Growth Vision Pro

Looking to expand your startup, IT company, or tech business into China’s booming market? Join our webinar to explore scaling, investment, and market entry strategies within Central Asian Innovation Hubs. ?? March 17 | 17:00 (GMT +5) What’s Inside? ??China Overview: Economic and Technological Growth, Tech-Driven Ecosystem ??Opportunities for tech companies from Central Eurasia in China ??The most promising industries for entering the Chinese market ??How the Shanghai Innovation Hub operates and what programs it offers ??Accessing Chinese investors, partners, and technological infrastructure Speakers: ?? Lazzat Borankulova – CEO, Growth Vision Pro ?? Maral Shashkenova – Partner, Growth Vision Pro Who Should Attend? ??Startups from Central Eurasia looking to enter the Chinese market. ??IT and tech companies specializing in AI, DeepTech, Robotics, IoT, CleanTech, Smart Industry, and other cutting-edge fields. ??Product and service-based tech companies seeking to scale in China. ??Key players in the innovation ecosystem (accelerators, tech parks, universities). ?? Register now: https://lu.ma/90f1pojf

?? MENA Venture Market - the era of cheap money ends The global Emerging Venture Market (EVM), encompassing regions like Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Turkiye and Africa, continues to feel the chill of the Venture Winter. In 2024, EVM funding fell by 40% YoY, landing at $9.1bn, with deal flow declining by 20% YoY to 1,527 deals. Even mega deals saw their share shrink from 54% to 40%, signaling a cautious funding environment. ?? Focus on MENA: A Bright Spot in Challenging Times Amidst these global challenges, the MENA region stands out for its resilience reflecting strong investor confidence and a vibrant startup ecosystem: ? Funding declined by just 29% YoY to $1.5bn, outperforming SEA and Africa, which experienced drops of 45% and 44%, respectively. ? Deal flow increased by 10% YoY, reaching 461 deals, while other regions saw sharp declines. ? Total investor count rose by 14% YoY to 392, signaling sustained interest in the region. ? Exit activity, although down by 20%, still outperformed other regions like SEA (-35%) and Africa (-27%). ?? E-Commerce and FinTech Lead the Way in MENA - E-commerce and Retail secured the largest share of funding, with $396mn (-20% YoY), reflecting continued investor confidence in online shopping. - FinTech emerged as the top sector for deal activity, closing 93 deals (+3% YoY), showcasing its appeal for innovation and growth. Saudi Arabia: Leading Venture Funding in MENA - Despite a 44% YoY funding drop to $750mn, Saudi Arabia remains MENA's largest venture funding market. - The number of deals increased by 16% YoY to 178, highlighting the kingdom's growing startup ecosystem and investor confidence. UAE: Championing Deal Activity in MENA - The UAE led in deal numbers, achieving 188 deals (+9% YoY), even as funding saw a modest 8% decline to $613mn. ?? Optimism Ahead: A Stronger 2025 on the Horizon Philip Bahoshy, CEO at MAGNiTT, commented: “We anticipate rate cuts to begin boosting capital availability within the next 6-9 months, paving the way for a stronger funding environment in 2025.” According to Bahoshy, 2024 represents "probably the bottom of the curve" for the funding downturn. This signals a potential inflection point for the venture ecosystem, with opportunities for startups and investors to prepare for a recovery phase. Saudi Arabia and UAE lead the region, showing strong investor confidence and opportunities for startups to thrive and secure funding compared to other regions of EVM. Source: Magnitt FY 2024 | EVM Venture Investment Summary #VentureCapital #MENAStartups #GrowthVisionPro #Ecommerce #FinTech #SaudiArabia #UAE #VentureWinter #2025Recovery

?? Asia's Venture Activity Hits 5-Year Low: What It Means for Startups ?? The global venture capital market is facing significant challenges, with deal activity hitting an 8-year low and total funding - the lowest in five years. Major declines in deals seen in key markets like China, Canada, Germany, USA, and France. Asia's Venture Activity in Context Asia has not been immune to the global slowdown, hitting a 5-year low in total funding: $41.8 billion (-27% YoY) and deals: 8,103 (-16% YoY): ??China, contributing 31% to regional funding decreased by 55%, and deals by 33% ??Singapore, contributing 6% to regional funding decreased by 39%, and deals by 18% Despite these challenges, some bright spots emerged: ??India, representing 27% to regional funding, saw a remarkable 40% YoY growth, underscoring its potential as a growing tech hub. ??Japan, contributing 8% of funding, grew by 6% YoY, reflecting stability in its innovation ecosystem. What This Means for Startups 1?? Global Funding Climate: The current market is at a declining stage, and startups must be prepared for reduced access to capital, requiring sharper focus on sustainable growth, strong fundamentals, profitability potential, efficient operations, and adaptability to changing conditions. 2?? Diversify and Innovate: Explore alternative funding sources, such as corporate partnerships, and prioritize innovations that align with market demands. Source: CBInsights #VentureCapital #Startups #InvestmentOpportunities #Asia #China #Singapore

