Now in its third iteration, the chart provides an overview of the key players in tech investing and M&A in the region
Dubai –BECO Capital, a regional venture capital firm focused on technology investments in MENA, today announced the publication of its third annual Periodic Table of Tech in MENA. Now in its third year of publication, the chart provides an overview of the key players in tech investing and M&A in the region, and has been cited as the most comprehensive investing and M&A reference available for both startups and investors alike in the sector.
According to proprietary research by BECO Capital, 150 players have been identified this year compared with last year's 114 representing a growth of almost 32 percent of the total tech investing and M&A ecosystem in MENA, higher than 2016’s growth rate of 24 percent.
“This reflects what we know and have felt over the last 12-18 months in MENA, that the appetite for investing in the tech sector in our region is growing, and fast,” said Dany Farha, CEO, BECO Capital.
The classifications with the highest growth rate are Growth/late stage (+140%), Family Offices (+66.6%), MENA VCs (+62.5%) and Incubators/Accelerators (+61.9%).
“These entities represent the key milestones in a technology company’s lifecycle, and it’s encouraging to see high rates of participation and investment across various maturity levels. Building a pipeline for investment and growth opportunities is essential for a sustainable and healthy ecosystem,” added Amir Farha, CIO, BECO Capital.
This year’s edition also saw the introduction of three New players: corporate tech investors, crowdfunding platforms and developmental financial institutions (DFI).
“Corporate Tech Investors like Majid Al Futtaim, Du and Zain are playing a crucial and growing role in our ecosystem, bringing a new expertise and point of view to the mix, as well as providing a much-needed platform that encourages corporate players to buy from and engage with tech startups in the ecosystem— we predict the growth of this classification in the coming years,” added Yousef Hammad, Managing Partner, BECO Capital.
“This is also the first instance of a developmental financial institution in our chart, with the IFC staking a claim on the periodic table. The IFC is a member of the World Bank Group, and is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets. We believe that 2018 will bring even more DFIs to the mix, and inject the kind of investment that will kick-start a new wave of growth,” concluded Dany.
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About BECO Capital
BECO Capital is a Venture Capital firm with a thoughtful approach to investing, providing early stage growth capital and hands-on operational support for innovative technology companies in the MENA region. BECO seeks companies that meet a specific set of criteria: an extraordinary management team, the intention and ability to scale, a transformational value proposition and sound marketplace defensibility.
Founded in 2012, BECO Capital is led by a team that enjoys a solid and diverse track record across the venture capital, technology, entrepreneurial and financial sectors. The Firm is a hands-on partner that assists its portfolio companies to expand to new markets across the region, acquire key talent, implement operational improvements, adopt corporate governance practices and raise growth funds. BECO Capital also offers follow-on funding to its portfolio companies and helps line-up large regional investors and global Venture Capital firms for the future much larger follow-on fundraising rounds.
For more information, please visit www.becocapital.com
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