Dubai’s thriving start-up ecosystem includes robust incubating infrastructure, tax incentives, cash grants, and financing schemes. This has led to a significant increase in the number of startups in the region over the last decade or so. Several exciting startups have already come out of the country from the MENA region. If you’re an early-stage startup looking for funding, Dubai is a good place to be. If you intend to approach Angel investors, make sure you target the right investor (who invests in your industry/sector) and make the right pitch.
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List of Top Angel Investors in Dubai
1. Mohammed Alzubi:
Mohammed Alzubi is the Managing Partner at Namma Ventures, a seed stage venture capital fund focused on fueling innovation in the Mena region. Mohammed Alzubi has over 23 years of experience in technology and tech investment space. He is a mentor to many regional technology companies and an advisor with In5 Incubator in Dubai and Oasis 500 Incubator in Jordan.
Sector: Consumer Internet, Enterprise Software, Mobile Games.
Portfolio: eZhire, Mojo Vision, Mojo Mobility, Appbistro, Liftopia.
Connect With Him: LinkedIn | AngelList
2. Ben Walton:
Ben Walton is the Technical Advisor at Now Money, a financial services company based in Dubai. Before joining Now Money, he was the Director of Research and Development at Dubizzle.com. Ben Walton also Co-Founded Styck, a healthcare and wellness firm. Ben is a tech entrepreneur, mentor and an active investor.
Sector: Consumer Internet, Fin-tech, Artificial Intelligence.
Portfolio: Pintek, Visage, Boloro Global.
Connect With Him: LinkedIn | AngelList
3. Hesham Zreik:
Hesham Zreik is the CEO and Board Member of Faster Capital, Dubai. He is an angel investor, a mentor and sits as a Board Member on many companies. Hesham Zreik has invested in more than 100 startups and he has co-founded more than 40 startups. He was ranked at 39 position out of the top 50 investors ( Forbes 2018) based on investment and successful exits.
Sector: E-Commerce, Fin-tech, Ed-tech, Consumer Internet.
Portfolio: Fixiest, 1-mo, Mp3Ready, BookthatBook.
Connect With Him: LinkedIn
4. Buddy Shakhashir:
Buddy Shakhashir is the Managing Partner at Platform Ventures, a firm that invests personal capital and offer co-investments to a select group of trusted partners, across multiple stages from seed to Pre-IPO. Buddy Shakhashir is an active angel investor. He is also a Venture Partner at BBQ Capital.
Sector: Enterprise Software, Ed-tech, E-Commerce, SaaS, Healthcare.
Portfolio: NABIS, Punch Boxing, Discord, Shield Bio, Stacks.
Connect With Him: LinkedIn
5. Samih Toukan:
Samih Toukan is the Chairman and CEO of Jabbar Internet Group. Jabbar today is one of the leading investors in internet and technology companies in the region. Samih Toukan has Co-Founded Souq.com, the Arab world’s largest e-commerce site which was acquired by Amazon in one of the largest technology acquisition deals in the history of Dubai.
Sector: E-Commerce, AI, Robotics, Consumer Internet, Healthcare.
Portfolio: POSRocket, 360 VUZ, Bit Oasis, Liwwa.
Connect With Him: LinkedIn
6. Danny Farha:
Danny Farha is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner at BECO Capital, a venture capital firm investing in early stage technology companies in the Mena region. Danny is a successful serial entrepreneur and investor based in Dubai. He also Co-Founded Bayt.com, the middle east’s largest job site. Danny is also a Board Member at Kitopi.
Sector: E-Commerce, Marketplace, Consumer Internet, Healthcare, Ed-tech.
Portfolio: GoNabit, JadoPado, NowPay, Abwaab.
Connect With Him: LinkedIn
7. Amir Farha:
Amir Farha Co-Founded and seed investor in Toolman Maintenance, a facilities maintenance company based in Dubai. He is the Former Co-Founder and Managing Partner at BECO Capital. Amir has over 12 years of experience being actively involved with a wide range of early-stage ventures as an entrepreneur, mentor and investor. He holds a BScin Computer Information System from University of Bath.
Sector: E-Commerce, Fin-tech, Healthcare, Consumer Internet.
Portfolio: Huspy, MoneyHash, Bayzat, Toolman.
Connect With Him: LinkedIn
8. Kushal Shah:
Kushal Shah is the Founder of Dubai Angel Investors. He is a Senior Partner at Roland Berger’s Dubai Office and a Managing Partner for the Middle East. Prior to joining Roland Berger, he spent 12 years with a leading consultancy in London and Dubai. Kushal Shah studied Economics at Cambridge University in UK.
Sector: AI, Fin-tech, E-Commerce, Med-tech, Healthcare, Consumer Internet.
Portfolio: CarSwitch, ShortPoint, Thinksono, Elves, Zbooni.
Connect With Him: LinkedIn
9. Suneel Gokhale:
Suneel Gokhale is a General Partner at VentureSouq, a Dubai based venture capital firm focused on global, early-stage technology investments. Previously, Suneel was Senior Legal Counsel to Abu Dhabi Investment Council and advised on global M&A, venture capital and private equity transactions. Suneel Gokhale has been an active angel investor.
Sector: Fin-tech, E-Commerce, Enterprise Software, Healthcare, Consumer Internet.
Portfolio: Sary, CreditBook, Mamo Pay, Nala, Substack.
Connect With Him: LinkedIn
10. Nihal Mohammad Shaikh:
Nihal Mohammad Shaik is the Chief Executive Officer at PISIQ, a firm that focuses on incubating potential talents and startups that help contribute to gratifying peoples lives. He comes from an engineering background. He has previously worked in companies such as Google and Sony. Nihal is an active angel investor.
