Dubai, UAE – The startup ecosystem across the Middle East is witnessing a transformative surge, aligning closely with the visionary goals of regional leadership to drive innovation and entrepreneurship. Over the past few years, The Corporate Group (TCG) and Tablon B2B have actively contributed to this momentum by hosting a series of high-impact Investor-Founder networking events across the region. At the heart of this is XLR8 Hub, an initiative by TCG that empowers startups worldwide with strategic support including mentoring, market entry advisory, investment readiness, and ecosystem access.
After four successful years in Dubai, the Investor-Founder events have expanded to major regional hubs such as Riyadh, Jeddah, and Doha, with the inaugural India edition set to take place in Bengaluru this July. This dynamic series has rapidly evolved into a highly sought-after platform, bringing together investors and founders from across the region.”
“We are experiencing a clear demand, not only regionally but internationally, for structured platforms that connect innovation with capital,” said Adel Alawadhi, Co-founder and Executive Chairman of The Corporate Group. “Our vision is to grow this into a truly global movement that empowers startups and investors to co-create economic value.”
The growth trajectory speaks for itself—June 2025 alone saw a 30% year-on-year increase in attendance, underlining the rising appetite for entrepreneurial engagement, cross-border investment, and ecosystem collaboration.
“These are not just events—they are high-value touchpoints that enable founders, investors, and advisors to connect in meaningful ways,” said Farooq Cheema, CEO of Tablon B2B. “We’re seeing founders more prepared to scale globally, and advisors more eager to support local innovation.”
Each event is designed with purpose—featuring live startup pitches, investor feedback sessions, curated networking opportunities, and interactive formats that unlock real-time collaboration and insight-sharing.
Building on the format’s success, TCG and Tablon have already begun expanding internationally, most recently with a virtual session tailored for the Finnish startup ecosystem—marking the first step in a broader global outreach strategy.