World Business Angels Investment Forum
2020 World Congress, Swissotel The Bosphorus Istanbul
FDI Summit, 18 February 2020, Tuesday, Fuji Hall, 15.00 – 15.30
 

Panel 1
Leveraging the competitive advantages of investment promotion agencies and economic development boards in global startup value chain

The objectives of investment promotion agencies (IPAs) and economic development boards (EDBs) are changing rapidly. The number of mandates covered by IPSs and EDBs is growing and new trends are emerging in the startup and innovation economy around the world, but foreign direct investment (FDI) has been slowing down. To remain competitive, IPAs and EDBs will need to adapt to an ever-changing environment. They will need to optimise their performance by positioning themselves in the fast-growing startup value chain.

This panel will identify opportunities for IPAs and EDBs in early and post-early stage equity and capital markets to leverage a country’s FDI capacity. They will also explore innovative ways to develop collaboration between IPAs, EDBs and entities such as private equity funds, wealth management institutions, angel investor groups, corporate ventures and VCs, thus expanding co-investment opportunities. In addition, they will discuss how current trends in the global startup and innovation chain can facilitate world class investments.

Moderator
Fadi Saab, Founder & Chairman of Trans Capital Invest, Lebanon

Arijana Koskarova, Founder of the Creative Hub & Forbes Under 30 Listmaker, North Macedonia
Miguel Martin, Founder and Co-investor, Immerxing Hub, Spain
Dražen  Mršić, Senior Advisor, Croatia Chamber of Commerce, Croatia

World Business Angels Investment Forum
2020 World Congress, Swissotel The Bosphorus Istanbul
FDI Summit, 18 February 2020, Tuesday, Fuji Hall, 15.30 – 16.00
 

Panel 2
Foreign direct investment in SMEs from startup to scaleup to exit to boost cross-border investments: How can startups and scaleups contribute to FDI growth?

One of the biggest contributors to alternative investment markets is perhaps the startup phenomenon, which has taken hold globally to become a game changer for the world economy. With more and more people turning into entrepreneurs, policymakers have realised the potential of startups in the growth of the economy, and they have come up with various schemes that encourage startups by making it easy for foreign investors to venture into their startup ecosystem. The role played in the past by small-scale industries has been taken over by startups! Economy administrators and policymakers have been making the process easier for the young entrepreneurs, startups and scaleups that have the potential to attract foreign direct investment.

The surge in FDI will also go a long way in encouraging the already-booming startup scene around the world. In fact, investors worldwide who have been keeping an eye on startups and scaleups see that startups are generating a diverse range of innovative ideas. Governments have been very supportive of the growth and have devised numerous strategies to support startups. FDI can nudge the efforts of the government in the right direction by funding startups at different funding stages. Many entrepreneurs with a great idea who lose out on funding might find assistance through FDI. And this will give an excellent opportunity to the FDI industry to leverage their investment size and capacity.

In line with such benefits – and in order to give a fillip to foreign investment in startups – India, for example, through its Consolidated FDI Policy 2017, has allowed foreign venture capital investors to contribute up to 100% of the capital of startups, irrespective of sector. The investment can be made in equities or equity-linked instruments or debt instruments issued by the startups; if a startup is organised as a partnership firm or an LLP, the investment can be made in the capital or through any profit-sharing arrangement. Special provisions specific to startups have been created for the very first time with the goal of attracting foreign direct investment.

This panel will discuss what sorts of national investment policies can be developed to attract more and higher quality investments in the startup investment ecosystem and what factors determine how successfully IPAs and EDBs are able to attract more investment. They will discuss how early-stage equity markets can contribute to main FDI players (investment promotion agencies and economic development boards) through angel investors and how early-stage capital markets can contribute through angel investment funds, private equity funds, corporate venture capital and wealth management institutions such as family offices.

Moderator
Helena  Matuša, Assistant Managing Director, Zagorje Development Agency, Croatia

Alisha  Ma, Chief Executive Officer, Incubate Canada
Nobuo   Sayama, Founder and Co-partner of Integral Private Equity Investment, Japan
Sakari Oikarinen, Co-founder and COB of Confidentum , Finland

World Business Angels Investment Forum
2020 World Congress, Swissotel The Bosphorus Istanbul
FDI Summit, 18 February 2020, Tuesday, Fuji Hall, 16.00 – 16.30

Panel 3
Invest in Africa: Unleashing the real potential of the continent’s entrepreneurs and tailoring innovative financial instruments for Africa

Since the year 2000, Africa’s GDP has grown by 5.1% per year on average, nearly three times the growth rate in the OECD area during the same period. In spite of recent country-specific challenges and headwinds from the global economy, growth is set to remain strong. Africa’s recent economic dynamism has been underpinned by sound macroeconomic policies and strong partnerships with major emerging markets. The continent has become more resilient to shocks and has benefited from a strong demand for commodities, increased investment flows, and closer links to global value chains.

As an affiliated partner of the G20 Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion (GPFI), the World Business Angels Investment Forum believes that Africa needs to transform its economic structures and unleash the potential of its startups and entrepreneurs through innovation and entrepreneurship so that its population can enjoy stronger, more inclusive growth.

Panel members to discuss how to unleash the real potential of the continent’s entrepreneurs, to tailor innovative financial instruments for Africa, and to lay out a roadmap for governments to convert their economies to ‘smart’ economies.

Moderator
Harry Tomi Davies, President, African Business Angels Network (ABAN), Nigeria

Cheick  Keita, President, Chamber of Initiatives for the Development of Investments of the Groupings in Africa (CIDIGA), Guinea
Kassoum Coulibaly, National Coordinator of the SME Development Support Program of the Republic of Mali
Swati Mandela, President - WBAF Global Woman Leaders Committee, South Africa


World Business Angels Investment Forum
2020 World Congress, Swissotel The Bosphorus Istanbul
FDI Summit, 18 February 2020, Tuesday, Fuji Hall, 16.30 – 17.00

Panel 4
Cross Border investing in the MED region - leveraging networks to make better decisions

The establishment of a Mediterranean Angel Investment Network is crucial to fill the gap in seed funding not only in each individual country, but across 21 countries of the Mediterranean Sea. Building a network of trust that promotes cross border investment through syndication is very much needed and will strongly connect Africa with Europe and the Middle East,” said Tarek El Kady, founder of Alex Angels and Med Angels.  Angel investing in the MED countries has its challenges, amongst which the difficulty in accessing quality deal flow, financing follow on rounds, finding exit channels and generally speaking the fact that many startups are addressing small national consumer markets.Therefore, angel investors in the MED region are naturally inclined to look at cross border investments and to syndicate deals with like minded angels if they want to improve their chances of making better returns.

Moderator
Marcel Dridje, Board Member, EBAN, France

Nazeh Ben Ammar, President, Carthage Business Angels Network, Tunisia
H.E. Noomane Fehri, Former ICT & Digital Economy Minister of the Republic of Tunisia
Tarek El Kady, Chairman, Mediterranean Business Angels Federation, Egypt