Global Market Entry
Eleva8or currently operates in over 40 emerging market countries, with a special focus on GCC (Gulf) nations and Southeast Asia, through its own network of specialized Emerging Market Partners (EMPs). Eleva8or typically has 1-2 EMPs in each country who are ingrained into the local startup/tech ecosystem and connected with investors, incubators, universities and the like. The EMPs are also very familiar with local regulations in their countries as well as market insights and trends in various tech sectors. In each of our newsletters we typically feature some of our EMPs and also go in depth into one of the countries we cover (you can see our past newsletters and articles here).
Through this vast network we are able to facilitate cross-border market entry and soft-landing within various countries. For example, if we have a startup in Kenya who aims to enter the market in Malaysia, we would get our EMP in Malaysia involved to assess and advise on the best transition strategy, legal setup, market positioning, and access to local resources such buyers and funding entities. This can help a startup in significantly reducing uncertainties, difficulties and frustrations associated with global expansion – especially on a tight startup budget.
Our latest market entry initiative is focused on the GCC countries including Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain. In these markets we have strong relationships with several government authorities including regulators and ecosystem enablers, who in turn offer us access to various accelerator programs, co-working spaces, VCs, angel networks, lending banks and the like. These nations have recently relaxed their business setup requirements and opened up entrepreneur visa programs with reduced costs, making them great choices for startups wishing to operate in these affluent markets.
During 2019, we plan to organize a series of events focused on specific tech sectors (such as Fintech or Medtech etc.) where we would invite selected startups to visit these Gulf countries and pitch directly to top ecosystem and industry shapers related to each field. The events would include investors, regulators, potential hosts and corporate buyers, aiming to negotiate and close deals on the spot. Media coverage would also be arranged to generate exposure for the startups and interactions.
Interested startups and supporters should visit our Gateway page for more info, and please follow our updates on social media for announcements about upcoming event dates and details.