Latest news with #GautamJain
Entrepreneur
03-07-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
Fueling the Next Wave: SC Ventures Backs UAE's Tech Ecosystem
You're reading Entrepreneur Middle East, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. As the UAE strengthens its status as a global financial innovation hub, SC Ventures, the forward-looking innovation and venture capital arm of Standard Chartered Bank, has made a strategic move: launching an office in its capital, at Abu Dhabi Global Market's Hub71. "One year ago we set up our office in Dubai and Abu Dhabi and we are committed to contributing to and investing in the vibrant regional tech ecosystem – all while supporting UAE's National Vision," says veteran fintech strategist Gautam Jain. Jain serves as the SC Ventures lead for the ADGM licensed office in Abu Dhabi located in Hub71. He also leads SC Ventures and SBI Holdings' Digital Asset Joint Venture investment company established in the UAE that is aimed at tapping into the UAE's momentum on digital assets. In particular, the joint venture will focus on developing market infrastructure, risk and compliance, DeFi, and tokenization use cases. "Notably, the US$100 million Global Digital Asset Holdings JV with SBI has made strategic investments in Twinstake, HiddenRoad, and WalletConnect reinforcing SC Ventures' commitment to regulated digital asset innovation in the GCC," Jain says. As a global venture builder backed by Standard Chartered Bank, SC Ventures has already incubated 30 ventures, made more than 20 minority investments, attracted 20 co-investors in its ventures, served 662,000 individual and SME customers, and more than 200 institutional and multinational corporation clients. "SC Ventures is rewiring the DNA in banking and financial services to redefine banking's relationship with society," Jain explains. "We build and scale breakthrough ventures in and beyond banking." In the UAE, Jain explains, SC Ventures will make minority investments or build ventures under our three high-conviction themes: digital assets, digital banking and lifestyle, and trade and supply chains. The potential, Jain adds, is huge as he expects that the digital assets market cap will continue its growth trajectory, with tokenized assets alone growing to US$16 trillion by 2030. "When it comes to the digital banking and lifestyle vertical, we see that the demand for banking and wealth solutions is increasing with global financial wealth up 7% and US$18 trillion wealth transfer due by 2030," Jain says. "Lastly, for the trade and supply chains vertical, we see a potential GDP growth of at least US$2.5 trillion if trade financing frictions are addressed, particularly impacting SMEs who represent >50% of OECD GDP but remain underserved." In achieving its goals, SC Ventures relies on a unique combination of its institution-grade processes and new technologies to build, commercialize and scale ventures that can succeed in regulated environments. "We typically build ventures when no existing solutions are available to meet client needs," Jain explains. "Plus, we invest in existing solutions that can enhance the way financial services are delivered. Entrepreneurs can see problem statements on our Fintech Bridge, our platform that serves as a directory for fintech companies and clients and matches connecting relevant solutions to challenges. Fintech Bridge also serves as a real-time dashboard, allowing fintech companies to identify challenges shared in real time, enabling them to review their strategy or even update their solutions." Its operating model is backed by a proven venture-building model and fund investment experience refined since 2018, unique sourcing of original ideas through client co-creation, innovation platforms and intrapreneurship, and a strong network of business builders, operators, investors, and advisors across tech, regulation, and banking. "At SC Ventures we don't just invest, we co-design products and run lean incubators," Jain says. "Rather than passively holding equity, SC Ventures acts as the nexus between Standard Chartered Bank network, other financial institutions, regulators and tech innovators. For example, we have recently facilitated and signed partnerships with Visa, Lulu Financial & 7X for one of our SME led ventures. In summary, we bundle capital, compliance expertise, and distribution, really supporting ventures accelerating time-to-market and growth. We also ensure that our ventures like appro, a digitized client onboarding platform (one of UAE's top 100 startups) and myZoi, our award-winning financial inclusion and financial literacy platform, are scaling rapidly and sustainably." Its impact is evident through its partnerships in the region- during the 2025 Dubai Fintech Summit in Dubai, SC Ventures announced a partnership with the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) to launch the National Venture Building Program. "As part of this collaboration, SC Ventures will be providing its Venture Building as a Service model to equip DIFC Innovation Hub with the tools, expertise, and frameworks required to operate and scale the initiative nationally," Jain says. "We've also signed a memorandum of understanding with Emirates NBD to collectively power innovation in MENA, including potential co-creation and co-investment opportunities."
