Noor Sweid: Witnessing MENA’s Tech Transformation
Noor Sweid, founder and managing partner of Global Ventures, has been a firsthand observer of the remarkable transformation in the Middle East and North Africa’s (MENA) entrepreneurial and investment environment. Her journey, encompassing scaling businesses, angel investing, launching her venture capital firm, and publishing her book, reflects the region’s burgeoning innovation.
Sweid’s book, Coming of Age: How Technology and Entrepreneurship Are Changing the Face of MENA, published by Motivate Media Group’s Books Arabia, chronicles the growth of entrepreneurship in the region over the past 25 years. This period has seen the emergence of global-leading ventures and disruptive technologies across diverse industries such as fintech, healthtech, and agritech. In a recent interview, Sweid discussed her entrepreneurial path, the vision behind Global Ventures, her book, and the excitement surrounding MENA’s emergence as a global tech hub. She also shared her insights on the future of the region’s investment scene, advice for entrepreneurs, and sectors with significant potential for disruption.
The Genesis of Global Ventures
Sweid recounted her diverse professional experiences, which include consulting in the biopharma industry, working within the family business, and founding ZenYoga. ZenYoga grew into the largest chain of yoga and Pilates studios in the Middle East before its successful acquisition by a private equity firm in 2014. Additionally, her time at the Dubai Future Foundation provided insights into the leadership’s vision for innovation.
My firsthand experience in scaling a regional startup from scratch helped me realise and understand the challenges that entrepreneurs face – and discover how tough it was.
These experiences led her to angel investing, supporting founders across the region. This work revealed a funding gap for startups, inspiring her to establish Global Ventures. The firm aims to pool capital to back exceptional founders developing solutions that positively impact millions of lives. According to Sweid, witnessing venture capital’s evolution from its initial stages to its current stature has been truly inspirational.
‘Coming of Age’ and MENA’s Entrepreneurial Story
Sweid’s book, Coming of Age, explores how technology and entrepreneurship are reshaping the MENA region. She believes in the importance of sharing the stories of the region’s founders, including their personal struggles and triumphs.
The book showcases the experiences of 35 pioneering regional founders, highlighting their transformative ventures, leapfrogging innovations, and the essential industries they have shaped to address critical market needs, including fintech, healthtech, and agritech. These sectors, along with transformative areas like AI, blockchain, crypto, and energy, are all making global impacts.
Key Takeaways from the Book
The book chronicles the remarkable entrepreneurial journey of the MENA region, highlighting its evolution into a global innovation hub. Sweid noted the lack of documented narratives for MENA, despite its impressive economic growth and entrepreneurial advancements. Having invested in the area for more than 15 years, she witnessed regional founders leveraging technology to drive both regional and global impact. The book serves not only to celebrate this journey but also to inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs.
Menas’s cities have evolved into innovation centres, addressing pressing challenges such as financial inclusion, food security, and healthcare access.
The book’s most important takeaway is the promising future of MENA. A decade ago, MENA was largely an untapped space for innovation. Today, the region boasts a dynamic ecosystem filled with talent, capital, and opportunities. Cities in the UAE and Saudi Arabia are emerging as global venture capital hubs, attracting international investment and nurturing local startups with global potential. The region is transforming from a consumer market to a launchpad for innovative ideas that can change the world. As MENA comes of age, the future is ripe for innovation.
The Evolving Investment Landscape in MENA
Sweid shared insights on the region’s venture capital and entrepreneurial landscape, explaining how the investment landscape is evolving in the GCC, particularly in 2025. While regional venture funding experienced a dip in 2024, mirroring worldwide trends in private capital, the sector’s overall trajectory since 2019 has been upward. The sector grew from $990 million to $2.6 billion in just four years, peaking in 2022.
In 2024, over half of venture capital investments (52%) came from international sources, a shift from the primarily domestic funding base five years earlier. Government initiatives, moreover, are instrumental in fostering an innovation-friendly setting. International investors are drawn to the region’s focus on profitability and capital efficiency, and sovereign wealth funds are increasingly investing directly in regional ecosystems.
Recent Investments by Global Ventures
Global Ventures recently invested in BioSapien, a platform focused on drug delivery for cancer treatment. BioSapien’s flagship product, MediChip, concentrates treatment within the tumor microenvironment using a 3D-printed, slow-release approach. The technology improves outcomes in oncology and symbolizes innovation with wide-ranging patient benefits. These represent the types of innovations coming from the MENA region that are enabling the development of new technologies and solutions worldwide.
Long-Term Vision for Global Ventures
Global Ventures aims to continue its support of emerging-market founders driving transformative change. Sweid emphasizes that the MENA region has evolved from an emerging market to a global innovation powerhouse, with the perfect blend of youth, cutting-edge technology, and progressive regulatory systems. Their vision is to remain at the heart of this transformation, inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs.
Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
Sweid offered advice for entrepreneurs seeking success:
- Do what you love: Entrepreneurship can be a demanding journey, so loving it is crucial.
- Just start: The entrepreneurial path is rarely predictable. Momentum follows action.
- Solve clear problems: Define your market and provide clarity for your business and product. Avoid being distracted in the solution and focus on the problem you’re solving.
- Build a strong team: Surround yourself with talented, optimistic people to reach your goals.
