FAST Ventures has launched a new USD 3 million fund to support early stage founders across the MENA region. The initiative, called FAST Foundry, combines investment with hands on support across product, marketing, creators and AI. The goal is to guide promising startups from early ideas to real traction in competitive markets.
A Venture Studio Built for MENA’s Next Wave of Products
Based in Dubai, FAST Ventures operates as a marketing focused holding company. With FAST Foundry, the company expands into a venture studio model that funds and supports startups in AdTech, retail, creator tools, AI and marketing. The studio targets founders who want to build high impact products with global potential.
FAST Foundry offers more than capital. It connects startups to the wider FAST Ventures ecosystem, which includes specialist teams and technical resources. This structure gives founders a clearer path to build tested products, sharpen their market strategies and drive early adoption.
A Focus on Technology, Culture and Commerce
FAST Foundry invests in themes where digital behavior and commercial value intersect. The fund highlights four core areas for new investments:
- AI native marketing agents
- Retail and commerce media infrastructure
- Creator commerce and influencer infrastructure
- Emerging consumer sectors such as FinTech, PropTech, TravelTech and EdTech
These areas reflect sectors where demand is rising fast across MENA. They also represent categories where regional founders can build original products and scale efficiently.
Addressing Startup Failure Through Strong Support
FAST Ventures aims to reduce the high rate of startup failure in the region. The company notes that nearly 90 percent of MENA startups close within a few years. It also states that 43 percent struggle to build repeatable demand even when their products show strong potential.
FAST Foundry wants to fix this problem by offering early stage companies long term operational support. This includes access to experienced teams that understand product design, marketing strategy and creator led growth.
Resources and Ecosystem Access for Selected Startups
Selected startups will receive investment and workspace in either Dubai Internet City or Riyadh. They will also gain access to engineering, go to market support and guidance from several FAST Ventures entities:
- Platformance, a growth marketing platform
- Lion, an AI driven creative unit within Platformance
- Calibrate, a digital commerce studio that supports product launches
- Cloud credit partnerships
- Senior talent across product, creative and commercial functions
These resources aim to help founders shape stronger products, attract early users and build sustainable revenue models.