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Business Standard
30-06-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Jumbotail raises $120 million in funding round led by SC Ventures
B2B e-commerce firm Jumbotail has raised $120 million (about Rs 1,027 crore) in a funding round led by the investment arm of Standard Chartered, SC Ventures, the company said on Monday. With this fresh funding, the company has raised $263 million so far. "Jumbotail, India'sB2B marketplace and New Retail platform for food and grocery, has raised USD 120 million in a funding round led by SC Ventures, the innovation and investment arm of Standard Chartered Plc," the company said in a statement. The company will invest the capital to build AI-native solutions and capabilities to cement its leadership, the statement said. Jumbotail also announced the completion of its acquisition of Solv India, which is a B2B commerce and financial services platform incubated by SC Ventures. The deal was approved by the Competition Commission of India (CCI). "Together with Solv, we now help thousands of brands and MSME sellers reach over 5,00,000 small retailers across more than 400 cities and towns in India," Ashish Jhina, Co-founder and COO of Jumbotail, said. Jumbotail and Solv together are serving kiranas, MSMEs, and brands across food and grocery, apparel and fashion, home furnishing, toys and sports, footwear, and consumer electronics. "This integration represents a leap forward in our shared mission to empower MSMEs through technology and financial inclusion, which is a core theme for SC Ventures. Jumbotail and Solv now form a platform committed to responsible innovation with real impact for India's entrepreneurs," Gautam Jain, member of SC Ventures, said. Both companies will open new opportunities for brands to quickly and efficiently scale nationally by leveraging their e-commerce platforms, credit, and go-to-market/ marketing solutions. "With strong fundamentals, a clear path to profitability and a motivated mission-driven team, Jumbotail and Solv are together well positioned to lead India's B2B commerce transformation across categories of mass market consumption," Jumbotail Co-founder and CEO, S Karthik Venkateswaran, said.
Zawya
21-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
SC Ventures partners with DIFC Innovation Hub to launch National Venture Studio
Dubai – SC Ventures, Standard Chartered's innovation, FinTech investment and ventures arm, has signed a strategic partnership with DIFC Innovation Hub to launch the National Venture Studio, a new initiative aimed at accelerating innovation and supporting venture creation across the region. As part of the collaboration, SC Ventures is providing its Venture Building as a Service (VBaaS) model to equip DIFC Innovation Hub with the tools, expertise, and frameworks required to operate and scale the National Venture Studio. This strategic service offering brings SC Ventures' global venture-building experience to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) leading innovation ecosystem. VBaaS supports the entire venture creation lifecycle, from identifying market gaps and validating ideas to prototyping, founder recruitment, and scaling. Through this collaboration, SC Ventures and DIFC Innovation Hub aim to enable government entities, corporates, and entrepreneurs to build bold, tech-enabled solutions addressing regional and global challenges. 'DIFC has a 20-year legacy of supporting innovation in the UAE, and this partnership reflects our commitment to shaping the future of entrepreneurship in the region,' said Gautam Jain, Operating Member, SC Ventures. 'Through our VBaaS model, we're proud to empower DIFC Innovation Hub in launching the National Venture Studio, bringing our proven frameworks and capabilities to local innovators.' The National Venture Studio will target a broad set of stakeholders, including individuals, corporates, and public sector entities, with the flexibility to source clients either through DIFC Innovation Hub referrals or joint outreach. The partnership also enables opportunities for co-hosted events, research, and capability-building programs to advance the region's innovation agenda. "This partnership reinforces DIFC Innovation Hub's commitment to fostering entrepreneurship and innovation in the UAE. By launching the National Venture Studio with SC Ventures' proven VBaaS model, we are equipping local innovators with the tools and expertise needed to create impactful, tech-enabled solutions." said Mohammad Alblooshi Chief Executive Officer of DIFC Innovation Hub. As the UAE continues to position itself as a global centre for innovation and digital transformation, the launch of the National Venture Studio represents a significant step in nurturing homegrown ventures, supporting economic diversification, and attracting world-class talent to the region. SC Ventures SC Ventures is a business unit that provides a platform and catalyst for Standard Chartered to promote innovation, invest in disruptive financial technology and explore alternative business models. For more information, please visit and follow SC Ventures on LinkedIn. Standard Chartered We are a leading international banking group, with a presence in 53 of the world's most dynamic markets. Our purpose is to drive commerce and prosperity through our unique diversity, and our heritage and values are expressed in our brand promise, here for good. Standard Chartered PLC is listed on the London and Hong Kong stock exchanges. For more stories and expert opinions please visit Insights at Follow Standard Chartered on X, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook. About DIFC: Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) is one of the world's most advanced financial centres, and the leading financial hub for the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia (MEASA), which comprises 77 countries with an approximate population of 3.7bn and an estimated GDP of USD 10.5trn. With a 20-year track record of facilitating trade and investment flows across the MEASA region, the Centre connects these fast-growing markets with the economies of Asia, Europe, and the Americas through Dubai. DIFC is home to