The fund formalises Speedinvest’s entry into QIA’s Fund of Funds programme, established to bring global venture capital expertise to Doha.
Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) has joined Mubadala Investment Company and the European Investment Bank (EIB Global) in backing a new Middle East and Africa-focused fund launched by European venture capital firm Speedinvest, targeting early growth-stage startups across the region.
The expansion follows the firm’s recent entry into QIA’s Fund of Funds programme, which aims to attract global venture capital firms to Doha and strengthen Qatar’s startup ecosystem.
Founded more than 15 years ago, Speedinvest manages over €1.2 billion in assets and invests in startups from early to growth stages, supporting companies as they scale.
Its portfolio includes companies such as Bitpanda, GoStudent and Tide.
Focus on regional startups
The fund targets startups across the Middle East, North Africa, Pakistan and Türkiye, as well as sub-Saharan Africa, with investments focused on sectors including fintech and embedded finance, artificial intelligence, climate technology and digital infrastructure.
Speedinvest said the strategy is designed to support founders building scalable businesses while strengthening links between European and MEA startup ecosystems.
“When we established our Fund of Funds programme, we set out to attract top global VC funds to bring their knowledge and expertise to Doha and support Qatar’s VC ecosystem,” said Haya Al-Ghanim, Qatar Funds Director at QIA.
Speedinvest added that the fund builds on its existing footprint in the region, where it has backed companies including Moove, FairMoney, Khazna, Abhi and Flow48, and will be supported by on-the-ground teams working closely with founders.
“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.
Commenting on the move, Karl Nehammer, Vice President at EIB Global, said technology can “turn good ideas into real impact” and help build “bridges” in an increasingly fragmented world.
The launch reflects growing investor interest in the region’s startup ecosystem, as global venture capital firms like Speedinvest expand into the Middle East and Africa to back high-growth companies and strengthen links with international markets.
