How venture capitalists are accelerating the next generation of businesses in the UAE

Speaker spotlight: Priyanka Vijayan on ‘How UAE Family Offices Are Powering the Next Generation of Startups.’

MAGNiTT’s FY2024 MENA Venture Investment Premium Report revealed that the region closed AED5 billion across 461 VC transactions, with the UAE spearheading activity through 188 deals. Dubai, in particular, stands out as an international magnet for venture capital, backed by 427 VC funds and supplemented with pro-investment government initiatives.

Further driving this growth in the venture capital ecosystem is a diversified investor market comprising sovereign wealth funds, private equity firms, and family offices. Among the key enablers in Dubai is Seed Group, a company of The Private Office of Sheikh Saeed bin Ahmed Al Maktoum. The Group is significant in strategically scaling and expanding homegrown and international businesses across innovative sectors.

In the final part of our speaker spotlight series, we will focus on Priyanka Vijayan, Managing Director of Seed Ventures. As a speaker at our upcoming webinar on 29 April, Vijayan will adeptly talk about ‘How UAE Family Offices Are Powering the Next Generation of Startups.’ Her presentation will arm C-suite leaders and founders with fundamental guidance for starting and scaling their businesses in the UAE, focusing on Dubai’s thriving startup environment.

UAE family offices as anchors of venture capital stability

Family offices have become prominent investment vehicles in the UAE, fueled by the growth of the country’s population of high-net-worth individuals (roughly 72,000 in 2024). Dubai has significantly emerged as a prominent location for these entities, hosting over half of the region’s family offices. Many of these operate from the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), which alone is home to more than 120 family offices and 800 related structures — collectively managing over USD 1.2 trillion in assets.

However, the rise of family offices is just one part of a broader shift in investment trends. The country has also attracted other investment structures, including sovereign wealth funds, institutional investors, and private equity firms. This indicates that as global venture capitalists increasingly focus on the UAE, these investment vehicles will deliver startups more than just funding. Their presence locally will also facilitate strategic partnerships, provide access to international markets, and bring in industry expertise.

For any entrepreneur steering through the global VC field, strategically partnering with the right investor is vital.

This highlights the UAE’s growing repute as an excellent launchpad for next-gen enterprises seeking to scale regionally and globally.

UAE expert to explain the significance of VCs and family offices in the business market

As Vijayan, our Managing Director, will expound on our upcoming webinar this 29 April, the UAE’s investment field presents a compelling proposition for global founders. It allows startups to establish themselves in a jurisdiction that is gaining recognition for its global competitiveness.

Our expert speaker will go on a deeper dive into prominent investor patterns in 2025 — which now prefer longer holding periods and expertise, especially among frontier sectors such as AI, fintech, and climate tech. These insights are particularly relevant to those seeking to set up a business in the UAE and specifically Dubai, where long-term orientation meets a globally competitive legal framework.

Vijayan will also outline how these family offices are aligning their portfolios with long-term sustainability objectives. She will unpack how new governance frameworks and the rise of sovereign-aligned strategies support a future-ready ecosystem.

How important is Seed Group in all this?

As a company of The Private Office of Sheikh Saeed bin Ahmed Al Maktoum, Seed Group possesses great privilege in connecting international firms and enterprises with the UAE’s innovation ecosystem. This simply means that the Group actively supports founders in their efforts to start or scale their businesses in the UAE and specifically Dubai. In turn, the company is among the key players that help make the country an innovative avenue for business growth.

Connect with global leaders and VCs!

For business leaders who are seeking to capitalise on the upsurge of VC presence in the UAE, the roundtable on April 29th will be a vital resource. Attendees are encouraged to send in or prepare their questions for a Q&A session, allowing them to interact with Priyanka Vijayan and other global leaders and advisors.

This high-level virtual forum will explain current investment trends and provide practical frameworks for business expansion in the UAE’s advancing innovation field. Sign up now to secure your place at this important business dialogue!