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European venture capital firm Speedinvest has launched its first flagship fund dedicated to the Middle East and Africa (MEA), backed by major institutional investors including Mubadala Investment Company, Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), and the European Investment Bank (EIB Global).
The fund formalises Speedinvest’s long-standing activity in the region and signals a deeper push into early and growth-stage startups across the Middle East, North Africa, Pakistan, Turkey (MENAPT), and Sub-Saharan Africa.
While the firm did not disclose the fund size, it said the vehicle will deploy capital across fintech, embedded finance, and key sectors such as health, climate, artificial intelligence, and consumer platforms, alongside core digital infrastructure.
Speedinvest’s expansion comes amid rising global investor interest in MEA’s fast-growing startup ecosystems, particularly in financial services and digital inclusion.
“We are thrilled to welcome QIA, Mubadala, and EIB as investors supporting our Middle East and Africa strategy,” said Oliver Holle, CEO and Managing Partner of Speedinvest. “We’re committed for the long haul, deploying patient, sector-focused capital to back visionary entrepreneurs.”
The fund builds on more than 15 years of investing across Europe and beyond, with Speedinvest backing companies such as Bitpanda, GoStudent, Tide, and ARX Robotics.
In the MEA region, the firm has already backed a number of high-growth startups, including Moove, a mobility fintech founded in Nigeria that provides revenue-based vehicle financing for ride-hailing and delivery drivers globally; FairMoney, a Nigerian digital banking and lending platform; and Khazna, an Egypt-based financial super app targeting the underbanked.
Its portfolio also includes Mophones in Kenya, which enables smartphone financing to expand digital access, and Flow48, a UAE- and South Africa-focused SME financing platform offering revenue-based credit to small businesses.
Speedinvest recently strengthened its regional footprint by joining QIA’s Fund of Funds programme, aimed at attracting global venture capital expertise into Qatar and the wider Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
Mubadala said its backing reflects confidence in Speedinvest’s ability to support founders building scalable businesses across the region.
“As part of the MENA Venture Capital Fund, we are pleased to partner with Speedinvest to support ambitious founders building enduring companies that contribute to sustainable economic development,” said Ali Eid AlMheiri, Executive Director at Mubadala.
QIA also highlighted the strategic importance of the partnership in strengthening Qatar’s venture capital ecosystem and driving long-term value creation across the GCC.
Meanwhile, EIB Global said its participation would help channel more capital into African startups focused on innovation and financial inclusion.
“Technology has the power to turn good ideas into real impact,” said Karl Nehammer, Vice President at EIB Global. “By partnering with Speedinvest, we are enabling African innovators to scale, access new markets, and build sustainable businesses.”
Speedinvest said it has been steadily expanding its presence in MEA over the past decade, combining local teams with its broader European network to support founders from seed through growth stages.
The firm added that the new fund will further strengthen cross-border collaboration between Europe and MEA startups, as founders increasingly look to scale globally amid a fragmented investment landscape.
With more than €1.2 billion in assets under management, Speedinvest operates across multiple European hubs and continues to position itself as a bridge between emerging and developed startup ecosystems.