?? AI is taking the venture funding world by storm! In 2024, AI reached unprecedented heights, accounting for 37% of global venture funding ($100.4B, 80% YoY increase) and 17% of total deals (4,505 deals)! Here are the key highlights: ? Q4 2024 AI funding boom: AI secured 51% of global venture funding for the quarter, with $43.8B raised. ? Regional dominance: Of this funding, 87% went to the US, 6% to Europe, and 5% to Asia. ? AI infrastructure leads: The top 5 venture deals in 2024 were all for AI infrastructure players, with 4 closing in Q4 alone. ? Enterprise AI agents shine: Deals in enterprise AI agent developers surged by 150%! What does this mean for startups? ??For AI-focused startups: With nearly 3 in 4 AI deals being early-stage, there’s a golden opportunity to secure funding, scale quickly, and innovate in high-growth areas like enterprise AI agents, generative AI for customer support, industrial humanoid robots, and autonomous driving systems. ??For non-AI startups: The AI boom has ripple effects that impact all industries. 1?? Increased competition for funding: As a significant portion of venture capital flows into AI, non-AI startups may face tougher competition to attract investment. Startups need to differentiate themselves with clear value propositions and measurable outcomes. 2?? Opportunities to integrate AI: Investors are keen on companies adopting AI to enhance their products or services. Incorporating AI into your business model, even in niche ways, could open doors to new funding sources. 3?? Shifting market expectations: Customers and investors alike are now expecting smarter, AI-enhanced solutions across sectors. Non-AI startups should consider partnerships or collaborations with AI providers to stay competitive. 4?? Emerging markets for support services: Non-AI startups can thrive by offering complementary solutions, such as infrastructure, compliance, or services that support AI adoption in industries like healthcare, logistics, and finance. The bigger picture AI is not just reshaping technology but setting the pace for how all businesses operate. Startups—AI-related or not—must adapt to this evolving landscape by innovating, leveraging AI as a tool, or finding opportunities to serve this growing sector. Source: CBInsights #VentureCapital #AIstartups #InvestmentOpportunity #NonAIStartups

?? State of the Venture in 2024 and Q4 Highlights ?? Global equity deal activity in 2024 hit an 8-year low, with only 26,961 deals — a 19% YoY decline. The slowdown was especially sharp in China (-33%), Canada (-27%), Germany (-23%), USA/France/Singapore (-18%). However, Japan (2%), India (1%), and South Korea stood out with resilience. Total equity funding in 2024 stood at $275bn 5-year low after 2023 (YoY +4%), with 49% of funding allocated to mega-round deals, and 37% directed to AI deals. USA market increased by 21%, India by 40%, UK by 15% and Japan by 6%. The significant decrease took place in China (-55%), Singapore (-39%) and France (-14%). $86.2B funding in Q4’24 is a 2-year high, and 53% QoQ increase, with the US accounting for 71%, Europe 15% and Asia for 10% of the total, with the AI boom helping fuel a substantial rebound in global funding. Key takeaways: - The overall VC market remains under pressure due to macroeconomic uncertainties and tighter investment strategies. However, the sharp rebound in Q4 funding shows signs of resilience, especially in high-growth sectors like AI. - The dominance of mega-rounds signals a shift toward concentrated capital deployment in high-potential ventures. Investors are increasingly cautious, favoring established startups or sectors with clear growth trajectories, like AI and deep tech. - Startups face intensified competition for funding, as investors focus on fewer, higher-quality opportunities. Early-stage startups may struggle more than their late-stage counterparts. - Startups in booming sectors like AI, clean energy, and health tech stand to benefit from concentrated investor interest. - In this selective funding environment, startups must demonstrate strong business fundamentals, efficient operations, and clear paths to profitability to attract investment. Source: CBInsights #VentureCapital #InvestmentOpportunities #GlobalVCTrends

