Amber Baranwal Investment Banker in a wall Street firm.

To find introductions to institutional capital sources in Europe and the Middle East—including Pre-Seed VC, Private Equity (PE), Investment Firms, and Grant/Donation Providers—you can explore several strategic channels. Here's a breakdown by type and method:

1. VC & PE Databases / Platforms
These tools give you access to profiles, contact info, and investment history.

Crunchbase – Filter by region, stage (pre-seed), and sector

PitchBook – Industry-standard for private market intel (paid, but comprehensive)

CB Insights – Track investors by geography and deal stage

Preqin – Strong for PE and institutional investors

Dealroom.co – Europe-focused with rich VC/PE data

Fundsup – Active in EU startup ecosystems

VC4A – Focus on emerging markets including MENA

2. Investor Communities & Platforms
Join networks that facilitate intros and investments.

AngelList / Wellfound – Now also caters to institutional micro-VCs

LinkedIn – Use advanced filters to connect with fund managers or analysts (search: “Pre-seed VC Partner,” “MENA PE Associate”)

Startup Grind – Events + intros to VCs

EmergingVC / DiversityVC Slack groups – Active in Europe/MENA

Latitud Capital Community – Great for founders raising capital

The Family (France) – Founder-centric investor ecosystem

3. Accelerators & Incubators (With Funding Networks)
These provide mentorship, grant access, and institutional investor exposure.

Techstars (Europe / MENA programs)

500 Global (Middle East focus: 500 Falcons)

Seedcamp (Europe)

Flat6Labs (MENA)

Startupbootcamp (Dubai, Amsterdam, Milan)

Y Combinator (global reach, but strong EU founder network)

They often provide warm intros to institutional VCs and even small PE firms.

4. Institutional & Government Grant Bodies
For non-dilutive capital (grants/donations), explore:

Europe:
Horizon Europe (EU Commission funding for innovation/startups)

European Investment Fund (EIF) – Funds many early-stage VCs directly

EASME (EU grants for SMEs)

Innovate UK – Grant funding for early-stage ventures

Middle East:
Qatar Science & Technology Park (QSTP)

Khalifa Fund (UAE)

Misk Foundation (Saudi Arabia)

Dubai Future Foundation

Tamkeen (Bahrain)

5. Family Offices & Sovereign Wealth Funds
These often invest directly in VC/PE rounds in both regions.

Mubadala (UAE)

QIA – Qatar Investment Authority

PIF – Public Investment Fund (KSA)

Kuwait Investment Authority

Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA)

Tip: Many of these have PE and VC arms or allocate capital to funds active in pre-seed and early-stage.