StartAD and VentureSouq to launch third edition of the Conscious Investor Fellowship to boost MENA ClimateTech Ecosystem
CIF 3.0 culminates with the Angel Rising Investment Symposium, convening global thought leaders to catalyse conversations on powering climate investment across the region
Abu Dhabi, UAE – startAD, the Abu Dhabi-based startup accelerator powered by Tamkeen and anchored at NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD), in collaboration with VentureSouq, one of the leading early-stage venture capital firms in MENA, has launched the third edition of the Conscious Investor Fellowship (CIF 3.0), with partnership from the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD).
The eight-week program from April to July 2025 will welcome 25 fellows representing C-suite executives and capital allocators from sovereign wealth funds, family offices, government entities, corporations, and philanthropies. Focused on ClimateTech investing, this invite-only program offers Fellows a tailored curriculum, immersive skill building, and networking led by top-tier global practitioners from the venture capital, technology, philanthropy, and finance industries.
As the main partner of CIF 3.0, EAD has played an instrumental role in ensuring that, for the first time, the fellowship is exclusively focused on climatetech investment. As EAD embarks on its 2026-2030 strategy, fostering climate finance is a key priority. This fellowship marks a significant step in that direction by empowering participants to develop investment strategies into early-stage climate technologies. By supporting the fellowship, EAD is not only contributing to capacity building but also reinforcing Abu Dhabi's position as a leader in climate-driven economic transformation.
Her Excellency Dr. Shaikha Salem Al Dhaheri, Secretary General of EAD added: "At the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, we recognise that impactful climate action requires collaboration and a strong environmental innovation and investment ecosystem. As a partner of CIF 3.0, we are equipping investors with the knowledge and networks needed to drive change within the ClimateTech space. This initiative supports the Abu Dhabi Climate Change Strategy 2023-2027, reinforcing Abu Dhabi's position as a leader in sustainability and ensuring that capital flows towards solutions that contribute to a resilient, low-carbon future for our region and beyond."
This strategic initiative comes at a pivotal moment for the MENA ClimateTech ecosystem. 'The region's ClimateTech ecosystem is growing rapidly, attracting regional and international startups eager to scale. However, early-stage investors with the right expertise remain scarce, creating a 'missing middle'—MENA accounts for just 0.2% of global ClimateTech funding. CIF 3.0 aims to bridge this gap by equipping investors with the tools and networks to unlock this opportunity,' said Director of startAD Ashwin Joshi.
Co-Founder and General Partner at VentureSouq Sonia Weymuller, continued: "As we witness an unprecedented surge in climate innovation across emerging markets, there's never been a more critical time to build a robust ecosystem of climate investors. Through CIF 3.0, our aim is not just to support investors; we are creating a connected community of capital allocators who understand the unique dynamics of ClimateTech in emerging markets. Our focus extends beyond traditional climate sectors into areas where our markets have the opportunity to lead globally - from food security and supply chain resilience to climate fintech and carbon solutions. By empowering the next generation of climate investors, we're helping bridge the funding gap while ensuring capital flows to innovations that can scale across similar climate-vulnerable regions."
The program will culminate in the 9th annual Angel Rising Investment Symposium, which has grown to be the region's most prominent startup investor program. It convenes global thought leaders and catalyses conversations on the future of the impact investment industry and how it can be powered across the region.
Established in 2020 by startAD and VentureSouq, the Conscious Investor Fellowship empowers the next generation of capital allocators to align investment with purpose. This invite-only program offers a tailored curriculum led by top global practitioners in technology and finance. With 57 regional alumni, 30 speakers, and a global reach of three million, CIF builds on the momentum of COP28, which emphasized climate finance, technology-driven solutions, and a just transition away from fossil fuels to achieve net zero by 2050.
About startAD
startAD is an Abu Dhabi-based accelerator, steering local and global startups to scale in the UAE and beyond. Powered by Tamkeen and anchored at NYU Abu Dhabi, startAD is a new model for innovation that creates customized and impact-driven programs in partnership with stakeholders including governments, corporations, investors, and innovation entities, furthering UAE's transition into a knowledge-based economy. startAD's unique sprint accelerator model enables corporations to further innovation by partnering with startups disrupting their core businesses, while equipping startups with the training and opportunity to pilot their solutions with industry leaders.
startAD offers unparalleled business advancement opportunities to local and global tech startups, SMEs, researchers, investors, and youth through an extensive range of programs, state-of-the-art facilities, and a strong global network. Driving innovation in construction, retail, finance, and other priority industries in the UAE, startAD alumni startups have raised USD 270 million in investment, generated USD 220 million in revenue, secured over 80 global pilot projects with corporations, and created over 2500 jobs worldwide.
About Tamkeen
Tamkeen LLC is a company that partners with leading local and international institutions to deliver projects that enrich the social, cultural and educational landscape of the UAE.
About NYU Abu Dhabi
NYU Abu Dhabi is the first comprehensive liberal arts and research campus in the Middle East to be operated abroad by a major American research university. Times Higher Education ranks NYU among the top 30 universities in the world, making NYU Abu Dhabi the highest-ranked university in the UAE and MENA region. NYU Abu Dhabi has integrated a highly selective undergraduate curriculum across the disciplines with a world center for advanced research and scholarship. The university enables its students in the sciences, engineering, social sciences, humanities, and arts to succeed in an increasingly interdependent world and advance cooperation and progress on humanity's shared challenges. NYU Abu Dhabi's high-achieving students have come from over 120 countries and speak over 100 languages. Together, NYU's campuses in New York, Abu Dhabi, and Shanghai form the backbone of a unique global university, giving faculty and students opportunities to experience varied learning environments and immersion in other cultures at one or more of the numerous study-abroad sites NYU maintains on six continents.
About Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD)
Established in 1996, the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) is committed to protecting and enhancing air quality, groundwater as well as the biodiversity of our desert and marine ecosystem. By partnering with other government entities, the private sector, NGOs and global environmental agencies, we embrace international best practice, innovation and hard work to institute effective policy measures. We seek to raise environmental awareness, facilitate sustainable development and ensure environmental issues remain one of the top priorities of our national agenda.
About VentureSouq
VentureSouq (VSQ) is a MENA-based venture capital platform managing over $235M across multiple funds. VSQ has established itself as a pioneering force in technology investments in MENA and beyond, with dedicated investment vehicles across Climate and FinTech. The firm is backed by leading sovereign wealth funds and institutional investors from the region. Through its thematic investment approach and flagship initiatives like the Conscious Investor Fellowship, VSQ has built a strong track record in identifying, investing in, and scaling breakthrough technologies that address critical challenges in emerging markets.
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