The innovation advisory firm announces partnership with DIFC and R/GA Ventures to support ‘DIFC Launchpad‘ and Dubai’s emergence as a global hub for venture building.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 1, 2023 / Silicon Foundry, a membership-based innovation advisory firm, announced the expansion of its business operations with the opening of a satellite office in Dubai, UAE. The new location will serve as the company’s regional headquarters for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), providing unparalleled support to its growing membership and partner base in the region.
Facilitating the expansion is a new strategic partnership with Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), the leading global financial centre in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia (MEASA) region, and R/GA Ventures, part of the Interpublic Group of Companies. The partnership aligns with the launch of DIFC Launchpad set to attract the best minds and companies from around the world to Dubai, providing them with the necessary support to develop, test, and launch new ventures on an unprecedented scale.
“We are delighted to announce our partnership with Silicon Foundry and R/GA Ventures. By joining forces with the two firms, we will further extend our reach and collaboration with ecosystems around the world as we position the DIFC Launchpad as a valuable strategic partner for leading entrepreneurs and venture studios with ambitions to launch and grow new ventures in the region,” said Mohammad Alblooshi, CEO of DIFC Innovation Hub.
As a strategic partner of DIFC’s Launchpad initiative, Silicon Foundry will leverage its deep relationships across the innovation ecosystem and decades of startup, corporate, investment, and advisory experience to drive innovation and entrepreneurship. Additionally, as part of this new partnership, Silicon Foundry will help DIFC Launchpad member organizations navigate new technologies and market shifts, discover and engage with key emerging leaders, and unlock high-impact opportunities.
“At Silicon Foundry, we are fortunate to work with some of the world’s leading corporations to help them navigate the global landscape of emerging technologies, new platforms, and business model shifts,” says Steve Gotz, a Partner at Silicon Foundry based in the UAE. “We’re excited to be partnering with DIFC and R/GA to expand our local presence in Dubai and use our collective networks to support the development of startups, JVs, and partnerships around the globe.”
Silicon Foundry and R/GA have been serving clients in the Middle East for more than five years on a range of innovation and corporate venturing activities including investments, acquisitions and strategic partnerships. Now, both firms will be working out of a new purpose-built 15,000 square foot facility designed to bring together entrepreneurs, researchers, corporate partners, studios, and investors under one roof, creating the conditions for collaboration and innovation. The partnership with Silicon Foundry and R/GA provides DIFC Launchpad members with unparalleled access to a global network that spans Europe, Asia, Latin America, North America, Africa, and the Middle East.
“We are living in a world where technologies are rapidly accelerating, now more than ever there is a need for organizations to come together to collectively solve some of the greatest challenges facing humanity,” says Stephen Plumlee, Founder and Managing Partner of R/GA Ventures. “This partnership is a testament to DIFC’s commitment to collaboration and innovation, it also confirms the emergence of the Middle East and particularly Dubai as an increasingly attractive ecosystem among entrepreneurs and venture studios.”
