Speedinvest Launches Flagship MEA Fund : TechMoran

European venture capital firm Speedinvest has launched its first flagship fund dedicated to the Middle East and Africa (MEA), backed by Mubadala Investment Company, Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) and the European Investment Bank (EIB Global). The fund, whose size was not disclosed, will deploy capital across fintech, embedded finance and sectors including health, climate, artificial intelligence and consumer platforms, as well as core digital infrastructure, formalising Speedinvest’s long-running activity in the region and extending its reach across the Middle East, North Africa, Pakistan, Turkey (MENAPT) and Sub‑Saharan Africa.

"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."

Context and regional footprint

The new MEA vehicle builds on more than 15 years of investing across Europe and beyond and on Speedinvest’s existing regional portfolio. The firm highlighted several companies it has backed globally — including Bitpanda, GoStudent, Tide and ARX Robotics — and named multiple MEA bets that underpin its local knowledge.

• Moove — a Nigerian-founded mobility fintech providing revenue-based vehicle financing for ride-hailing and delivery drivers globally;
• FairMoney — a Nigerian digital banking and lending platform;
• Khazna — an Egypt-based financial super app focused on the underbanked;
• Mophones — a Kenyan company enabling smartphone financing to expand digital access;
• Flow48 — an SME financing platform active in the UAE and South Africa offering revenue-based credit to small 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 also noted it recently strengthened its regional footprint by joining QIA’s Fund of Funds programme, a move intended to bring global venture capital expertise into Qatar and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

Mubadala framed its participation as an endorsement of Speedinvest’s approach. "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. EIB Global emphasised the development impact: "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."

Outlook

With more than €1.2 billion in assets under management, Speedinvest positions the MEA fund as a bridge between its European hubs and emerging startup ecosystems across MENAPT and Sub‑Saharan Africa. The firm intends to target early and growth-stage companies that can scale cross-border, channel capital into innovation and financial inclusion, and deepen partnerships with institutional backers such as QIA, Mubadala and EIB Global to support longer-term growth trajectories for regional founders.