Insights & Perspectives
From Desert Dreams To Exit Reality: How Dubai Venture Partners II Mastered The “Think Exits From Day One” Playbook
(A story on exits in MENA. Based on the fictive fund DVP) The Transformation Was Stunning. When Dubai Venture Partners (DVP) closed their Fund I in 2021, they were another promising Dubai-based early-stage fund with big ambitions but limited exit experience. Fast...
Scaling Up In Mena
The Story Of Scaling Leo Bank From Idea To Exit In The Middle East. Part I: The Early Days (Start Up, Seed) Case study written for the upcoming launch of Scale Up MENA! (Aug 2025). Read part II: scaling up (Series A,B) and part III: Growth stage (Series C,D to exit)...
Evolving Malaysia’s VC Ecosystem: A Response To The great Mavcap Misfire
VC ecosystems around the world are maturing at different pace, each with its own set of challenges and dynamics. But the views articulated in The great Mavcap misfire (Emmanuel Samarathisa) come across as both flawed and based on the wrong underlying assumptions on...
Scaling Up In Mena (Part II)
The Story Of Scaling Leo Bank From Idea To Exit In The Middle East. Part II: Scaling Up (Series A,B) Case study written for the upcoming launch of Scale Up MENA! (Aug 2025). Read part I here and part III here. Closing the series A has been tough. "This is by far the...
Scaling Up In Mena (Part III)
The Story Of Scaling Leo Bank From Idea To Exit In The Middle East. Part III: Growth Stage (Series C,d To Exit) A three-part story on scaling a fintech in the Middle East, written as a part of the upcoming launch of Scale Up MENA, august 2025. Read part I: the early...
What’s Your LP Value Proposition? (Part I)
I’ve Recently Reviewed A Series Of Emerging Fund Manager Pitch Decks. It Is Clear That Hours, If Not Years Has Gone Into Them. Yet, They Are All Missing One Key Item. The Limited Partners’ Value Proposition. Over the last 5 years, I’ve had the chance to work in-depth...
Training Emerging Fund Managers: How To Nail The LP Value Proposition
The room falls silent as Sarah, a first-time fund manager from Nairobi, practices her pitch to a mock Norwegian DFI representative. She's confident talking about her investment thesis and market opportunity, but when the "LP" asks about her fund's unique value...
Building A GP Accelerators
Accelerator programs for venture capital and private equity are set to take off – is your ecosystem ready? We all know about startup accelerators; but what about accelerator programs for venture capital and private equity managers? They may be more popular than you...
Planning A GP Accelerator? Use The GP Accelerator Business Model Canvas (Part II)
In October 2024 we hosted a deep dive webinar, Building a GP accelerator, with Jonathan Hollis , founder of Mountside Ventures as guest speakers. Our topic: How to build great programs in the evolving field in Europe. Our tool: the GP Accelerator Business Model Canvas...