500 Global

The internet is a wild place. Over the last decade, 2.5B people came online. What happens when the next billion internet users come online? We believe that a lot of value may be created. But how? And more importantly, how can you be a part of it? The answers may surprise you. Explore the #RiseReport now. #500strong https://500.co/risereport

What makes a founding team stand out? Collin Wallace, Partner at Lobby Capital, shares the three key attributes he looks for when leading an investment: 1️⃣ Knowledge Arbitrage 2️⃣ Intellectual Honesty 3️⃣ Shared Values In a fast-paced world, he believes these timeless qualities set exceptional founders apart. 🚀 https://lnkd.in/gnpGaHQi

Over the past four years, #Egypt has rapidly established itself as a major player in the Middle East's tech and entrepreneurial ecosystem. In 2021, Egyptian startups raised a record $491 million in venture capital. This milestone, nearing the $500 million mark, reflects an increase in investor confidence that led to the number of investors backing Egyptian startups nearly doubling between 2020 and 2021, underscoring the growing appeal of Egypt's burgeoning startup scene according to a report from a startup data platform (MAGNiTT). From an investor's standpoint, despite the recent economic downturn, Egypt provides the largest Total Addressable Market (TAM) across the entire Middle East and provides the bulk of the talent in the tech ecosystem. With over half of its 100 million citizens under 30 years old and approximately 300,000 graduates entering the workforce annually, Egypt is well-positioned to harness this youthful talent pool to drive its digital economy forward. As government support continues to foster innovation and investment, Egypt is poised for sustained growth in its technology and entrepreneurial sectors, making it an attractive destination for investors seeking opportunities in emerging markets (Rasmal). Since 2010, Egypt has been home to over 278 startups, generating, annually, approximately $500 million in exports and providing employment for more than 8,000 individuals. The presence of high-growth companies like MNT-Halan, recognized as Egypt's third unicorn startup since Fawry and Swvl, underscores the potential for innovation and growth within this market. In this edition of IN THE VALLEY, we explore Egypt's booming tech ecosystem and impressive rise as a regional hub for innovation and entrepreneurship. We also take an in-depth look at 500 Global, a leading venture capital firm investing in startups across the region, and share insights from our exclusive interview with Amal Enan, Partner at 500 Global and Chief Investment Officer at The American University in Cairo.

500 Global in Eurasia hosted a ‘Lunch and Learn’ Session, where our alumni shared the key insights with Batch 7 participants, focusing on how to get the most out of the program. Special thanks to Iako and Irakli for their participation! 🙌 These events are a great way to learn and connect. 🤝 Yileen Koh 500 Global

Investor Office Hours are back, and dare we say, better than ever. These 75-minute private sessions with VCs cover everything from fundraising to building your dream company. If mingling with top investors and chatting with other founders piques your interest—this is for you. Session topics and startup registrations will open in October, so stay tuned. In the meantime, you can check out the details here: https://lnkd.in/e7cHnD3s Also, only 12% of startup passes are left. So if you’re planning to wait till October... well, good luck with that. Check them out here: slush.org/tickets Here’s a sneak peek of the hosting funds: Index Ventures, LocalGlobe, Point72 Ventures, Antler, Speedinvest, Spintop Ventures, 500 Global, Mountside Ventures x Blue Future Partners, Playfair, node.vc, and 3VC x Inventure x Practica Capital.

Is Southeast Asia producing high quality AI startups? Where does true innovation and opportunities lie within the region? Following extensive conversations with LPs, government leaders, and experts in the field, we organized AI Unlocked: Cutting Through the Noise in collaboration with Google to provide insights that go beyond the application layer of AI, empowering investors with a deeper understanding of the true opportunities within the industry. The session covered 500 Global’s views on AI, how Google’s suite of AI tools are providing value to developers, and how SE Asian startups - such as LightSpeed Photonics and Transcelestial - are building the next generation of AI infrastructure. Some insights include: - Startups are thriving in both product innovation and serving existing customers better with solutions built off of AI: Similar to how startups first benefited from building off of cloud infrastructure, many have integrated AI into their products to serve their existing customers better than legacy competitors. - Compelling tech in AI is not solely originating from advanced economies, such as the US, but from the rest of the world: In SE Asia, 500-backed LightSpeed Photonics and Transcelestial are building solutions to drive down the high energy demands of AI-based computing, and accelerating the rate at which more people have access to high-speed Internet. - GPUs may become the next area of sovereign interest for governments: As tech becomes dependent on AI, GPUs (and other hardware designed to power AI tools) may be the next resource to measure a nation's technological capacity to drive innovation. Additionally, governments will need to tackle the large amounts of energy required for AI technology, and look into companies providing energy efficient solutions. Huge thank you to all our esteemed AI industry leaders and innovators for bringing this event to life: Clément Parazon (Head of VC and Startup Partnerships, Google) Fannie Soubiele (Head of Venture Capital Business Development, SEA, Google Cloud) Serene Sia (Country Director, Google Cloud Singapore) Gaurav Kumar (AI Principal Architect, Google APAC) Rohin Y (CEO & Founder, Lightspeed Photonics) Rohit Jha (CEO & Co-Founder, Transcelestial) Vishal Harnal (Managing Partner, 500 Global) Saemin Ahn (Partner, 500 Global) #technology #southeastasia #artificialintelligence #startups #google

Last call for applications to this year’s Sanabil VC Unlocked by 500 Global!! If you know an emerging fund manager ready to take their skills to the next level, don't miss this opportunity to nominate them! The program offers incredible insights and resources for those making an impact to the VC ecosystem in MENA. Apply or nominate someone by the end of the week! https://lnkd.in/gTsT67pd ⚡️ #VCUnlocked #VentureCapital #vc #Sanabil500

Why build within a community?
Tony Wang, 500 Global Managing Partner, shares his thoughts on the power of community-driven growth. Building in isolation limits the perspective on others tackling similar challenges. Within a community, founders can gain unique insights and understand what sets their approach apart, enabling faster and smarter progress. Learn how you can build alongside the next cohort of our Flagship Accelerator:https://lnkd.in/gnpGaHQi

¡Resuelve todas tus dudas sobre cómo nuestra oferta de inversión y programa! 🚀 Regina Zurutuza, Partner de 500 Global, estará en un evento online para founders que buscan impulsar su crecimiento y expandir sus negocios en la región latinoamericana. 🌎 Aprenderás detalles sobre la oferta, requisitos, términos y cómo presentar tu compañía. 🎯 Regístrate aquí 👉 https://lnkd.in/e-CuuD92