an internationally recognised, independent regulator and a proven judicial system with an English common law framework, as well as the region's largest financial ecosystem of 46,000 professionals working across over 6,900 active registered companies – making up the largest and most diverse pool of industry talent in the region. The Centre's vision is to drive the future of finance through cutting-edge technology, innovation, and partnerships. Today, it is the global future of finance and innovation hub offering one of the region's most comprehensive FinTech and venture capital environments, including cost-effective licensing solutions, fit-for-purpose regulation, innovative accelerator programmes, and funding for growth-stage start-ups. Comprising a variety of world-renowned retail and dining venues, a dynamic art and culture scene, residential apartments, hotels, and public spaces, DIFC continues to be one of Dubai's most sought-after business and lifestyle destinations. DIFC is a leading financial hub in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia, facilitating trade and investment across these regions. With a 20-year track record, it connects markets in Asia, Europe, and the Americas through Dubai. It hosts over 46,000 professionals and 6,900 companies, and is known for its independent regulator and English common law framework. The Centre focuses on driving finance innovation through technology, partnerships, and comprehensive FinTech environments, offering cost-effective licensing, regulation, accelerator programmes, and funding for start-ups. Additionally, DIFC is a vibrant business and lifestyle destination with retail, dining, art, culture, and residential offerings.
Mid East Info
13-05-2025
- Business
- Mid East Info
SC Ventures and Emirates NBD announce MoU to explore strategic innovation in MENA - Middle East Business News and Information
The strategic partnership seeks to create innovation initiatives within the region in financial services Memorandum of Understanding was signed at Dubai FinTech Summit by SC Ventures and Emirates NBD Dubai, United Arab Emirates, May 2025: SC Ventures, the innovation, FinTech investment, and venture-building arm of Standard Chartered, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Emirates NBD, a leading banking group in the Middle East, North Africa and Türkiye (MENAT) region, to explore strategic opportunities for collaboration. The collaboration outlines the intent of both parties to jointly explore innovation-led initiatives, support ventures in the Middle East and North Africa region, explore investment opportunities, tapping into their respective portfolios, capabilities and market insights. The partnership will focus on identifying synergies across digital innovation, strategic partnerships and venture co-creation in financial services. 'SC Ventures was founded on the vision of rewiring the DNA of banking and building an ecosystem to support this goal. The MoU with Emirates NBD brings together two forward-looking institutions with a shared ambition to accelerate innovation and unlock new value in the MENA region,' said Gautam Jain, Operating Member, SC Ventures. Neeraj Makin, Group Head of Strategy, Analytics, and Venture Capital at Emirates NBD, said: 'Innovation is a cornerstone of everything we do at Emirates NBD. This partnership with SC Ventures directly meets our goal of driving innovation in banking and strengthening our commitment to transform the landscape by creating new opportunities for growth in financial services in the region. This will lead to smarter, intuitive and secure banking experiences for our customers.' The initiative announced at Dubai FinTech Summit also reflects the UAE's growing role as a global hub for financial innovation and its commitment to fostering collaboration within the sector to shape the future of banking and financial services in the region. By bringing together two institutions with a strong track record of innovation and market leadership, the MoU aims to catalyse meaningful progress in digital transformation and regional FinTech development. About SC Ventures: SC Ventures is a business unit that provides a platform and catalyst for Standard Chartered to promote innovation, invest in disruptive financial technology and explore alternative business models. About Emirates NBD: Emirates NBD (DFM: Emirates NBD) is a leading banking group in the MENAT (Middle East, North Africa and Türkiye) region with a presence in 13 countries, serving over 9 million active customers. As of 31st March 2025, total assets were AED 1 trillion, (equivalent to approx. USD 272 billion). The Group has operations in the UAE, Egypt, India, Türkiye, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Singapore, the United Kingdom, Austria, Germany, Russia and Bahrain and representative offices in China and Indonesia with a total of 839 branches and 4,539 ATMs / SDMs. Emirates NBD is the leading financial services brand in the UAE with a Brand value of USD 4.54 billion. Emirates NBD Group serves its customers (individuals, businesses, governments, and institutions) and helps them realise their financial objectives through a range of banking products and services including retail banking, corporate and institutional banking, Islamic banking, investment banking, private banking, asset management, global markets and treasury, and brokerage operations. The Group is a key participant in the global digital banking industry with 97% of all financial transactions and requests conducted outside of its branches. The Group also operates Liv, the lifestyle digital bank by Emirates NBD, with close to half a million users, it continues to be the fastest-growing bank in the region. Emirates NBD contributes to the construction of a sustainable future as an active participant and supporter of the UAE's main development and sustainability initiatives, including financial wellness and the inclusion of people of determination. Emirates NBD is committed to supporting the UAE's Year of Sustainability as Principal Banking Partner of COP28 and an early supporter to the Dubai Can sustainability initiative, a city-wide initiative aimed to reduce use of single-use plastic bottled water.
