownership in its portfolio companies. It does not engage directly in the management of its investments and usually exits through domestic stock markets or other arrangements after several years. By focusing on initiatives that benefit underserved communities, IFC contributes to local economic development and improves the quality of life for people in developing regions.
Egypt Ventures is an investment firm that empowers the entrepreneurial ecosystem by investing in accelerators. The firm was founded in 2017 and is based in Columbia.
Acasia Group is an angel investment network that invests in and supports early-stage startups it convenes regular investment meetings to review pre-selected potential investees.
Endure Capital is an early stage investment fund headed by entrepreneurs looking for startup teams. They look for founders who are relentlessly resourceful and imaginative, solving genuine problems that matter to a lot of people and building high growth companies that endure.
Global Ventures is an international venture capital firm, investing in founders and ideas across emerging markets. The Global Ventures team is a diverse, collaborative, talented, and curious group of professionals who, combined, have years of experience and expertise building and scaling companies.
Sawari Ventures is an Egyptian private equity and venture capital firm established in 2009, headquartered in Cairo. The firm focuses on early-to-growth stage investments in technology businesses across the MENA region, leveraging its deep understanding of the local culture and business environment. Sawari Ventures primarily targets sectors such as consumer internet, fintech, edtech, health tech, deep tech, and e-commerce, with investment sizes ranging from $250,000 to $1 million for selected companies. Recognizing the Middle East as a rapidly growing market with a youthful, tech-savvy population and significant disposable income, Sawari Ventures aims to connect local innovators with global opportunities, facilitating their transformation into internationally recognized successes.
BECO Capital provides growth capital and hands-on operational support for early-stage technology companies. It is a technology-focused venture capital that supports entrepreneurs and financial sectors to raise funds. The company helps small companies with growth capital and hands-on operational mentorship in their early stage of development. It was founded in 2012 and is based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. BECO Capital was founded on February 1, 2014, by Dany Farha and Amir Farha, and it is headquartered in Dubai.
4DX Ventures is a venture capital firm based in Brooklyn, New York, specializing in early-stage investments in technology companies across Africa. Established in 2017, the firm partners with entrepreneurs to develop transformative businesses that leverage technology to address various challenges within the continent. Through its dedicated funds, 4DX Ventures aims to support innovative startups and contribute to the growth of the African tech ecosystem.
Maroc Numeric Fund is a venture capital firm established in 2009 and located in Casablanca, Morocco. The fund focuses on investing in technology companies at various stages, including seed, early, and later stages. It primarily targets businesses within the biotechnology, life sciences, and information and communication technology sectors. By supporting Moroccan startups, Maroc Numeric Fund aims to foster innovation and drive economic growth in the region.
AUC Angels is the first university-based angel investor network in the MENA region. Angel investors are individuals who are interested in investing in early-stage startups with growth potential which in turn supports the growth of a dynamic entrepreneurship ecosystem in Egypt. The mission of AUC Angels is to (i) build an angel investment network for AUC alumni and friends, (ii) provide a strong pipeline of startups for our angel investors, (iii) facilitate deal flow, (iv) support innovative Egyptian startups secure seed funding, and (v) provide support after the investment is completed. In partnership with AUC Venture Lab, AUC Angels has access to vetted and highly scalable startups, who have already launched their products or services, proved traction in the market, and have a strong chance for positive returns. AUC Angels provide startups with business and finance skills that equip them to develop attractive investment cases.
Azur Innovation Management is a venture capital firm based in Casablanca, Morocco, founded in 2020. The firm operates the Azur Innovation Fund, a public-private seed fund that offers capital and quasi-equity funding to innovative start-ups. Azur Innovation Management focuses on investing in various sectors, including agriculture, consumer products and services, manufacturing, and beauty. By supporting early-stage companies, the firm aims to foster innovation and growth within these industries.
