The Investor's View: Does Attending Ecosystem Events Improve Chances Of Investment? BECO Capital co-founder Amir Farha on whether events presence are considered when funding startups.

By Amir Farha

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

You're reading Entrepreneur Middle East, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.

Shutterstock

How many ecosystem events have you attended this year as an entrepreneur hoping to meet a potential investor? Startups tell us that one of the primary reasons they choose to go to MENA region events is to improve their chances of funding. We asked investors based in the Middle East, from angels to VCs, to talk back and give us their views on whether startups attending events were better positioned to garner investor interest.

THE Q When assessing startups for potential investment, do you consider how often they attend events in the ecosystem?

"In short, none of the companies that we've invested in today were found through events. One can argue that the best entrepreneurs are the ones who don't have time to attend events, and are too busy working on their existing business. That said, I think events will become an interesting source of deal flow as the ecosystem matures and more entrepreneurs are looking for funding so much so that it's di cult for VCs to review all the incoming deals, and attending events allows them to separate signal from noise."

Related: The Investor's View: Does Attending Ecosystem Events Improve Chances Of Investment?

Wavy Line
Amir Farha

Co-founder & Managing Partner, BECO Capital

Amir Farha is an entrepreneur, angel investor, startup advisor, and mentor. He has looked at early stage businesses from every angle, starting with a Swedish corporate VC firm based in London, followed by a stint at what was then the first seed capital fund in the MENA region, the Arab Business Angel Network (part of Dubai International Capital), before becoming an entrepreneur himself. Farha has invested in and confounded a number of local businesses, including Toolman, a property maintenance businesses; Purple PR, a boutique PR company which he successfully exited in 2012; and Tandem Partners, a startup and small business advisory firm in which he pled over 80 companies plan and grow their businesses. Farha is a co-founder of BECO Capital, and he currently sits on the board of two portfolio companies.

Related Topics

Money & Finance

3 Ways to Create Multiple (Big) Streams of Income

Here are three ways to create multiple streams of income. These strategies require effort and resources but offer significant financial potential.

Business News

'All Hell Is Going to Break Loose': Barbara Corcoran Issues Warning About Real Estate Market, Interest Rates

The "Shark Tank" star appeared on FOX Business' "The Clayman Countdown" this week.

Science & Technology

She's Been Coding Since Age 7 and Presented Her Life-Saving App to Tim Cook Last Year. Now 17, She's on Track to Solve Even Bigger Problems.

Angelina Tsuboi, a full-stack mobile and web developer who also happens to be a pilot, has always been solution-oriented.

Management

12 Good Reasons to Explain Why You Left a Job During an Interview

Not sure what to say when asked why you left your last job? Check out these reasons so that you have a great answer on your next interview.

Starting a Business

How Many Work Hours Are in a Year?

Want to know how many work hours are in a year for your business or personal reasons? Check out this detailed guide to learn the answer.

Entrepreneurs

Six Ways To Manage Loneliness As An Entrepreneur

Ultimately, keeping yourself happy and fulfilled will help you to sustain your passion and energy for your business, and steer it to success.