• Dubai-based Yango Group launched a USD 20M venture fund to back early-stage startups in MENA, Pakistan, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Latin America.
• Yango Ventures will invest in seed to Series B startups in O2O, B2B SaaS, and fintech, with plans to scale capital.
• Beyond funding, the firm aims to provide expertise from professionals across fintech, AI, and mobility to support sustainable startup growth.

Yango Ventures

What happened? Dubai-based Yango Group established a USD 20 million corporate venture fund targeting early-stage startups across MENA, Pakistan, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Latin America.

What will the fund focus on? The new fund dubbed Yango Ventures aims to focus on seed to Series B investments primarily in online-to-offline (O2O), B2B software-as-a-service, and fintech sectors. Additionally, it has plans to scale its capital base as entrepreneurial ecosystems expand in these high growth markets.

“Through Yango Ventures, we’re sharing our expertise and network to help startups scale, thrive, and drive meaningful change in their communities.”

Daniil Shuleyko, CEO of Yango Group

Beyond Capital Yangpo Ventures aims to leverage its expertise to provide more than just capital to its companies. Furthermore, it aims to draw on expertise from a board of professionals across mobility, fintech, AI and other sectors. 

“Our mission is simple: let people grow with us,” Shuleyko said. “By supporting local talent with the right tools and resources, we aim to foster sustainable business growth and contribute to resilient and inclusive economies across the globe.”

Additionally, the venture fund does not plan to exert excessive control over its companies or seek board seats. Instead, it aims to provide support when needed or requested. 

Investments

Targeting Returns Yango Ventures identifies Series A startups as an optimal returns opportunity. Moreover, it is targeting returns of 10-20z over an unspecified period. To do so, it is targeting enterprises with scalable business models in which its expertise will be an added value.

Who are they? Yango Group is a Dubai based company that operates in various sectors including technology, mobility and finance. It is known for scaling business and fostering digital transformation by leveraging its expertise, network and capital.

What’s next? The fund aims to partner with other venture capital firms to enhance its investment activities. Additionally,it aims to provide comprehensive support to the entrepreneurial ecosystem across its target regions.

Beyond just investments, Yango Ventures aims to drive digital transformation and entrepreneurial growth. This is through networking events with professionals and partnerships with education institutions to develop skills for the future generation.

Additionally, the fund has indicated that it may have plans to expand its fund size beyond its initial USD 20 million.Why does this matter? The new venture capital fund comes amid growing presence of venture capital opportunities across emerging markets. This comes with a particular focus on fintech, mobility, and software services.