?? The GCC nations are making significant strides in AI adoption, powered by groundbreaking investments, global partnerships, and robust regulations. Here's a closer look at the initiatives shaping AI ecosystems in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, and other countries in the region. Saudi Arabia: Leading AI Transformation - A landmark $100 billion commitment of the Project Transcendence to accelerate AI infrastructure and ecosystem development. - Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) teams up with Google’s parent company Alphabet to establish an advanced AI hub. United Arab Emirates: Innovating with Infrastructure and Partnerships - Abu Dhabi-based MGX, backed by G42 and Mubadala, is focusing on developing AI infrastructure, including data centers and semiconductor manufacturing. Construction underway for a 100MW AI-optimized Ajman data center, the largest in the region. - Microsoft’s $1.5 billion investment in G42, resulting in the establishment of two AI research centers. - Hub71+ AI incubator in Abu Dhabi, supported by Amazon Web Services, Google, Nvidia, and Hewlett Packard Enterprise, fostering AI R&D and talent access. Qatar: Advancing AI with Cloud and Computing Innovations - Qatar’s Ooredoo joins forces with NVIDIA as a Cloud Partner, adopting its accelerated computing platform across data centers in Qatar, Kuwait, and Oman. Regional Developments: Building a Secure and Ethical AI Framework - Strengthened regulations require sensitive data to be stored locally, particularly in government and financial sectors. - Regulations on generative AI and algorithmic accountability to combat misinformation. - Closer scrutiny of AI applications in domains like credit scoring and fraud detection to ensure fairness and compliance with IP laws.

?? The GCC’s Economic Evolution in 2025: A Catalyst for Talent, Investment, and Innovation At Growth Vision Pro, our mission is to bridge the gap between Central Eurasia and the GCC region. Meanwile the GCC strengthens it's position as a global economic and innovation hub, it creates synergies with neighboring regions like Central Eurasia, fostering cross-border collaboration in talent exchange, investment opportunities, and innovation. 1?? Macro-Economic Growth and Diversification - Non-oil GDP growth surged to 3.7% in 2024, outpacing the overall economic growth rate of 1.8%. - In 2025, non-oil sectors are projected to grow by 4.2%, signaling continued diversification and resilience despite oil production cuts. - GCC countries issued $120 billion in debt in 2024, with total outstanding debt expected to reach $1 trillion by 2025 to finance spendings and investment initiatives, leveraging low debt-to-GDP ratios compared to G20 countries and favorable credit ratings. - Over 70% of the GCC’s oil and gas exports are directed to Asia, reflecting deepening global economic ties with Asian countries. 2?? Fiscal Reforms and Investment Appeal - The UAE and Bahrain will implement a 15% Domestic Minimum Top-up Tax (DMTT) on multinational enterprises in 2025, building on the UAE’s existing 9% corporate tax rate. - Kuwait plans to introduce a 15% corporate income tax on multinationals, contributing to rising non-oil revenues in 2025. 3?? Urban Transformation and Livability - Saudi Arabia will invest $1.28 billion in new housing projects and fully launch the $22 billion Riyadh Metro in 2025, enhancing urban mobility. - The UAE’s Dubai Urban Master Plan 2040 includes a Dhs3.7 billion road expansion and plans for 3,300 kilometers of pedestrian pathways. 4?? Talent Attraction and Connectivity - Saudi Arabia improved to 32nd place in the IMD World Talent Ranking, driven by initiatives like granting citizenship to exceptional talents and the Premium Residency Program. - The launch of Riyadh Air in 2025 will connect the GCC to over 100 destinations, with a passenger capacity of 25 million in its first year. Source: https://lnkd.in/edT_G5ZT

We are glad to share that on 13 November 2024 we conducted another insightful webinar as part of the Tumaris Tech Community.Tech Central Asia Acceleration Program 2024, led by Lazzat Borankulova and Maral Shashkenova. This marks another milestone in our mission to support the second cohort of 16 talented startup founders from five Central Asian countries that worked intensively to scale their projects and craft strategies for entering international markets. This session focused on scaling up in the GCC region and, for the first time, explored opportunities for expansion into China. This impactful initiative was implemented by IT PARK Uzbekistan in collaboration with the USAID Entrepreneurship and Business Environment Development Project and MOST Business Intelligence. The Tumaris.Tech program continues to play a transformative role in empowering women-led startups in Central Asia, fostering innovation, and creating pathways for female entrepreneurs in the tech ecosystem. A special thank you to Elmira Obry, CEO of MOST Business Intelligence, and Merey Lucero for the opportunity to conduct this webinar for Tumaris participants. It’s an honor to collaborate on such impactful initiatives and contribute to scaling women-led tech startups into global markets. Together, we’re shaping the future of female entrepreneurship in tech. ???? #Startups #Entrepreneurship #WomenInTech #VentureCapital #CentralAsia #GrowthVisionPro #ScaleUp #GCC #China #Innovation #MOSTBusinessIntelligence

