Since 2006, the IT and Software sectors have occupied the largest chunk of VC investments in the MENA region at 45%, Media sits joint second with Industrial Manufacturing at 12%, while Telecom ranks 4^th with 8%.

Saudi Arabia and the UAE dominate the VC and entrepreneurial landscape in the GCC, constituting the largest and most dynamic economies in the region respectively. With an increasingly entrepreneurship oriented youth, the Levant, a region blessed with a healthy ICT-specialized human capital, is experiencing a growing VC ecosystem with Jordan and Lebanon leading the way. In Egypt, the internet and mobile industries have seen the emergence of many start-ups taking advantage of a large user base to leverage. The VC arm of EFG-Hermes, Ideavelopers, which manages an Egypt-focused fund, includes a wide range of companies that cover different areas of innovation and technology in its portfolio including semiconductor and electronic payment companies among many others.

To shed more light on the VC landscape in the region, the ArabNet Digital Summit 2012 will feature leading executives, managing partners and directors from the venture capital investment landscape including:

Shervin Pishevar - Managing Director, Menlo Ventures

Shervin joined Menlo Ventures in 2011 and focuses on the social web, consumer internet and mobile. At Menlo, he sits on the board of Shaker and Mr. Number and has led Menlo's investment in Warby Parker. Shervin helped launch the Menlo Talent Fund, Menlo's new $20m seed fund. Shervin angel invested in over 40 companies including Aardvark (sold to Google), Milo.com (sold to eBay), Likealittle (LAL), Milk, Gowalla among others. Shervin is one of 10 members of the UN Foundation’s Global Entrepreneurs Council. He is a published researcher in JAMA and Neuroscience Letters and the author of several US patents.

Frank Meehan - Horizons Ventures

Frank Meehan is part of the successful Horizons VCteam, representing Mr Li Ka-Shing's private investments. Horizons was an early investor in Skype and holds investments in Facebook, Spotify, Second Market, Waze, and SIRI before it was sold to Apple. Frank also founded INQ Mobile, a Hutchison Whampoa venture which won best handset at MWC 2009, and he is currently on the boards of Trapit, Tripboard, Tout, Summly, Magisto and the TOM Group.

Dr. Ossama Hassanein - Chairman, Rising Tide Fund and Egyptian American Society

Dr. Ossama Hassanein is an entrepreneur, mentor, and venture capitalist. Over the last 35 years, he has managed over $1 billion of international technology funds in diverse leadership roles. He has served on the Board of Advisors of Harvard University Center for Middle Eastern Studies, and on the Board of Directors of Relief International, focusing his efforts on social entrepreneurship and women development in the Middle-East. He is currently chairman of the board of the Egyptian American Society and of TechWadi, and a member of the Board of PSD, an NGO focused on providing one Netbook per child for up to 280,000 Palestinian children in need of education.

Rashid Al-Ballaa - CEO, National Net Ventures

Rashid Al Ballaa is the founder and CEO of N2V, an internet holding company that is disrupting digital Arabia and stimulating the growth of a multi-billion dollar internet industry. N2V enables web ventures by investing capital and offering essential infrastructure services, mentorship, and support to help accelerate their growth. Rashid is also a board member of National Technology Group (NTG), MENA’s largest ICT conglomerate and key provider of Financial Technology and Services. Before N2V, Rashid founded and managed Mubasher Financial Services (MFS), MENA’s first STP e-brokerage company and the only provider of DMA to MENA equity markets.