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GITEX 2024: Your Guide to the UAE Startup Scene! Since the GITEX is in full swing, we’re keeping a close eye on the exciting trends and developments that will shape the tech landscape. This year’s event (October, 14-18, Dubai, UAE) focuses on three priority areas: AI business transformation, innovative cybersecurity strategies, and data center management & infrastructure — all set to drive global collaboration and innovation. To help you navigate these discussions and maximize your networking potential, we’re offering our UAE Startup & VC Guide. This comprehensive resource includes: ▪️ A full market overview ▪️ A detailed table of 300+ VCs, highlighting their investment focus and contact details ▪️ Key players in the Emirati venture ecosystem You can download your free copy through the link below. If you need custom contact lists or insights tailored to your business needs, feel free to contact us! ⚡ UAE VC Guide: https://lnkd.in/eiPE-uFf

🚀 Meet the latest addition to our free VC Navigator series – Qatar! As we continue exploring MENA’s venture markets, we can’t overlook Qatar’s rapidly growing venture ecosystem. Despite its strong economy and boasting the world’s highest GDP per capita, powered by natural gas and oil, Qatar is evolving into a global business hub with advanced digital infrastructure and state-of-the-art transport networks. 🌍 Save the date: On February 25-26, 2025, thousands of entrepreneurs will converge in Doha for Web Summit. If you’re attending, our Qatar VC Navigator is a must-have tool. 🔗 What’s inside? – Key sectors driving growth and performance indicators – Venture funding insights, major transactions, and exit valuations – Step-by-step guide to incorporating a business in Qatar – Plus, an exclusive downloadable table of 60+ VCs, their investment focus, and C-level contacts Ready to dive in? Visit our landing page and download the comprehensive (and free!) guide: https://lnkd.in/gcA_VyDz 💬 What’s next? Which market would you like to see featured in our VC Navigator series next? Brazil, India, Vietnam? Drop a comment below and let us know!

📉 China’s Era of Risk and Venture Capital Fades: What Changed? In 2018, China was the second-largest VC destination in the world, trailing only the US. There has been a significant decline in the number of startups founded, dropping dramatically from 51,300 new companies in 2018 to just 1,200 in 2024, according to data from IT Juzi. So, what has changed? While broader factors such as the global economic slowdown, the "venture winter," and China’s property bubbles and stagnating equity markets have played a role, specific political measures have also shifted China’s startup landscape. These policies have moved the market from being risky and innovative to more cautious and calculated, dampening its previous dynamism. Check the carousel for more information:

This summer has been truly productive for Blank in venture market research. We are excited to announce another collaboration with European venture funds— this time to create a report on the Balkan FinTech market. The full report will be published this Fall 🙌 In the global FinTech scene, the Balkan market might look small, but it's buzzing with digital transformation. Since 2018, the region has attracted a whopping €1.7 billion in venture investments. Just in the first half of 2022, it pulled in a record €995 million, with standout deals like Viva Wallet's €762 million investment from JP Morgan Chase and Payhawk's €205 million. Our report dives deep into this promising region, packed with over 70 slides of valuable insights. Here are some highlights: ▪️ Startup Focus: 19% of Balkan startups are all about Payment Processing & Networks, followed by trading infrastructure and the defi & web3.0 buzz 📊 ▪️ Venture Deals: In the past six years, there have been over 200 deals in the Balkan FinTech market. Romania leads with 51 deals, followed by Hungary with 45, and Bulgaria with 40 📈 ▪️ Startup Density: On average, 13 FinTech startups are launched per million people in the region. Montenegro is a hotspot, thanks to its easy business registration process and tax benefits 💰 For more industry-specific insights, check out the sneak peek of our 16 interviews with industry experts, including top banks and large vendors operating across multiple Balkan countries, on our website. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gmC-8MNw

🦄 New Startups in Europe: Signs of Recovery A recent article in The Economist highlighted a startup boom in the US, where new business formation is surging. The average number of business applications per month is now 80% higher than it was in the decade before Covid. This raises an important question: what does startup creation look like in Europe? Globally, the rate at which founders are launching new companies has also slowed by 30% since record numbers in 2020, Dealroom’s data says. Focusing solely on venture-backed startups based in Europe, the decline appears even stronger. From 2010, the number of new startups grew every year, reaching 24.5k in 2018; that number then dipped drastically, reaching a low of 8.7k in 2022. The data reflects not just tech sector struggles but also Europe's heavy reliance on public funding and traditional loans, as VC interest declines. Despite these challenges, startup creation rebounded slightly in 2023, with 9,190 new VC-backed companies. It might be an encouraging sign, suggesting that Europe's growing tech ecosystems may soon reflect stronger numbers.

While the world catches its breath from the Euroleague and eagerly anticipates the 2024 Olympics in Paris, we're thrilled to present our latest study on the venture capital investment landscape in European sports! 📊🇪🇺 Recently, a fund specializing in sports tech investments approached Blank with a goal: to develop the largest catalog of sports tech startup deals in Europe. And guess what? We delivered! The full report will be published this Fall 🙌 Here are some key highlights: ▪️ 150+ insightful slides 📈 ▪️ Collected metrics on professional and amateur athletes, leagues, clubs, revenue from ticket sales, broadcasting rights, sponsorships, and more 💰 ▪️ Analyzed over 3,500 startups 📉 ▪️ Segmented startups into 7 fields: Fan Engagement, Athlete Performance, Sponsorship, Organization Management, Content, Wellness, and Esports 🎮 ▪️ Identified key venture transactions within each field and documented market benchmarks, including time to raise a round and average check size for seed, early-stage, and late-stage investments 🧠 Read the full case on our website: https://lnkd.in/gQ-xzgr8 Let's create something extraordinary together! 💡 Don’t hesitate to collaborate with us!