?? Unleashing the Potential of Kazakhstani Startups ?? Over the past month, Growth Vision Pro had the privilege of attending several Demo Days in Kazakhstan, where the innovative spirit of our ecosystem was on full display. These events showcased the impressive potential of startups in our region, and we are excited to share some highlights with our network. All the startups we encountered recently have shown impressive progress and results. However, we would like to highlight six startups that particularly caught our attention. We will be closely monitoring their progress to support them in their later stages of scaling up and fundraising, aligning with Growth Vision Pro's mission to empower promising innovators. ?? AI’preneurs Demo Day by Astana Hub (22 November) The AI’preneurs program brought together professionals from diverse fields to develop AI-based solutions from scratch. Out of 250 applications, 50 participants formed 21 teams, and 9 startups successfully completed the program. ?? Startups to Watch: 1?? Skideo - Helps football clubs and academies find young talent in underserved regions using video analytics powered by AI, providing actionable insights. 2?? AI Card – A groundbreaking tool automating cardiac ultrasound diagnostics with real-time image analysis, supporting doctors in making accurate decisions. ?? NURIS PR' ABC Incubation х TCA & Quick Start Demo Day at Nazarbayev University (12 December) NURIS continues to shine with its focus on high-tech, medicine, HardTech, and DeepTech projects requiring sophisticated infrastructure. ??Jury Recognition ?? In the category "Best Presentation Design", the winners were Respondy and Refill. ?? The title of "Pitch Guru" was awarded to the project inBoost. ?? The project CERVI was named as a "Potential Unicorn". ?? Growth Vision Pro's Innovative Highlights: 1?? CERVI – A neural network diagnosing cervical cancer with up to 80% accuracy, reducing analysis time from 15 minutes to just 10 seconds. 2?? Mirai Tech – AI-based sensor technologies enhancing diagnostics and rehabilitation for patients. ?? The Hero Training Program by Astana Hub (19 December) Developed by Tim Draper, this intensive five-week acceleration program in Silicon Valley empowered 10 Kazakhstani startups with global entrepreneurial knowledge and connections. ?? Standouts: 1?? BeyimTech – A personalized online learning platform integrating AI tools, LMS, and social networking to revolutionize education. 2?? AMAN – A technological game-changer in crime prevention and security with innovations like the SOS button, live video broadcasts, and seamless user-network communication. It was an honor that Lazzat Borankulova served as a jury member at NURIS Demo Day, thank you for invitation Assylzhan Upasheva. It’s inspiring to see such transformative ideas emerging from Kazakhstan, showcasing the strength of our ecosystem and the potential of our startups on the global stage.

Outstanding achievements for Kazakhstan at the global stage! ?? On December 3-4, 2024, our two remarkable teams, Alaqan (Ayan Ispola) and CEREBRA (Madina Umurzakova, MBA), competed in the finals of the prestigious "Maker in China" SME Innovation and Entrepreneurship Global Contest in Guangzhou. Facing fierce competition from 15 top startups representing France, Hong Kong, Korea, Poland, Macau, Pakistan, Spain, and Kazakhstan, our teams rose to the challenge with determination and innovation. Congratulations to Alaqan for earning the "Excellence Award" and to Cerebra AI for securing the "Excellent Team Award"! Given the advanced technology ecosystems of cities like Hong Kong and Macau, we are proud to reflect on this achievement as a great success. These accolades highlight that Kazakhstani solutions and teamwork are not only globally competitive but also deserving of international recognition. This marks an excellent starting point for exploring the immense market potential in China. A heartfelt thank you to our partner Taovation LLC | 上海颢玺信息科技服务有限公司 for making this milestone possible. We look forward to more achievements in the future! ???? Maral Shashkenova #MakerInChina #Kazakhstan #InvestmentOpoortunities #ScaleUp #GrowthVisionPro