Shorooq’s Shane Shin on Why Gulf Startups Still Struggle to Exit, Picking Founders and Building the Blackstone of the Middle East

Podcast: FWDstart · Jamie Lane

Opublikowano: 2026-10-27

Shorooq's Shane Shin thinks the Gulf’s venture market has come a long way, but is still moving too slowly, particularly when it comes to turning funding rounds and rising valuations into actual returns for founders and investors. We got into what needs to change, from getting corporates more involved as customers and acquirers to bringing family offices further into the ecosystem, alongside the ambition behind Shorooq’s expansion across stages and asset classes. Shane also explains why he asks whether he’d work for a founder before investing, why the follow-on cheque can matter more t...