Development Partners International (“DPI”) is a leading Pan-African private equity firm, with strong local knowledge and an established track record of investing in Africa. DPI was established in 2007 by co-founders Miles Morland and Runa Alam, both pioneers of African investment, with a vision to build a leading pan-African private equity firm. Today, DPI manages over US$1.1bn of assets across two private equity funds. Through its world class team with over 100 years of aggregate African investment experience, DPI has invested in 19 portfolio companies operating across 27 countries. The investment team is 100% African and over 40% of the DPI team is made up of women. They possess the local network, knowledge and language skills to source and invest in transactions throughout the continent.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is an investment firm established in 1991 to support the development of market economies and democracies in Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia. As the largest single investor in the region, the EBRD focuses on private enterprises, investing primarily in minority equity positions and participating in private equity funds that target medium-sized companies seeking expansion. The firm mobilizes significant foreign direct investment and provides project financing for a variety of sectors, including banking, industry, and municipal services. It collaborates with publicly owned companies to facilitate privatization and restructuring efforts. The EBRD operates in countries committed to democratic principles and emphasizes strong corporate governance and environmental respect in all its investments. With a portfolio exceeding €130 billion across over 5,200 projects, the EBRD has also extended its financing initiatives to the Middle East and Africa, leveraging its expertise to foster economic growth and transformation.
CDG Invest is the investment branch of the CDG group. CDG Invest acts both as an investment manager for its own account following both financial and strategic logic, as well as as a fund manager for third parties. CDG Invest intervenes in various key sectors of the Moroccan economy: industry, agro-food, digital/digital, renewable energy, and territorial PPP and with various segments of companies.
Founded in 2017, Shorooq Partners is the leading alternative investment manager across the Middle East and North Africa regions. The firm’s venture capital and private credit funds invest in the most innovative technology companies. The firm has built deep sectoral expertise in Fintech, Platforms, Software, Gaming and Web3.0. Shorooq Partners has backed market leading disruptors including Pure Harvest Smart Farms, Nymcard, Tamara, Sarwa, Lean Technologies, TruKKer, Mozn and Lendo. Since its inception, Shorooq Partners was built on the principle of being founders’ partners, company builders and value investors. Shorooq Partners is a pan regional firm with direct and indirect presence across Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Riyadh, Egypt and Korea. Shorooq Partners refers to a group of companies that are affiliates of each other and which operate under this business name, of which Shorooq Partners Ltd (regulated by the ADGM Financial Services Regulatory Authority FSRA FSP: 190004) is a member.
Arzan Venture Capital (Arzan VC) is a Kuwait-born VC firm that has been investing in startups with a MENA angle since 2014, making it one of the earliest VC firms in the region. Arzan VC's portfolio includes 30+ startups. The firm invests in young, fast-growing and innovative tech teams and it remains committed to building long-lasting relationships with the region’s most talented entrepreneurs at an early stage.
Raed Ventures is a Saudi venture capital firm that provides funding for the seed and early-stage startups in KSA and MENA. They invest in entrepreneurial teams shaping the market landscape and we provide MENA startups an opportunity to work in the Saudi & GCC markets. It helps startups in building and executing their plans through collaborations with their sister companies and leveraging their market knowledge and network.
Endeavor is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting high-impact entrepreneurs worldwide to foster long-term economic growth. Founded in 1997 and headquartered in New York City, Endeavor operates in over 25 countries, including regions in Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia. The organization offers specialized mentorship, networking opportunities, and capital-raising support to innovative entrepreneurs, helping them scale their businesses and create jobs. Endeavor Catalyst, its venture capital arm established in 2012, focuses on investing in startups and growth equity across various sectors, such as agriculture, fintech, and healthcare. It primarily targets companies with revenues between $0.5 million and $15 million, seeking to take minority stakes and co-invest in significant financing rounds. Through these initiatives, Endeavor aims to catalyze economic transformation by empowering entrepreneurs in developing regions.
