On April 11, NYU Abu Dhabi hosted a historic gathering of angel investors from the Middle East and North Africa Region. Angel Rising, organized by NYUAD's IDEA Lab and VentureSouq, featured an impressive roster of veteran investors who bridged the canon of knowledge from Silicon Valley with that generated by various successful startups throughout the Arab world.

The event was a trailblazing step in the exciting rise of entrepreneurship in the UAE.

Top Highlights:

NYC Seed Managing Director Owen Davies led an informative, audience-centric discussion about the differences between US and UAE startup investment climates.

Lumia Capital's Christopher Rogers and ExitRound CEO Jacob Mullins used anecdotes from their experiences in Silicon Valley to demystify valuations.

Two startup businesses, Project io and Framed Data, delivered exciting pitches to an audience of potential investors. Project io is a 3D visualization and management company entering the luxury shoes market via its smart flagship product, Zori. Framed Data is an innovative business analytics company that develops revolutionary predictive machine learning products to reduce customer churn.

Angel Rising was a successful gathering that engineered a unique and valuable venue for knowledge sharing. The event was a trailblazing step in the exciting rise of entrepreneurship in the UAE and the MENA region. By uniting and equipping local angel investors, events like these will continue to catalyze the emerging power of innovative startups in transforming the region’s economy into a leading global success story.

Want to know more? Read The National's coverage of Angel Rising.