Sector: Artificial Intelligence, Fin-tech, E-Commerce, Consumer Internet.
Portfolio: Holler, Feund, Merke, Whizzd, E Dollar Coin.
Connect With Him: LinkedIn
11. Jazeer Jamal:
Jazeer Jamal is the Founder and CEO at GrowValley, a UAE based startup studio and fund with a mission to invent, invest and launch game-changing startups. He has Co-Founded and Co-Invested in many startups in the last two decades. Jazeer Jamal is a serial entrepreneur and an active angel investor based in Dubai.
Sector: Clean Technology, E-Commerce, Consumer Internet, Aerospace.
Portfolio: Plantshop.ae, Global Energy Solutions, Eddy, Grovvth.
Connect With Him: LinkedIn
12. Noor Sweid:
Noor Swied is the General Partner at Global Ventures, Dubai. She is also a Board Member at TechWadi, a bridge between Silicon Valley and MENA’s entrepreneurial tech ecosystem. Noor has been named in the Arabian Business 100 Most Powerful Arabian Women list three times. She earned her MBA from Massachusetts Institute of Technology – Sloan School of Management.
Sector: Fin-tech, Agri-tech, Healthcare, Consumer Internet, E-Commerce.
Portfolio: Mamo Pay, Zid, Red Sea Farms, Helium Health.
Connect With Her: LinkedIn
13. Christos Mastoras:
Christos Mastoras is the Founder and Managing Partner at Iliad Partners, a venture capital firm that invests in MENA tech startups. He is an Investor, ex-entrepreneur and operating executive with 20+ years of experience in tech in the US, Europe and MENA. Christos is also a Venture Partner at Angel Ventures, Dubai. He holds an MBA from MIT Sloan School of Management.
Sector: Logistics, E-Commerce, Healthcare, Consumer Internet, Enterprise Software.
Portfolio: Fetchr, TruKKer, GlamBox.Me.
Connect With Him: LinkedIn
14. William Chappell:
William Chappell is the Chief Financial Officer and EVP of Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority. He leads the Technology and Entrepreneurship unit of Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority and he is heading the Investment Committee at Dtec Ventures. William Chappell aims to create value by empowering talented visionaries transform their ideas into real business.
Sector: Fin-tech, Mobile, AI, Internet of Things, Consumer Internet, E-Commerce.
Portfolio: Cognitev, Commersya, Melltoo, Statys.
Connect With Him: LinkedIn
15. Andrew Dalton:
Andrew Dalton is a Partner at Digital Spring Ventures. He is focused on tech investment opportunities in some of most exiting emerging regions in the world, including MENA, Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia, backing emerging market companies with the potential to become regional champions or global export players.
Sector: Fin-tech, Consumer Internet, SaaS, Enterprise Software.
Portfolio: BetterMe, JiJi, IO Technologies, Genesis.
Connect With Him: LinkedIn
16. Daniel dos Reis:
Daniel dos Reis is the Investment Director at Wamda, an entrepreneurship empowering platform for entrepreneurs in the Middle East and North Africa. Daniel dos Reis is also the Board of Director at Yellacompare. He has 16 years of professional work experience. Before joining Wamda, he was the Senior Portfolio Manager at Dtec Ventures.
Sector: AI, Fin-tech, E-Commerce, SaaS, Consumer Internet.
Portfolio: Ziina, Lamda Test, Now Money, FunDok.
Connect With Him: LinkedIn
17. Abdullah Mutawi:
Abdullah Mutawi is the Co-Founder and Chairman at Dubai Angel Investors (DAI). He has advised clients ranging from sovereign wealth fund to early-stage companies and is driven by a passion for rigour, attention to detail and best practices. He is a serial angel investor with many personal investments including successful exists in the US, Europe and Middle East.
Sector: AI, E-Commerce, Fin-tech, E-Commerce, Healthcare, SaaS.
Portfolio: CarSwitch, Wimo, Voltlines, Krowd.
Connect With Him: LinkedIn
18. Basil Moftah:
Basil Moftah is a General Partner at Global Ventures, Dubai. Basil works with founders to create disruptive companies with an enterprise technology focus. He is an advisor, investor and board member at numerous global technology companies. Basil Moftah holds an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Sector: Fin-tech, Healthcare, Consumer Internet, E-Commerce, SaaS.
Portfolio: Proximie, Paymob, Mamo Pay, SpiderSilk.
Connect With Him: LinkedIn
19. Apostolos Binomakis:
Apostolos Binomakis is a Venture Partner at Iliad Partners. He is a corporate finance expert, with 16 years of experience as an advisor and a CFO. He has managed to help small startups grow into large businesses with substantial growth and profit. Apostolos Binomakis has earned his MBA from INSEAD.
Sector: Logistics, E-Commerce, Consumer Internet, Enterprise Software.
Portfolio: OSeven, Truckker, Fetchr.
Connect With Him: LinkedIn
20. Tarek Amin:
Tarek Amin is an entrepreneur, active mentor and angel investor serving on the board of many startups in the region. He is the Co-Founder of Dubai Angel Investors (DAI). Tarek Amin is currently the Director at YouTube, MENA region. Before joining YouTube, he was the CEO at Adline Media Network.
Sector: Fin-tech, AI, Digital Media, Consumer Internet, Healthcare, Ed-tech.
Portfolio: Tara.ai, Zbooni, Qallout, Elves, Wimo.
Connect With Him: LinkedIn