Loading...
Answers
MenuWhere to find introductions to Institutional European/Middle East Pre-Seed Venture Capital, PE, Investments, Grants (Donations) Capital Sources?
Answers
That will be very difficult since with every introduction, the person making the introduction is putting their reputation on the line.
So you will have to build up credibility by doing the research and then cold calling the institutions. That will slowly build your network and then you may get reciprocity where people introduce you to their contacts.
For institutional pre-seed VC, PE, and grants in Europe and the Middle East, check:
- VC Firms: Earlybird Digital East Fund, COTU Ventures, Bynd Venture Capital
- Accelerators: Google for Startups Accelerator, Founder Institute Middle East
- Grants: Enterprise Ireland Pre-Seed Fund, European Innovation Council (EIC)
Attend startup events, use LinkedIn, and apply directly via their websites.
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.
Related Questions
-
Who are some of the pre revenue start up friendly investors available to the Vancouver Canada region?
AngelList is your best bet. Since you're asking the question, chances are you don't have a way to get introduced to these investors. The simple truth (like it or not) is the chances very low that you'll get a deal done without an introduction from someone they trust. AngelList can help with that, so can going to networking events. And finally, If you're the introverted developer type, you can also get their attention by just building something really cool on your own, followed by some serious traction. Arguably the best strategy of them all.Danny RobinsonDR
-
How do you calculate the value of stock for a start up consulting company for the purpose of stock options?
There are three questions here: - the strike price of the options - the market value of the company - how much those options are actually worth to the recipient 1. The strike price is the price people pay to exchange their options for shares. You can set any strike price you like: it's just a negotiable contract term. However, if the strike price is less than the market value of the shares, the options are taxable (which people tend to avoid), so you typically set the strike price at or above the market value. 2. The market value of the company is how much the company is worth. The celebrity of the founder is clearly a big part of it. If the company were sold, the acquirer would want the founder to lock in as part of the acquisition. So figure out the value a couple of ways: (1) off standard profitability metrics: X times yearly profit and/or revenue vs. comparable companies (2) off the acquisition price: with and without the founder and add the percentage chance the founder would go with it (3) off recent transactions in the stock (what people pay for the stock is a great indicator of value) These will give three different answers: pick some sort of average number, so you can justify your strike price. 3. What the options are worth to the recipient: remember they are only worth something if the recipient can exercise them for stock, and then sell the stock (or receive dividends) for more than the option's strike price. So figure out the probability of the company being sold above the strike price in the next X years, and what an weighted average expected sale price is for the company in the next few years (noting the founder's importance), and that's what the options are worth. I hope that helps.Kamal HassanKH
-
What happens to a convertible note if the company fails?
Convertible notes are by no means "earned." They are often easier to raise for early-stage companies who don't want to or can't raise an equity round. Equity rounds almost always require a simultaneous close of either the whole round or a defined "first close" representing a significant share of the raised amount. Where there are many participants in the round comprised mostly of small seed funds and/or angel investors, shepherding everyone to a closing date can be very difficult. If a company raises money on a note and the company fails, the investors are creditors, getting money back prior to any shareholder and any creditor that doesn't have security or statutory preference. In almost every case, convertible note holders in these situations would be lucky to get pennies back on the dollar. It would be highly unusual of / unheard of for a convertible note to come with personal guarantees. Happy to talk to you about the particulars of your situation and explain more to you based on what you're wanting to know.Tom WilliamsTW
-
What due diligence should be expected for a seed investment from seed fund(s) and individuals?
Very little. At the angel/seed stage, they're investing in the founders, so there's no expectation of patents, etc... They might check that you're incorporated in good standing, and ensure you have a solid startup/corporate lawyer, and have good employment and IP ownership agreements with your staff and contractors, and that's about it.Jeff MagnussonJM
-
What is the generally agreed upon "good" DAU/MAU for mobile apps?
You are right that the range is wide. You need to figure what are good values to have for your category. Also, you can focus on the trend (is your DAU/MAU increasing vs decreasing after you make changes) even if benchmarking is tough. Unless your app is adding a huge number of users every day (which can skew DAU/MAU), you can trust the ratio as a good indication of how engaged your users are. For games, DAU/MAU of ~20-30% is considered to be pretty good. For social apps, like a messenger app, a successful one would have a DAU/MAU closer to 50%. In general most apps struggle to get to DAU/MAU of 20% or more. Make sure you have the right definition of who is an active user for your app, and get a good sense of what % of users are actually using your app every day. Happy to discuss what is a good benchmark for your specific app depending on what it does.Srikrishnan GanesanSG
the startups.com platform
Copyright © 2025 Startups.com. All rights reserved.
