Case Study | Techstars Dubai In Partnership with GINCO
The Task:
Emirati-led construction conglomerate GINCO Group wanted to launch a global platform for entrepreneurs based in Dubai as part of the launch of the family office investment company, GINCO Investments.
2019 Demo Day
2019 Program Overview
The Work:
Leyden led the initiative end to end: developing the strategy for the program, securing the Techstars partnership, leading the negotiation with Techstars, leading the negotiation with the Executive Office of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum to host the program within the newly developed Area 2071 innovation space in Emirates Towers, providing guidance on staff hiring, aiding recruitment and selection of companies into the program.
CEO of GINCO Investments, Mohammed Gheyath at the Partners of the Future event unveiling the program to the Dubai technology and government community
His Excellency Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence visits the Accelerator to talk about welding with aid from augmented reality with the team behind Nytilus
His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai visits the Accelerator to discuss autonomous eVTOL vehicles with Alex Xydas of FlugAuto
Fadi Ghandour, founder of ARAMEX and Investor at Wamda Capital introducing Yousef Wadi of Nestrom on stage at the 2019 Demo Day
CEO of Techstars, David Cohen, visiting the newly opened co-working space for the program along with representatives from GINCO Group
His Excellency Khalfan Juma Belhoul, CEO of the Dubai Future Foundation, addresses the crowd at the 2019 Demo Day
The Result:
Techstars Dubai in Partnership with GINCO was formally announced in the Summer of 2017 and over its two years has been widely reported as the best accelerator program in MENA by the press, investors, and founders themselves.
The first cohort of companies landed in Dubai in January of 2018 and concluded in a Demo Day in April of 2018 (video below). Class 2 following a similar schedule and wrapped up in April 2019 (videos above). Leyden Ventures provided program oversight, KPI alignment, market messaging, and portfolio management from 2016 through 2019 and continues to provide portfolio management services to GINCO Investments post program.
Selected Press Mentions