We Are Not “Local Players” Anymore — We’re Global Players Who Happen To Call MENA Home

We Are Not “Local Players” Anymore — We’re Global Players Who Happen To Call MENA Home

In the post-COVID world, geography is no longer the barrier it used to be. The world is more connected than ever, and both startups and venture capitalists are playing on a global stage. As founders and VCs in the MENA region, it’s crucial to acknowledge this reality. We are not “local” players anymore — we’re global players who happen to call MENA home.

For startups, the landscape has changed dramatically. Every startup today is competing not just with local companies but with global ones, regardless of their physical location. Consider the likes of Revolut, Airbnb, Stripe, Zoom, and TikTok — all of these companies have expanded into regions far beyond their origins, and redefined market entry, making global expansion the norm, not the exception.

The reality is, there are no “local companies” anymore. If you think of yourself as just a local startup, you’ve lost already. You’re competing not just with the shop next door but with a well-funded, ambitious company halfway across the globe that has already set its sights on your market.

But here’s the nuance: there’s a difference between a local company and a company solving a local problem. A local company confines itself to a specific geography, limiting its ambition and its market reach. On the other hand, a company solving a local problem is just getting started — it’s solving a challenge that might exist in many regions, with the potential to expand and scale.

When you solve a local problem, you’re laying the foundation to solve that problem elsewhere too. You’re building expertise, product-market fit, and a brand that can be expanded globally. You’re not just “local”; you’re solving something with global relevance, just beginning with the local context you know best.

For VCs, the mandate is clear: we look for ethical, responsible financial returns — wherever they might be. We’re not developmental funds; we’re here to build value and generate returns. Whether that value emerges in Riyadh, Dubai, San Francisco, London, or Singapore, we’re ready to support it. Investment today is borderless.

As founders and VCs in MENA, we need to embrace this mindset. The boundaries that once defined our market are fading, and the opportunity to build globally relevant, impactful companies is at our doorstep. Let’s seize it — not just as people from MENA, but as global founders and investors who happen to be in MENA.