500 Global made its first investment in MENA in 2012. Back then, few U.S. venture investors made their way to the region, but we recognized its potential and after making more than 30 investments in the region, launched our first MENA-dedicated fund, Falcons I, in 2017.
Since then, 500 has cemented its position as one of the most active early stage investors in the Middle East. We have almost fully deployed the Falcons I fund, investing in more than 175 innovative startups. Nearly 100 founders have gone through our accelerator programs and our investments have helped these founders create countless jobs, and aided in advancing the region’s agenda to diversify economies, capitalize on technology and encourage investment in entrepreneurship.
