As the MENA startup landscape continues to mature, a significant trend is emerging: successful founders are increasingly stepping into the role of funders, reinvesting their capital and expertise back into the ecosystem. Tapping into this pivotal shift, Abu Dhabi’s Hub71 is hosting a fireside chat, “From Founder to Funder,” to explore this journey.
The event will bring together two distinguished operators who have navigated both sides of the startup equation. Magnus Olsson, co-founder of one of the region’s most iconic success stories, Careem, will share his perspective as he actively invests in the next generation of entrepreneurs. He will be joined by Chris Rogers, another experienced entrepreneur who has successfully transitioned into an investor.
Exploring The Operator’s Lens
The session promises an honest, experience-led discussion on how the founder journey directly shapes investment philosophy. For founders and VCs in the audience, the chat will delve into how firsthand experience in building a company from the ground up influences an investor’s decision-making process, from sourcing deals to supporting portfolio companies.
Key topics include the unique dynamics between founders and their founder-turned-investor backers, covering expectations, the nature of support, and the essential boundaries that need to be established post-investment.
People, Patterns, and Paying It Forward
The conversation will also tackle a central debate in early-stage investing: the balance between backing people versus identifying patterns. The speakers will offer insights into how founder-led investing often blends deep-seated intuition about a founding team’s potential with data-driven models for success.
Ultimately, the event underscores the theme of “paying it forward.” It highlights a virtuous cycle where entrepreneurial success is reinvested not just financially, but through invaluable mentorship, strengthening the entire MENA tech ecosystem for future generations.
About Hub71
Hub71 is Abu Dhabi’s global tech ecosystem that enables founders to build globally enduring homegrown tech companies in any sector by providing access to global markets, a capital ecosystem, a global network of partners, and a vibrant community filled with highly skilled talent, governed by forward-thinking regulation.
Source: Luma
