Ajman Ventures Contents Phase 1 — Understanding the Opportunity Your Ask Our Observations Environment for Success Programs Design System The Opportunity Phase 2 — Designing Elev8 The Founder Journey Discovery Selection Venture Development Investment Readiness Beyond The Cohort The Programme Within The Ecosystem Connecting stakeholders Value circulates How the operating layer functions Measuring Impact Phase 3 — Long-term Impact The Wider Impact For Ajman The Future We Imagine Executive Summary We are pleased to be here today to take you through our vision for Elev8. Drawing on our experience working with founders, investors and ecosystem partners across the UAE, we developed a vision for how Elev8 can become more than a venture programme. Our approach is designed to address these challenges by building connections between founders, capital, institutions and market opportunities. The ultimate goal is to create a programme that ambitious founders actively seek out, investors want engage with and the Emirate is proud to champion. Our Approach Executive Summary Phase 1 Understanding the Opportunity Your ask Project goals Position Ajman as a destination for ambitious founders and ventures. Create pipeline of investment-ready companies. Enable entrepreneurship in Ajman Transfer transfer and build ecosystem capacity Measure impact Operating two Elev8 Build/Scale cohorts Your ask 03 Our Observations We’ve done our research Many international ventures are ready for the UAE, but lack a clear pathway into the market. Conversations with international founders repeatedly pointed toward the UAE as a growth market. Many already had successful businesses in their home markets. What they lacked was local access, relationships and market understanding. SOURCE : 1. MOU signing at the Constructions & Transportation Explore meeting 2025 Detail 1 Our Observations 2 International incubators are looking for local support networks, ecosystem connections and practical guidance to help their portfolio companies succeed after entry. While working with international founders, accelerators and innovation programmes, a consistent pattern emerged. Market access was only part of the challenge. Even international incubators were looking local support networks, ecosystem connections and practical guidance to help their companies succeed after entry. Detail SOURCE : 1. Entering the UAE workshop hosting SEGA, a Singapore based Accelerator programme Our Observations Capital is actively searching for quality opportunities. But investors are struggling to find investment-ready companies. Interest in UAE growth sectors remains strong across venture funds, family o ffi ces and institutional investors. The challenge is rarely access to capital. It is fi nding ventures with the maturity, visibility and readiness required to deploy it. Detail SOURCE : 1. DCT BrandLab 20191212 – Page 23, 25, 31, 37, 42, 49 3 Our Observations Regular conversations with investors, venture funds and ecosystem stakeholders revealed a consistent theme. Capital is available for the right opportunities. The challenge is identifying ventures with the maturity, visibility and readiness required to attract it. The strongest founders seek out the programmes that are known to be the best. The world’s most successful venture programmes create value beyond funding and support. Their reputation becomes a signal of quality for founders, investors and ecosystem partners alike. Detail SOURCE : 1. DCT BrandLab 20191212 – Page 23, 25, 31, 37, 42, 49 Our Observations “The value of Y Combinator is not just funding. It’s the signal it sends when founder get in.” “ “Strong programme reputation attracts great founders. Great founders create successful outcomes. Successful outcomes create strong reputations.” “ 4 Paul Graham Founder Of Y Combinator 04 Environment for Success Success is determined by more than curriculum alone. While workshops, mentoring and investor events provide structure. The programme must also create an environment ambitious people want to belong to. We Understand The wider Ambition To Achieve This Which Means Ajman is not seeking just a programme It is seeking an ecosystem capable of attracting exceptional founders, building meaningful partnerships and strengthening the wider entrepreneurial ecosystem. The programme must become more than a sequence of workshops, milestones and investor events. It must create identity, momentum and community. The environment must be deliberately designed. Participation should feel valuable. Relationships should be engaged. Environment for Success The environment that drives programme success These drivers reinforce one another. Together they create an environment where ambitious founders can succeed. 1 Community Founders build alongside founders. 2 Momentum remains high / founders feel special. 3 4 Recognition Success is amplified and celebrated. Exposure To Meaningful to investors, experts and partners. Environment for Success 5 Belonging Participation feels valuable and selective 6 Continuity Relationships continue beyond the cohort. 7 8 Ambition High standards are expected and encouraged. Excellence Founders feel part of something meaningful. The environment that drives programme success These drivers reinforce one another. Together they create an environment where ambitious founders can succeed. Environment for Success Programme Design System The world’s best venture builders di ff er signi fi cantly in industry focus, geography, stage and structure. Yet despite these di ff erences, the same recurring principles consistently appear. They are: Attract → Select → Support → Report Programme Design System