Actual VC

The Actual VC team wishes you a Merry Christmas (to those celebrating), and happy holidays.

In this week's episode of the VC React Podcast, we started with eyewa’s $100M Series C to scale its eyewear footprint across the Middle East. Already operating 150 stores, the Dubai and Riyadh-based startup plans to add 100 more. We debated whether this is a traditional private equity play masquerading as venture capital and explored how the founders’ Bain consultancy background helped them navigate the eyewear market. Will Eyewa’s story end with an acquisition — or IPO? Next, we covered giftee’s acquisition of YOUGotaGift in a $26.6M deal. This marks Middle East Venture Partners (MEVP)’s second exit of the year and shores up its fund DPI to 118%. We asked whether smaller exits like this are good for the ecosystem and debated if MENA VCs will shift focus to early exits — or if 2025 will finally be the year of IPOs. Then, we explored Saudi’s $81.5M gaming fund by Merak Capital, part of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 push to become a global gaming hub. Alongside this, ISSFJO - Innovative Startups and SMEs Fund’s $5M backing of Vision Ventures (VV) Ventures’ $90M seed fund sparked a bigger question: will 2025 see more of these large, sector-specific funds, or is the trend heading toward smaller, specialised ones? Finally, we discussed Watercycle Technologies and Locad entering MENA, driven by $5.6M and $9M fundraises, respectively. Both are betting big on the region, with a focus on sustainability and logistics. Can MENA maintain this momentum and become a true hub for international startups in 2025? This week Ahmad and I had the pleasure to be joined by: Aboudi Al-Qattan (Principal @ DASH Ventures) Jamil Shinawi (Founding Partner @ Actual VC) We covered: 📌 eyewa now has 150 stores selling eyeglasses in the Mideast, and just raised $100M to add 100 more Anass B. | Mehdi Oudghiri | Abdullah AlRugaib 📌 Japan’s giftee acquires 91% stake in Dubai’s YOUGotaGift, and How Middle East Venture Partners (MEVP)was transparent on its returns Husain Makiya 📌 Saudi’s Merak Capital launches $81.5m gaming fund Abdullah Altamami | Faisal Sedrani, PMP® 📌 Jada Fund of Funds Backs SEEDRA Ventures Fund II Bandr Alhomaly, CFA | Haitham Alforaih 📌 ISSFJO - Innovative Startups and SMEs Fund Fund (ISSF) Invests $5 M in Saqr Fund II of Vision Ventures (VV) MOHAMMED ALMUHTASEB | Kais Al-Essa | Haitham Bu-Aisha | Mohamad Al Amad | Dina Toukan, MSc 📌 Watercycle Technologies enters MENA after securing $5.6 million Series A Ahmed Abdelkarim | Sebastian Leaper 📌 Locad Targets The Middle East After $9 Million Fund Raise Shrey Jain | Constantin Robertz | Jannis Dargel *************************** 🎧 You can watch/listen to our chat here: https://lnkd.in/eKrgsU8W And as always - feedback, thoughts and guest suggestions for future episodes below 👇

From the sands of history to the heights of success – Eid al Etihad Mubarak, UAE. #SpiritOfTheUnion #53YearsStrong

Actual VC is heading to Cape Town, South Africa! From November 6th to the 8th, we're participating in the premier innovation event of the year, the AfriLabs Annual Gathering 2024 held at Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC). This year's theme, “Uniting Innovation”, is perfectly aligned with Actual VC's hunt for the next big investment projects in EMEA, particularly across Africa's vibrant digital landscape. #AfriLabs2024 #UnitingInnovation #AHOY #DigitalFuture #CapeTown

To everyone in the Kingdom is Saudi Arabia, we wish you a spectacular National Day. Your passion for progress inspires us everyday, here’s to grander achievements ahead! Happy National Day! #ksa #nationalday94