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Kamil Saeid

Partner at Defy.Vc

Highlights

Feb 7 · linkedin

I recently spent a month+ in MENA, anchored in Saudi and the UAE. I knew something special was happening in the region but after a plethora of conversations – ranging from 3 person startups to CEOs of the largest tech cos, private companies to public + sovereign sponsors, operators to institutional investors it's exceedingly clear that this region is up next

I’m excited to share future pieces on the various tailwinds and opportunities, but a few quick notes for folks who’ve yet to visit to hopefully encourage a trip –

🏙️On a macro level, Dubai is already designated an Alpha+ city (a global economic node, on par w Tokyo and Singapore) and Saudi Arabia is undergoing an extraordinary transformation – one that a former Fortune 10 CEO dubbed “this generation’s China”

🛫The region is well located and extremely accessible. 80% of the world’s population is a single flight away and 50% is within a 3 hr time-window, allowing companies to attract, and work with, talented professionals from all over

💡People, from the region and emigrants, who were educated and trained at the top universities and companies are hungry to build and scale tech companies. Not only for the region, but globally. The talent, thoughtfulness and curiosity of the builders is on par with any that I’ve come across in my decade+ investing career

🏛️From early stage capitalization and incentives for talent acquisition & retention, to accelerators and free programs with instruction from world class educators + facilitators there are systemic, government-driven efforts to accelerate the development of the local ecosystem

✨Harder to describe but critical nonetheless, is the sense of pride, camaraderie and generosity that permeates the ecosystem. It stretches beyond the informal and seeps into the professional. Despite my short stay, I was shown profound hospitality and warmth

🤝Even in first meetings, social and professional invitations were extended, rolodexes opened, and introductions offered at a level that I haven’t experienced in any other environment. Yes, not even in Silicon Valley. This support is going to enable a resilient and enduring ecosystem – one in which the pie only grows as more people work for their slice

🙏🏽A huge thank you to everyone who shared their time, energy and insights with me. If there’s anyone that I missed or should connect with, I’ll be back in March. Please shoot me a message, I’d love to chat!

Muhammad AlDawood Mudassir Sheikha Ibrahim Almojel Abdulrahman (AIT) Tarabzouni Mazen Aljubeir Fares Ghandour Amir Farha Camillo Schobesberger Yousef Hammad Mazin Alshanbari Ahmed AlHakbani Sharif El-Badawi Abdulaziz Alfalih Bader Almubarak, CFA Sarah AlSaleh Sarah Toukan Romain (رومان) Assunção Mazin Al Naamani Maham Malik Abdulla Janahi Ahmed Esmat Mourad Marc Michel Badr Nour 🇵🇸 Mohamed Mansoury Fawzi Jumean Bader H. Nasser Eyad Alharbi Osama AlRaee Raida Daouk El Jisr Hajar Alzerma Ibrahim Aldlaigan Abdulhakim Alsohaibani Omar A. Alsobay Hisham Jazzar

I recently spent a month+ in MENA, anchored in Saudi and the UAE. I knew something special was happe

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Kamil Saeid
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Experience

Partner at Defy.Vc
Principal at Idg Ventures Usa

Education

Master Of Business Administration, Stanford University Graduate School Of Business
Bachelor Of Science, Stanford University
Stanford Graduate School Of Business
Bachelor Of Science In Mechanical Engineering In Engineering, Stanford University

Location

Atherton, California, United States