🚀 Protecting Startups in the USA: A Call from Andreessen Horowitz Is there a threat to startups? According to Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), the answer is yes. If you're not familiar, a16z is one of the most active venture capital firms in the world. They've just published an essay titled "The Little Tech Agenda" on their website's homepage, highlighting the challenges faced by startups. They argue that changes are needed to maintain America's greatness in the 21st century. ▪️ Here are their main concerns: 1. Dominance of Big Corporations: Companies that were once startups themselves, like Apple, Google, and Meta, now dominate the market. A16z believes these giants influence the political system and create regulations that strengthen their positions, making it hard for new startups to compete. 2. Hostile Government Policies: The US government seems more hostile to new startups than before. A16z argues that regulatory bodies use "brute force" to hinder emerging sectors like blockchain and AI. This includes pressuring banks to cut off startups and their founders from financial systems, blocking acquisitions by larger companies, and favoring established corporations in critical sectors like defense. 3. Moreover, proposed taxes on unrealized capital gains could negatively impact both startups and investors. A16z warns that this biased approach towards startups poses a "clear and present danger to the health and viability of American technological success," affecting the economy, military, and citizens. ▪️What’s the solution? They suggest rolling back these harmful policies and reforming sectors like healthcare, education, and construction to reduce corporate dominance. Additionally, they advocate for greater use of automation and AI in industry, adoption of nuclear energy, and expanding immigration for highly skilled workers. What do you think? Are startups at risk in their battle against big corporations?

🚀 Case study. Kids Tech market research for a global venture fund At Blank, we recently partnered with a venture fund to conduct an in-depth analysis of the Kids Tech sector, aiming to pivot one of their SaaS portfolio startups in this segment. The Kids Tech market has unique challenges like stringent safety regulations and finding viable revenue models. However, there are immense opportunities, as parents are willing to spend generously on their children, and there is no more loyal community than parents eager to recommend. Our Approach ▪️ Audience Research: We studied content consumption patterns across three age groups: 5-7, 8-11, and 12-16 years. ▪️ Competitor Analysis: Analyzed 45 companies in segments such as social networks, video streaming, e-books, marketplaces, educational games, and daycare management software. ▪️ Comprehensive Methodology: Our research included: expert insights, venture databases (Pitchbook, Crunchbase, Tracxn, Dealroom), market reports (Ofcom, Pixalate), and additional info like media articles, government and consulting data. Key Insights ▪️ By age: 97% of children own mobile phones by the age of 12, spending 5 hours daily on them, primarily on streaming and short video platforms. ▪️ By companies registration activity: Despite a drop in new companies since 2020, the industry remains dynamic, driven by tech-savvy millennial parents. ▪️ By monetization models: Subscription models work best for younger children, while freemium models excel for school-aged kids. Ready to innovate with us? Share your challenges below and let's explore solutions together! Still hesitating? Read our full case on the website: https://lnkd.in/g_qhsD2i

👩💻 Balanced Media Mix: Your Key to Promo Success in Recession Recovery In 2023, we all felt the recession's impact. But when the going gets tough, savvy entrepreneurs double down on marketing to hold their ground. Nielsen’s latest insights reveal the secrets to a winning strategy, and we’re excited to sum them up for you. ▪️ In these challenging times, marketers are laser-focused on revenue returns rather than other KPIs. Automated ad buying, especially programmatic ads, is gaining traction. But don’t forget the power of a balanced media mix! Achieving the right balance means a cross-media approach, continuous refinement, and measuring performance across the entire marketing funnel. 📊 (See pic. 2) ▪️ Many global marketers are planning to reinvest over half their budgets into digital channels, with social media, search, online video, and digital display leading the charge. Real-time bidding demands real-time analysis — make sure to track your campaigns closely to avoid wasting your budget. ▪️ Retail media networks are also on the rise as a powerful channel. By 2024, nearly 70% of global marketers say retail media is more important in their planning than it was last year. 🛒 (See pic. 3) Why? Social networks and search engines know what interests your customers, but marketplaces and retail platforms know what's in their shopping carts and their average spending. When we're on social media, we're connecting with our community. But when we're on retail platforms, we're ready to buy. This is why retail media is a must-add to your marketing mix. Stay ahead of the curve — subscribe to our page for more valuable insights every week! 📬✨

🤖 AI in asset management. Is it worth it? 2023 was a standout year for the global asset management industry, boasting a 12% increase in assets under management from the previous year. However, this emotional rollercoaster with ups and downs in numbers also highlights the market's volatility. So, how can asset managers secure a stable future for themselves and their clients? “Enter GenAI tools”, say BSG experts, and offer at least 4 cases on how AI is already transforming the asset management industry: ▪️ AI is a powerhouse for productivity, automating everything from drafting pitch plans to analyzing market trends through news analysis. ▪️ In portfolio management, AI-driven agents understand the nuances and goals, designing customized trading strategies for each portfolio, which allows managers to efficiently manage more accounts. ▪️ AI also revolutionizes customer interactions by equipping sales agents with comprehensive insights into potential clients’ preferences and needs, making every meeting more personalized. ▪️ In the realm of private market operations, AI drastically reduces the time spent on routine tasks like due diligence, e.g. AI can shorten the preparation time for investment committee memos by about 30%. A 2024 global survey by BCG found that nearly all asset managers are exploring at least one GenAI application. Check out the full research here for more insights – https://lnkd.in/dC9Wp8DM.