Foundation Ventures

Foundation Ventures is a Cairo-based venture capital firm focused on investing in and scaling Egyptian startups. The firm backs exceptional founders building industry-defining companies, providing them with access to the largest distribution channels in the country. Established in 2018 by Mazen Nadim, Omar Barakat, and Ziyad Hamdy, Foundation Ventures has made 10 investments by the end of 2021, including leading and co-leading deals in Capiter, NowPay, and Minly. In February 2025, the firm announced the first close of its $25 million fund, FVFII, backed by the Egyptian American Enterprise Fund (EAEF), the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise Development Agency (MSMEDA), and Onsi Sawiris. This fund aims to strengthen Egypt’s entrepreneurial landscape by supporting startups from early-stage development to regional and global expansion, with a portion of the capital directed toward investing in promising African startups. Beyond capital investment, Foundation Ventures provides its portfolio companies with access to Egypt’s largest enterprise network, creating a foundation for startups to thrive locally and scale regionally. The firm's investment strategy revolves around leveraging the resources of their Limited Partners and Enterprise Partners, allowing companies to unlock immediate growth. Foundation Ventures is committed to fostering innovation, driving economic growth, and enabling Egyptian entrepreneurs to compete on a global stage. The firm's portfolio includes companies across various sectors, such as Flextock, Egypt's first end-to-end digital fulfillment provider; NowPay, a leading financial wellness fintech empowering employees to access their wages; Abwaab, pioneering supplementary educational content across the MENA region; Sakneen, redefining the real estate journey; Rabbit, delivering everyday essentials in minutes; and TFK, bringing affordable fashion products to a fashion-savvy market. These investments reflect Foundation Ventures' commitment to supporting high-impact technology companies in Egypt and the broader MENA region. Foundation Ventures' approach combines capital investment with strategic support, leveraging its extensive network to help portfolio companies scale and succeed. The firm's focus on early-growth stage companies allows it to identify and nurture promising startups, providing them with the resources and guidance needed to achieve significant growth and market leadership. By investing in a diverse range of sectors and stages, Foundation Ventures aims to contribute to the development of a robust and dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem in Egypt and the MENA region.