Zawya
13-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
SC Ventures and Emirates NBD announce MoU to explore strategic innovation in MENA
Memorandum of Understanding was signed at Dubai FinTech Summit by SC Ventures and Emirates NBD Dubai, United Arab Emirates: SC Ventures, the innovation, FinTech investment, and venture-building arm of Standard Chartered, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Emirates NBD, a leading banking group in the Middle East, North Africa and Türkiye (MENAT) region, to explore strategic opportunities for collaboration. The collaboration outlines the intent of both parties to jointly explore innovation-led initiatives, support ventures in the Middle East and North Africa region, explore investment opportunities, tapping into their respective portfolios, capabilities and market insights. The partnership will focus on identifying synergies across digital innovation, strategic partnerships and venture co-creation in financial services. 'SC Ventures was founded on the vision of rewiring the DNA of banking and building an ecosystem to support this goal. The MoU with Emirates NBD brings together two forward-looking institutions with a shared ambition to accelerate innovation and unlock new value in the MENA region,' said Gautam Jain, Operating Member, SC Ventures. Neeraj Makin, Group Head of Strategy, Analytics, and Venture Capital at Emirates NBD, said: 'Innovation is a cornerstone of everything we do at Emirates NBD. This partnership with SC Ventures directly meets our goal of driving innovation in banking and strengthening our commitment to transform the landscape by creating new opportunities for growth in financial services in the region. This will lead to smarter, intuitive and secure banking experiences for our customers.' The initiative announced at Dubai FinTech Summit also reflects the UAE's growing role as a global hub for financial innovation and its commitment to fostering collaboration within the sector to shape the future of banking and financial services in the region. By bringing together two institutions with a strong track record of innovation and market leadership, the MoU aims to catalyse meaningful progress in digital transformation and regional FinTech development. About SC Ventures SC Ventures is a business unit that provides a platform and catalyst for Standard Chartered to promote innovation, invest in disruptive financial technology and explore alternative business models. For more information, please visit and follow SC Ventures on LinkedIn. About Emirates NBD Emirates NBD (DFM: Emirates NBD) is a leading banking group in the MENAT (Middle East, North Africa and Türkiye) region with a presence in 13 countries, serving over 9 million active customers. As of 31st March 2025, total assets were AED 1 trillion, (equivalent to approx. USD 272 billion). The Group has operations in the UAE, Egypt, India, Türkiye, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Singapore, the United Kingdom, Austria, Germany, Russia and Bahrain and representative offices in China and Indonesia with a total of 839 branches and 4,539 ATMs / SDMs. Emirates NBD is the leading financial services brand in the UAE with a Brand value of USD 4.54 billion. Emirates NBD Group serves its customers (individuals, businesses, governments, and institutions) and helps them realise their financial objectives through a range of banking products and services including retail banking, corporate and institutional banking, Islamic banking, investment banking, private banking, asset management, global markets and treasury, and brokerage operations. The Group is a key participant in the global digital banking industry with 97% of all financial transactions and requests conducted outside of its branches. The Group also operates Liv, the lifestyle digital bank by Emirates NBD, with close to half a million users, it continues to be the fastest-growing bank in the region. Emirates NBD contributes to the construction of a sustainable future as an active participant and supporter of the UAE's main development and sustainability initiatives, including financial wellness and the inclusion of people of determination. Emirates NBD is committed to supporting the UAE's Year of Sustainability as Principal Banking Partner of COP28 and an early supporter to the Dubai Can sustainability initiative, a city-wide initiative aimed to reduce use of single-use plastic bottled water. For further information on Emirates NBD, please contact: Ibrahim Sowaidan Senior Vice President Head - Group Corporate Affairs Emirates NBD e-mail: ibrahims@ Burson Dubai, UAE