AfricInvest was founded in 1994 and is part of Integra Group, an investment and financial services company based in Tunisia. Uniquely positioned as one of the most experienced private equity investors on the continent, AfricInvest has dedicated investment teams focused on North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa, and employs 66 professionals based in seven offices. AfricInvest manages USD1 billion across 16 funds and benefits from strong, long-term support from both local and international investors, including leading development finance institutions in the United States and Europe. Having co-founded the African Venture Capital Association (AVCA) as well as the Middle East North Africa Private Equity Association (MENAPEA) and the Euromed Capital Forum, the firm is an active promotor of the private equity industry in the region. Since 1994, AfricInvest has invested in 135 companies across 25 African countries in a variety of high growth sectors and maintains a broad network of high quality executives across Africa, offering extensive expertise in key growth industries, including financial services, agribusiness, consumer/retail, education and healthcare.
MEVP is a Middle East-focused venture capital firm that invests in the early and growth stages of innovative companies run by talented entrepreneurs in the Middle East Region with a focus on the GCC and Levant countries. With offices in Beirut, Dubai, Bahrain and Riyadh and more than USD 260 million in Assets Under Management, MEVP is the largest and most established VC firm in this region, with clear cross border investment appetite.
British International Investment is a development finance institution and impact investor based in London, established in 1948 and wholly owned by the UK Government. The organization aims to foster economic growth in Africa and South Asia by supporting the development of businesses and job creation. It provides various forms of financial assistance, including debt, equity capital, and mezzanine financing, both directly and through intermediaries. The firm targets multiple sectors, including distribution, education, consulting, logistics, electronics, and healthcare, to promote sustainable development and economic resilience in the regions it serves.
Contact Financial Holding is a provider of finance solutions, including auto credit, insurance, consumer and corporate finance, and debt capital markets, helping structure, arrange, and underwrite debt transactions for companies that need to access debt capital markets to fund growth, manage risk, improve financial standing and raise liquidity.
216 Capital Ventures is a venture capital firm established in 2021 and based in Tunis, Tunisia. The firm specializes in making pre-seed and seed-stage investments in early-stage technology companies. With a team of international tech entrepreneurs and experts in startup development, 216 Capital Ventures is dedicated to supporting innovative founders who are leveraging technology to drive transformation. The firm aims to connect with teams that have the potential to make a significant impact on the world through their work.
Wamda accelerates entrepreneurship ecosystems throughout the MENA region by joining Wamda Capital, the most active, multi-stage, sector agnostic venture capital fund investing in high growth technology or technology-enabled startups across the MENA, and the leading knowledge platform offering integrated programs including media, community development, research, Wamda’s fellowship program Wamda X, as well as corporate and government advisory services to the various stakeholders of the MENA startup ecosystem.
Wa’ed Ventures is a $500 million venture capital fund with the aim to accelerate the development of an integrated startup ecosystem by investing in local tech-based startups and incentivizing global entrepreneurs to localize their tech innovations in the Kingdom.
Over the last decade, LoftyInc Capital has invested over $25m into over 150 of Africa’s fastest growing enterprises, including three unicorns, and attracted c.USD1.5b in follow-on funding into our portfolio companies. With an overall goal to prioritize long-term growth and sustained benefits to communities, we have also built an extensive ecosystem in the process, spanning tech hubs, angel networks, and talent platforms. Across all funds, we have realized 14 exits and achieved 3.8x net DPI on our LoftyInc Afropreneurs Fund 2.
Amethis is a private equity firm established in 2012, based in Paris, France, with a focus on responsible long-term investments in Africa. The firm specializes in providing growth capital and long-term debt investments across various sectors, including financial services, agribusiness, energy, infrastructure, and community housing services. Amethis seeks to support midcap companies with strong potential for growth, particularly in West, Central, and East Africa. The firm aims to invest between €5 million and €300 million in equity and debt, acquiring minority stakes of 15% to 30% in its portfolio companies. With an investment capacity exceeding €725 million, Amethis emphasizes social and environmental criteria in its investment decisions and offers advisory services alongside its capital contributions. The firm targets companies with an enterprise value between $40 million and $60 million and seeks to exit investments within five to eight years. Amethis operates additional offices in locations such as Nairobi, Abidjan, and Luxembourg, reflecting its commitment to the African market.
