Funding Entrepreneurship in MENA – a Case Study

By Partners for Growth

Partners for Growth had the pleasure of collaborating with Stanford Graduate School of Business Lecturer in Management Robert Siegel and Jada’s (Fund of Funds established by the Public Investment Funds of Saudi Arabia) Emerging Manager Program to lead a conversation about the unique opportunities and challenges for high-growth businesses scaling in the Middle East. The event was centered around the case study ‘Partners for Growth: Funding Global Entrepreneurship’ that analyzes PFG’s debt facility to Tabby and Bayzat. 

“The Middle East presents a unique landscape for entrepreneurial growth, where the convergence of innovation, technology, and robust financial tools like structured debt are essential in propelling high-growth businesses to success. Events like this underscore the importance of understanding and leveraging these elements to nurture sustainable and impactful entrepreneurial ventures in the region.” – Lecturer Robert Siegel 

At the event, Lecturer Robert Siegel focused on tech lending and the effective use of structured debt at critical stages of a company’s growth journey. PFG’s Armineh Baghoomian and Max Penel contributed their insights on the unique dynamic entrepreneurs face in the startup and scaleup landscape, highlighting the importance of strategic financial planning in nurturing high-growth businesses, particularly in regions where venture lending is not as developed. 

“At Partners for Growth, we’ve witnessed firsthand how this dynamic region harnesses technology and innovation to create remarkable growth opportunities. We started coming to the region in 2019, and now we are the most active debt providers in MENA.” – Armineh Baghoomian, Head of MENA and Co-Head of Global Fintech.

According to Max Penel, Co-Head of Global Fintech, “The Middle East has all of the key characteristics of a promising technology and innovation hub, with strong entrepreneurs, markets prime for disruption, and accessible capital, signaling an exciting time for the region.”

We look forward to continuing working with entrepreneurs in the region to support them in pivotal stages of their growth. As Partners for Growth, our commitment to fostering innovation and supporting high-growth businesses in the Middle East remains steadfast. The insights shared by Lecturer Robert Siegel, along with the valuable contributions of Armineh Baghoomian and Max Penel, have illuminated the current landscape and charted a course for future growth and success in this dynamic region.

  

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30+ Year Global Strategic Partner

SVB is a leading American bank providing products, services and strategic advice for businesses at every stage. They operate as a go-to commercial bank for start-ups and established corporations, offering venture funding, private banking & wealth advising. SVB is the largest lender to technology companies globally.

SVB has built its reputation as the financial partner of the innovation economy – helping individuals, investors and the world’s most innovative companies achieve extraordinary outcomes.
PFG and SVB have maintained an official strategic partnership since the late 1980’s. We have collaborated together as co-lenders and extended each other's ability to reach new markets and provide deeper capital to high-growth companies.

PFG and SVB have provided growth debt across the U.S. & Canada, Europe, Middle East, Asia, and Latin America, where we co-manage a Venture Debt Latin America Growth Lending Fund.

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IFC — a member of the World Bank Group — is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets. IFC works in more than 100 countries, using its capital, expertise, and influence to create markets and opportunities in developing countries, leveraging the power of the private sector to end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity.

PFG and IFC are strategic partners where we extend IFC’s direct venture and VC funding, collaborating on fintech and tech lending across global growth markets.

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Aims to be the partner of choice for the private sector in Latin America and the Caribbean. They finance projects to advance clean energy, modernize agriculture, strengthen transportation systems and expand access to financing.

IDB Invest, a member of the IDB Group, is a multilateral development bank committed to promoting the economic development of its member countries in Latin America and the Caribbean through the private sector. IDB Invest finances sustainable companies and projects to achieve financial results and maximize economic, social, and environmental development in the region. With a portfolio of $16.3 billion in asset management and 347 clients in 25 countries, IDB Invest provides innovative financial solutions and advisory services that meet the needs of its clients in a variety of industries.

PFG leads a joint venture with IDB Invest that provides debt capital to emerging innovative tech companies across the region via our Latin America Growth Lending Fund. The initiative brings investment expertise into LAC from top notch global players in this field.