Venture Capital & Private Equity

Key Hubs

Abu Dhabi Global Market

The Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) is one of the largest financial districts in the world and has earned global acclaim for its robust, progressive regulatory frameworks, its English common law legal framework, and its incorporation and business services. Today, ADGM is home to more than 130 asset and fund managers overseeing over 160 funds. Leading financial institutions that have set up in ADGM include BlackRock, General Atlantic and Nuveen, among many others.

Dubai International Financial Center

The Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC) is a leading global financial center with more than 20 years of success in facilitating trade and investment flows across the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia region. Today, the DIFC hosts more than 400 wealth and asset management firms, including 44 hedge funds in the billion-dollar club. The DIFC Innovation Hub is also the largest innovation community in the region and is home to more than 1,240 growth-stage tech firms, established innovation companies, digital labs, venture capital firms, regulators and educational entities.

Hub71

Based in Abu Dhabi, Hub71 is a global tech ecosystem championing startup growth through an extensive network that brings together renowned corporations, national champions and prominent investors. Hub71 helps founders grow and scale disruptive technology companies. More than 240 startups have collectively raised $1.9 billion through this ecosystem.

Future Outlook

PE deals in the MENA region totaled $27.6 billion between 2020 and 2024, with the UAE leading in both deal count (37% of all MENA PE deals) and deal value (49% of total MENA PE deal value). As the UAE’s sovereign wealth funds continue to expand and more asset managers open offices in the country, PE activity in the UAE is projected to continue growing. Similarly, UAE startups led the region in volume of funding rounds in 2024, accounting for 40% of all the region's funding rounds.