Middle East Tech Startups Are A Hot Emerging Market says Forbes. "There’s a new entrepreneurial energy from Rabat to Riyadh, accelerated by the rise of sovereign wealth funds".
Middle East and North Africa (MENA) startups attract record-breaking funding, from a wide ecosystem that includes sovereign wealth fund, government investments, family offices, VCs and more. The mandate of many MENA governments is to continue growing the tech startup world, to attract international entrepreneurs for further exponential growth over the coming years.
The MENA region has adopted aggressive strategies to attract talent, to attract entrepreneurs and tech startups with various programs, incentives and the potential for large rewards. The UAE for example holds some of the biggest global tech events, from Abu Dhabi Finance Week to GITEX (with some 170,000+ attendees) across multiple day events, physical conferences and on-line entrepreneur focused learning and meeting opportunities, all to attract the next unicorns.
How can you adjust your approach to get into the right circles? Start on-line as your build your venture and dip your toes as you become more solid in your business model, business plan, pitch deck. When ready, dive in and start to engage, tell your story, pitch every week, pitch every day!
It's one thing to network casually, and another to build your venture via partnerships, digging out the key customers that will make your venture fly and building a real community, all being substantially more difficult for an entrepreneur who may be new to the MENA region.
But don't worry, if you have your eyes set on the region, opportunities are huge. Professional networking events, business counsels and entrepreneur specific events are many. You can start right here! Join our Founder Round Table and meet other bold entrepreneurs building the dream. That first step will get you on your way to meeting other entrepreneurs' network.
UNDERSTAND THE CULTURAL DIMENSION in MENA. For example, Dubai is truly an "East meets West" city, with a fast, multicultural tech ecosystem and entrepreneurial scene that is growing exponentially.
Many people across communities may know each other, and familiar faces can appear in various events. Perhaps you are looking to interact with a sector-based crowd, such as the "blockchain bros" or the exciting Fintech space. If that's the case, make sure to keep your terminology updated!
You can also wish to enter a more traditional community of entrepreneurs- they typically meet at a coworking spaces or cafes or a more outgoing one, which would tend to meet up later in the evening around downtown or Marina.
There are also many day time events if the night life is not for you. As a founder, life can be super busy, but there's something to learn from all circles particularly those have "done" it before you. There is no point in re-inventing the wheel! Experienced founders are often more open to helping and giving advice on things they already figured out.
Finally, some communities are government-led, and they have a more structured feel to them, with events such as weekly breakfasts / lunches, conferences, competitions and more. Keep an eye on those or join the right community that will keep you up to date!
Full Forbes article can be found here:
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