ATTRACTING INVESTORS / WHAT ENTREPRENEURS NEED TO KNOW?
25 Feb 2022
This Fireside chat began with a question about criteria to look for when viewing start-ups and if they differ between the USA and the Middle East. Habib Kairouz, Managing Partner at Rho Capital Partners, an expert in technology start-ups set the tone in answering the question and replied that a big chunk of what they look for is “Whom they will invest in? Who are these entrepreneurs, what do they want to change in an industry, and how disruptive are they?”. Razmig Boladian’s advice, as Managing Partner at Rubicon Point Partners LLC, to young entrepreneurs on finding investors, came from the heart. He explained that entrepreneurship is a lifestyle and is time-consuming. It also doesn’t mean that fundraising comes with the territory; it is the consequence of preparation and consistency and believing in the potential in people. The chat continued to include the opinion of Khaled Janahi, Chairman at Vision 3, in which he stated that entrepreneurs should not be the only ones to accept failure, and success for that matter, but development should be a partnership between society at large, the private and public sector. All these players must come together to advance development equitably. This talk was moderated by Rebecca Bou Chebel, International Strategic Communications Expert at TAKREEM.