⁠⁠This is a special masterclass series where we sit down and dive deep with some of the most prominent venture capitalists in the region. This series aims to provide entrepreneurs with everything they need to know to start their fundraising journey. Beyond exploring each investor and what really makes them tick, we want to help entrepreneurs understand what it really means to take VC funding, what investors are looking for in a ‘perfect pitch’, and how to build out their fundraising strategy.

Sharif El-Badawi from DFDF reveals his take on Venture Capital in the region, and some potent advice for founders on approaching venture capital for funding, especially considering the current climate. He imparts a lot of wisdom, from what he thinks makes the perfect founding team, how to do your homework well, what characteristics he looks for in a winning founder, and the importance of embracing an existential crises&hellip; All in the name of crafting the perfect pitch.&nbsp;

Ep1. with Sharif El-Badawi, CEO of Dubai Future District Fund | The Perfect Pitch Podcast

Sharif El-Badawi, CEO of Dubai Future District Fund

Noor Sweid, Founding Partner of Global Ventures, tells us how she went from strategy consultant, to working with her Family construction business as it expanded globally and successfully IPOed; as well as her foray into entrepreneurship when she opened Dubai&#39;s first chain of yoga studios, prior to setting up her own venture capital fund in Dubai. She speaks about the importance of combining mind and heart when developing the perfect pitch, and illustrates to us why the perfect pitch looks different depending on the founder. This episode is full of wisdom and insights from an investor who has worn many hats; she gives her best advice, counsel, and shares her pet peeves when it comes to the fundraising process.

Ep2. with Noor Sweid, Founding Partner of Global Ventures | The Perfect Pitch Podcast

Noor Sweid, Founding Partner of Global Ventures

Meet Khaled Talhouni, a seasoned venture capitalist with 17 years of experience in Dubai&#39;s VC ecosystem. Khaled and his co-founding partners founded Nuwa Capital in 2020. In this insightful conversation, we dive into Khaled&rsquo;s youthful Marxism ideals to venture capitalism, his experience working alongside pioneers in Dubai&rsquo;s VC ecosystem, and navigating Nuwa Capital&#39;s fundraising amidst COVID-19. He emphasizes the importance of early-stage investments, regional focus, and building viable businesses to drive social impact. This episode is packed with exclusive insights from an investor who has witnessed the market evolve.

Ep3. with Khaled Talhouni, Managing Partner of Nuwa Capital | The Perfect Pitch Podcast

Khaled Talhouni, Managing Partner of Nuwa Capital

Get ready for an intriguing conversation with Basil Moftah. Born and raised in the US and Trinidad and Tobago, but with roots in Egypt, Basil brings both his international perspective and years of Corporate VC experience to the investing table. He shares his pet peeves on things like celebrating successful fundraising efforts and having difficult conversations with founders. He reminds us about the responsibilities tied to capital investment, and provides insights on when to pivot or exit a venture from an investor&#39;s standpoint. Tune in for some enlightening insights in this episode!

⁠Ep4. with Basil Moftah, General Partner at Nclude | The Perfect Pitch Podcast

Basil Moftah, General Partner at Nclude

We were thrilled to speak with Sonia Weymuller, one of Dubai&rsquo;s most active investors who started her VC career by launching the largest angel investor syndicate before professionalizing the firm to become VentureSouq. Our insightful conversation with Sonia revealed her unique perspective and outlook on when startup founders should fundraise, why they startups shouldn&rsquo;t take-on external funding if they don&rsquo;t have to, and some of the soft-criteria that founders should be evaluating potential investors on, before adding them to their cap table. We also got deeply specific about what VentureSouq seeks and avoids in founders as an impact-focused venture capital fund. As a self-described optimist, she addressed how the current climate can favor entrepreneurs, and left us with so many nuggets of wisdom.

Ep5. with Sonia Weymuller, Co-Founder and General Partner of VentureSouq | The Perfect Pitch Podcast

Sonia Weymuller, Co-Founder and General Partner of VentureSouq

In his role as Managing Director of the government-owned Dubai Future District Fund, Nader Albastaki shares with us his views on what the difference might be for a founder coming to an evergreen Goverment fund versus a private VC fund. He also speaks into the important role all players must play - from investors to regulators and startup founders to ensure strong ecosystem development. Tune into Nader&#39;s insights on the startup fundraising journey and learn about Nader&#39;s and DFDF&rsquo;s process in identifying the right founders. Additionally, find out why Nader is bullish on 2024.

⁠Ep6. with Nader Albastaki, Managing Director at Dubai Future District Fund | The Perfect Pitch Podcast

Nader Albastaki, Managing Director at Dubai Future District Fund

Join our masterclasses with prominent VCs in the Middle East and Africa region. Learn what it really means to take VC funding, crafting the perfect pitches, & fundraising strategies.

The Perfect Pitch (Masterclass Series)

The Perfect Pitch (Series)

In this series, we cover some of the insights from Lucidity Insights 2023 Special Report: The Future of Fintech in Africa. Fintech has the potential to pull millions of Africans out of poverty, but face challenges, as more than half of the continent’s population is unbanked. Big challenges mean big opportunities. Learn all about why and how African startups are making waves on the global fintech stage.

Welcome to Lucidity Insights first episode in this three-part podcast series, where we embark on a thrilling exploration of the Future of Fintech in Africa.&nbsp;Here, we outline the main challenge that African fintechs are looking to solve: namely, a population that is largely unbanked and lacking access to financial services.

Ep1. How African Demographics Bring Opportunity & Challenges | The Future of Fintech in Africa

How African Demographics Bring Opportunity & Challenges

Welcome to our second episode in this three-part podcast series, where we embark on a thrilling exploration of The Future of Fintech in Africa.&nbsp;Here we explore Africa&rsquo;s Unicorns; those remarkable startups that have disrupted industries to soar to unicorn status, achieving valuations of over $1 billion.&nbsp;We cover successfully IPO&rsquo;d unicorns, as well as some honourable mentions, before we introduce you to Africa&rsquo;s current list of&nbsp;7 unicorns.

Ep2. Stories of Tech Unicorns in Africa | The Future of Fintech in Africa

Stories of Tech Unicorns in Africa

Welcome to our third and final episode in this three-part podcast series, where we dive deep into the venture funding data for Africa.&nbsp;We drill down into the most active startup ecosystems in Africa, and look at some of the analysis on ticket sizes and funding values over the last 5 years.&nbsp;We also touch on some of the challenges to launching tech startups in Africa from a consumer tech lens.&nbsp;Find out more by simply pressing play or reading our full report.

Ep3. Opportunities in Africa’s Startup Ecosystem | The Future of Fintech in Africa

Opportunities in Africa’s Startup Ecosystem

Explore African fintech's impact on overcoming challenges of the unbanked population. Discover the opportunities driving African startups to global fintech prominence.

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The Perfect Pitch (Series)

The Future of Fintech in Africa (Series)

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