
The Final Pitch Dubai unveils powerhouse investor-judges
Dubai, UAE: Four of Dubai's industry leaders have been named as investor-judges on the upcoming business reality TV show The Final Pitch Dubai.
Bringing decades of entrepreneurial and investment expertise to the table, the panel of investor-judges represents some of the region's most accomplished trailblazers across sectors, including digital transformation, real estate, fintech, clean tech, sustainability, and early to growth stage venture capital.
The lineup features Cypher Capital Founding Partner and Phoenix Group PLC Co-Founder Bijan Alizadeh; 'The Wolf of Real Estate' CEO and Managing Partner of Harbor Real Estate Dr. Mohanad Alwadiya; 'Entrepreneur turned investor turned entrepreneur' Founding Partner of Incubayt Investments Ltd. Sami Khoreibi; visionary investor and strategic government advisor Founder & Managing Partner of Triliv Holdings Jigar Sagar.
The Final Pitch, Asia's longest-running business reality TV show, is making its Middle East debut in Dubai. The series introduces a proven format that empowers ambitious founders through targeted mentorship by domain experts, an all-access personal tour of the investor-judges' businesses, and funding and collaboration opportunities.
Tasked with evaluating high-potential pitches, the investor-judge panel will challenge founders to refine their ideas, while offering access to markets, strategic resources, and smart capital
Now open for Applications: UAE Startups Invited to Pitch
Applications are now open for UAE based and non-UAE based international entrepreneurs looking to pitch their business to the panel of investor-judges. Selected startup founders will gain a unique opportunity to showcase their ventures, receive hands-on mentorship and potentially secure investment.
The Final Pitch's format introduces high-caliber mentors that come in to give practical and strategic guidance to the entrepreneur contestants, while each investor-judge gets to engage directly with their shortlisted entrepreneurs by inviting them to their businesses, giving them special access to their world and inner circle. The founders receive invaluable feedback and insights from the investors themselves as they prepare to pitch in a high-stakes finale.
Applications can be submitted at the show's website, TheFinalPitch.world.
Deadline for submissions is on May 27, 2025.
The show, produced by award-winning production company Dragon's Nest, and supported in the UAE by its local production partner Ti22 Films - led by its CEO Reim El Houni who joins as Co-Executive Producer - will be filmed entirely in Dubai and is set to go into production in June 2025 across key locations in the city. It will exclusively air on OSN and OSN+ in Q4.
'Dubai is one of the most exciting places in the world to build and grow a business right now,' said John Aguilar, creator and host of The Final Pitch and Founder of Dragon's Nest, LLC FZ, the business and media investment firm bringing the show to the region. 'Our mission has always been to spotlight visionary founders and connect them with real opportunities for investment and mentorship. With this first UAE edition in Dubai, we aim to contribute meaningfully to the country's vision of fostering entrepreneurship, innovation and a knowledge-based economy – by helping build the next generation of business leaders.'
-Ends-
About The Final Pitch
The Final Pitch is a business reality TV show produced by leading Asian production house Dragon's Nest (now Dragon's Nest LLC FZ in Dubai), where aspiring entrepreneurs pitch their innovative ideas to top investors and industry experts.
Launched in 2017, the show has empowered the next generation of entrepreneurs by connecting emerging founders with strategic mentorship and funding opportunities – over 350 start-ups have participated, generating millions of US dollars in funding and strategic partnerships.
Following its success, The Final Pitch is expanding beyond borders with The Final Pitch: Dubai, its inaugural edition in the Middle East. The series furthers its mission to foster innovation and entrepreneurship in the region. Future UAE editions are being planned for Abu Dhabi and Sharjah, and for Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, and Bahrain.
Visit TheFinalPitch.world for more information on the show.
For more information or interview requests, please contact: thefinalpitch@sevenmedia.ae
To express interest to be an investor-judge, partner or sponsor, please contact: admin@dragonsnest.co or monica@thefinalpitch.world
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