FAST Ventures Launches $3M FAST Foundry to Propel MENA Startups into Global Markets

FAST Ventures has set its sights on early‑stage innovators across MENA with the launch of FAST Foundry, a venture studio backed by a fresh $3 million fund. The company positions this new arm as “born in the region and built for the world,” aiming to support startups working in AdTech, retail technologies, creator tools and AI. I’ve seen countless founders across the region struggle to get that early momentum—sometimes falling just short of traction—so the timing feels spot on.

Waseem Afzal, the CEO of FAST Ventures, put it rather bluntly in his comments, saying the region has “relied on imported, white‑labelled technology” for too long. His view is that this approach plugged gaps but didn’t create a proper ecosystem. FAST Foundry is meant to change that by backing homegrown intellectual property designed for both regional depth and international scale. And believe it or not, that ambition isn’t as far‑fetched as it once sounded; a lot has changed in the last five years.

The Foundry will focus on sectors where culture, commerce and tech collide—AI‑driven marketing agents, retail media infrastructure, creator commerce and a handful of emerging consumer verticals like PropTech and TravelTech. I reckon this blend mirrors where most demand is heading. Startups in these spaces often hit a wall when it comes to repeatable growth, and research mentioned alongside the launch reminds us that about 90% of MENA startups shut down before reaching profitability. It’s a grim figure, but hardly surprising to anyone who’s been around the ecosystem for a while at Arageek.

Selected founders will get more than capital: they’ll also be plugged into workspaces in Dubai Internet City or Riyadh, and receive hands‑on support from FAST’s wider network. That includes Platformance, which is described as one of the region’s fastest‑growing growth marketing platforms; Lion, its AI‑creative studio; and Calibrate, a digital commerce outfit. Add cloud credits and senior talent on call, and you’ve got a setup that tries to remove a bit of the usual faff young companies face.

FAST Ventures says its team brings over two decades of experience building brands and scaling platforms across MENA and beyond. Their intellectual property spans AI models, marketing tools and commercial infrastructure—basically the nuts and bolts many early teams don’t have time to build themselves. On the flip side, the real test will be whether these tools genuinely move the needle for founders or simply pile on more noise… well, I mean, time will tell.

Applications for FAST Foundry are now open to early‑stage, product‑led startups across the region. For founders chasing that extra push, this might be one of those opportunities you’d be chuffed to bits not to miss—definately worth a look if you ask me.

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