The new LvlUp hub bridges regional opportunity with global scale, deploying the firm’s capital, network, and operating infrastructure directly into the region.
LvlUp Ventures, one of the most active venture capital firms globally with over 1,000 companies backed through its funds and accelerators, has officially established its MENA Global Investment Hub in Dubai, marking a direct expansion of the firm’s global investment operations into the region.
We don’t view MENA as a separate market—we view it as part of the same global system we invest across every day.”
— Aaron Golbin, General Partner at LvlUp Ventures
This is a continuation of LvlUp’s global buildout beyond the United States—extending its investment activity, network, and operating capabilities into one of the world’s fastest-growing innovation ecosystems.
Aaron Golbin, Co-Founder and General Partner at LvlUp Ventures, said:
“We don’t view MENA as a separate market—we view it as part of the same global system we invest across every day. This expansion is about being on the ground, investing with conviction, and building alongside founders as they scale into global companies.”
Brandon Maier, Founder and General Partner at LvlUp Ventures, added:
“Many of the strongest companies emerging from MENA are being built with global ambition from the outset. Our role is to support that expansion—connecting founders to international markets, follow-on capital, and strategic partners that help turn regional traction into global scale.”
Operating as One Global Investment System
LvlUp does not segment its portfolio by geography. Companies backed in MENA are sourced, evaluated, and supported within the same global framework as the firm’s broader portfolio—across funds, accelerators, and ongoing initiatives.
With more than 1,000 companies backed globally, LvlUp has developed a high-volume, high-conviction investment model—driven by continuous sourcing, rapid evaluation, and hands-on support.
The MENA Global Investment Hub brings that model into the region in a direct and sustained way, spanning key markets including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Qatar, Jordan, Oman, and Egypt.
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Why This Expansion Matters
MENA is producing a growing class of globally competitive companies—built by founders operating with increasing ambition, access, and speed.
As the region continues to evolve, the opportunity is not defined by entry—it is defined by integration.
LvlUp’s presence in MENA is designed to align the region more closely with the firm’s global investment activity—ensuring companies are not built in isolation, but as part of a broader, interconnected system.
What LvlUp Brings into the Region
Through the MENA Global Investment Hub, LvlUp extends its full operating model:
1. A continuous investment engine
Sourcing and evaluating companies at scale, across stage and sector, with the ability to move quickly and invest with conviction.
2. Execution alongside founders
Working directly with portfolio companies across fundraising, growth, partnerships, and operational development—not as an external layer, but as part of the build.
3. Global connectivity from day one
Integrating companies into LvlUp’s international network of investors, operators, and partners—supporting expansion beyond regional markets.
Integrated Into a Broader Ecosystem
The Hub also connects into LvlUp’s broader network of institutional and corporate relationships, including the LvlUp Ventures Innovation Alliance.
Through this network, companies gain exposure to downstream capital, strategic partnerships, and potential commercial and acquisition opportunities—extending the value of being part of the LvlUp ecosystem.
A Different Kind of Regional Presence
The MENA Global Investment Hub is structured as an extension of LvlUp’s firm—not as a separate regional arm. Investment decisions, portfolio support, and ecosystem engagement are coordinated globally, allowing companies in MENA to operate within the same system as their counterparts across other markets.
For founders, this means working directly with a global venture firm that is present locally.
For investors and partners, it creates a more connected and consistent way to engage with opportunities across regions.
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