Silicon Badia is a venture capital firm based in Amman, Jordan, founded in 2011. The firm focuses on investing in technology companies across the Middle East and the United States. It manages several funds, including the Badia Impact Fund and Badia Outreach Fund II, which target early-stage investments in sectors such as software, SaaS, IT services, B2B payments, and telecommunications. Silicon Badia aims to support innovation in various industries, including enterprise solutions, education, finance, healthcare, and logistics, by providing capital and strategic guidance to emerging businesses.
Cubit Ventures is a USD10m seed stage venture fund backing tech and SaaS startups driving digital transformation in Egypt; one of the fastest growing economies in the world and undergoing a massive digital transformation.. We have a strategic relationship with Founder Institute, supporting our portfolio companies with access to the world's largest network of mentors and investors (14,000+), and a global network of 4000 companies ($20B portfolio value) across over 200 cities.
Averroes Ventures helps and invests in entrepreneurial teams seeking to transform big ideas into game-changing companies. Averroes Ventures' team possesses years of combined experience in global business operation and management across a multitude of sectors to help achieve visions.
Ingressive Capital is a renowned $50M Pan-African Venture Capital Fund that invests in indigenous founders and startups across Africa, with focus on Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, and Nigeria. Specializing in early-stage investments, particularly Pre-Seed and Seed stages, it targets technology companies led by top-tier talent driving transformative growth in Africa's GDP. The firm's thesis focuses on B2C solutions that cater to the explosive growth within the tech-enabled, decentralized-learning youth demographic, as well as B2B solutions that increase Africa’s value chain ownership from resource extraction to end-product sale. Its goal is to become becoming a highly valuable VC partner on the founders' cap tables, and being at the forefront of supporting and enabling entrepreneurial success across Africa.
Helios Investment Partners is a private equity and venture capital firm specializing in buyouts of going concerns, recapitalization, mezzanine, growth capital for private enterprises, restructurings joint ventures, startups; either green-field or brownfield; and the majority or blocking-minority structured investments in listed entities. It seeks to invest in the telecommunications, media, financial services, power, utilities, travel, leisure, distribution, fast-moving consumer goods, logistics, and Agro-allied sectors. The firm prefers to invest in Africa with a focus on Nigeria, South Africa, and Kenya. It seeks to invest between $15 million and $200 million in an individual transaction. The firm prefers to have a board seat in its portfolio companies. Helios Investment Partners LLP was founded in 2004 and is based in London, United Kingdom.
GFC is a venture fund that supports entrepreneurs at various stages of business development. It focuses on global markets and seeks individuals with innovative ideas. The fund evaluates opportunities based on potential impact and feasibility.
Proparco is devoted to private sector funding in the sustainable development sector. Proparco participates in the financing and support of companies and financial institutions in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East. Its action focuses on the key sectors of development: infrastructures with a focus on renewable energies, agro-industry, financial institutions, health, education ... Its interventions are aimed at strengthening the contribution of private actors the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the international community in 2015. Proparco finances companies whose activity contributes to the creation of jobs and decent incomes, the supply of essential goods and services, and the fight against climate change.
Zoomcar is the marketplace for car sharing in emerging markets, with over 20,000 cars on its technology-driven platform across India, Southeast Asia, and Egypt. Zoomcar empowers host entrepreneurs to safely and easily share their cars to earn additional passive income. Guests in the Zoomcar community enjoy a diverse, affordable selection of cars to unlock memorable driving experiences with friends and family. Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Bengaluru, India, Zoomcar employs over 300 people and operates in 50 cities across India, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Egypt. Uri Levine, the co-founder of mobility unicorns Waze and Moovit, currently serves as Zoomcar’s Chairman of the Board.
VentureSouq (VSQ) is a MENA-based venture capital fund manager with a global portfolio. VSQ manages thematic funds, with a current focus on FinTech and ClimateTech.
Flourish backs entrepreneurs whose innovations advance financial health and prosperity for individuals and small businesses. A leading early-stage global venture capital firm, Flourish has $850M under management and deploys patient capital with a long-term perspective. In order to help foster a fair, more inclusive economy, the Flourish team partners with more than 70 global fintech founders, as well as 18 ecosystem partners that include industry thought leaders in research, policy and regulation.