Tips for investing in start-ups in emerging markets

  • Date: 12-Feb-2021
  • Source: Arabian Business
  • Sector:Technology
  • Country:Middle East
  • Who else needs to know?

Tips for investing in start-ups in emerging markets

While parts of the process mirror conventional venture capitalist (VC) funding, others look quite different. Young companies in these regions have the potential to gain a global advantage in scaling technology solutions, but also face unique circumstances compared to Silicon Valley and European peers.

The Middle East and Africa (MEA) region includes 71 countries and over 1.5 billion people. The region is home to a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem with brilliant founders and highly scalable and promising ideas. However, the flow of capital has been relatively scant, with founders typically lacking access to capital or tailored support.

The region comes with unique challenges and operating conditions, differing from one country to the next. However, a commonality is they benefit from solid macroeconomic fundamentals which create opportunities with far-reaching potential.

UAE has been ranked first in the in Middle East and fourth globally in the Global Entrepreneurship Index

Countries such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia have the highest rates of internet and mobile device penetration in the world, approaching 100 percent. In Africa, while internet access and device ownership is lower than global averages, the continent has consistently posted the highest annual increases in both.

Across the MEA region, these strong digital and mobile trends have