PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA — Adeo Ressi, CEO of Decile Group, Chairman of the Founder Institute, and inventor of the SAFE Note, is announcing plans to launch at least 100 new VC firms across the Middle East by 2028. Ressi plans to bring more Silicon Valley expertise to the region and back the next generation of unicorns that compete on a global scale.

"We are seeing amazing entrepreneurs and investors emerging across the Middle East, classic signs that the market is taking off," said Adeo Ressi. "Both the UAE and Saudi Arabia are in a position to be regional leaders, each with distinct advantages. It's a competitive time in the region, and the top venture ecosystems will be decided in 2026."

The UAE offers a mature financial infrastructure, global connectivity through Dubai, and an established track record as a business hub attracting international talent. Saudi Arabia brings a young, ambitious population, strong government backing through Vision 2030, and substantial sovereign wealth powering unprecedented support for innovation.

Decile Group is already seeing momentum in the region. The organization has launched a dozen VC firms in the Middle East through their VC Lab program to date, and one of their larger fund closes in 2025 came from the region. The Founder Institute has accelerated nearly 100 startups across the Middle East. The next quarterly cohort of VC Lab will target launching a dozen more new VCs in the region.

Only about 20 cities globally have developed true venture ecosystems. Both Dubai and Riyadh have the opportunity to join that elite group.

"You don't need to replicate Silicon Valley," Ressi said. "You need Silicon Valley's infrastructure and know-how, built for local strengths. We've done this in Singapore, Chile, and other markets."

Ressi will be outlining his plans during an upcoming visit to the region, meeting with promising entrepreneurs and investors, as well as government officials. He plans to visit Dubai from February 9th to 14th, speaking at the Forbes Middle East Top Advisors & Investors Summit and the STEP Dubai Conference. He will then travel to Riyadh for ecosystem meetings on February 15th and 16th.

Ressi will grant limited press interviews during this trip. Contact Sarah Lacy at sarahl@decilegroup.com for meeting and interview requests.

About Decile Group

Decile Group develops mission-driven offerings to unlock the potential of venture capital worldwide. The group operates VC Lab, the leading venture capital accelerator, which has helped launch nearly 1,000 VC firms globally. Decile Group also operates Decile Hub, a full-featured venture platform facilitating over $1B in annualized limited partner commitments.

Learn more at https://DecileGroup.com

About Founder Institute

Founder Institute is the world's largest pre-seed startup accelerator and global network of incubators, accelerators, and investors. Since 2009, the program has supported over 8,900 entrepreneurs and alumni companies that have collectively raised more than $2 billion in funding, including 150+ exits. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, Founder Institute operates in over 250 cities across 6 continents and 100+ countries.

Learn more at http://FI.co