MENA Ecosystem Builders
Bridging the support gap in MENA for youth-led, high growth ventures.
About the Program
With the support of the Dutch Good Growth Fund (DGGF), Village Capital is launching MENA Ecosystem Builders, an accelerator for accelerators. This program will select locally-led entrepreneur support organizations (ESOs) based in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, and Tunisia, and support them to better serve and drive capital to youth-led high-growth potential ventures while building networks across the region with key stakeholders.
About MENA's Startup Ecosystem
Like in many emerging markets, the MENA startup ecosystem is fragmented and facing the challenge of duplicative support services whose impacts are difficult to quantify. While the growth of early-stage businesses has been shown to increase job creation and contribute to the region's development, ESOs need support to sustainably progress these early-stage businesses they seek to help, address their impact gaps, and demonstrate the robustness of their strategies, operations, and quality services.
Despite local ESOs being critical to building an investable pipeline for the emerging venture capital industry, only a few programs currently lead to investment outcomes. This gap highlights a need to support these ESOs and foster more robust regional networks.
Meet the Cohort
Eligibility
The organization must be supporting early-stage, tech-enabled small and medium enterprises with significant growth potential, and/or ventures with scale potential
The organization must support ventures through a formal incubation/accelerator program
The organization must be providing or looking to provide training, resources, advice or support to entrepreneurs around finance and investment
The organization must have been in operation for more than 2 years OR has grown from co-founder/founder to 5+ employees including middle management (department leads, partnership managers, incubator and accelerator managers, program managers)
The organization should have multiple lines of business or departments, raised funding, offer support programs and/or services for entrepreneurs and can demonstrate traction
The organization must be operating in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, or Tunisia
Ideal organizations support or plan to support young (under 35 years of age) entrepreneur led ventures, as defined as:
Entrepreneurs under 35 years of age
>50% shares owned by young entrepreneur(s), OR
≥ 20% shares owned by young entrepreneurs, AND
≥ 1 young entrepreneur as CEO/COO; AND
Has ≥30% of the board of directors composed of young entrepreneurs
Participating team members should include at least one member of senior leadership
Benefits for ESOs
Mentorship and Connections
Ability to meet with and receive mentorship from potential strategic partners, funders, potential customers, and your peers. Access to a diverse and inclusive network of prominent MENA and global stakeholders.
Advice
Access to a business analyst who will coach you 1:1 on building and/or improving a financial model, and using financial metrics to drive both the business and fundraising plans.
Training
Access to best practice training sessions with peers and Village Capital on critical business areas: team, problem and vision, value proposition, services and programs, pipeline and selection, ecosystem, operations, financial sustainability, and impact.
Strategy
Support developing a strategic performance plan across critical business areas towards improved strategy, operations and business sustainability.
Continued Learning
Access to live and asynchronous sessions tailored to a virtual learning environment to help your companies identify early milestones and prepare for investment readiness.
Exposure
Exposure on Village Capital’s program website and other communications collateral.
Access to Abaca
The opportunity to grow your organisation faster by identifying the right capital for you and planning your next milestones for growth.
Pitching
The opportunity to pitch your strategic performance plan to development partners, including DGGF.
Program Timeline
Applications Open
Applications Close
Workshop Dates
This program will include one one-week in person workshop, costs to attend this workshop will be covered. There will be an additional virtual workshop and development partner forum. Participants will be expected to commit to attending all events. To learn more, contact Alper Guven: alper.guven@vilcap.com