GEC Selects Hesham Zreik Among 2025 Top Entrepreneurs List for Scaling Inclusive Startup Investment Across Emerging Markets
The Global Entrepreneurship Club (GEC) has named Hesham Zreik, founder and CEO of Dubai-based venture builder FasterCapital, to its annual list of “Top 25 Entrepreneurs to Watch in 2025.”
Zreik’s recognition comes in light of his long-standing efforts to democratize early-stage funding, build scalable tech ventures, and lower the barriers to entry for founders operating beyond traditional startup hubs.
Zreik is known for blending the strategic mindset of an investor with the operational depth of a co-founder. Over the past two decades, he has helped launch or fund more than 400 companies worldwide, earning a reputation as one of the most active backers of early-stage technology ventures in the Middle East, North Africa, and Asia.
GEC’s 2025 cohort reflects a growing focus on entrepreneurs whose models prioritize access and sustainability in innovation ecosystems.
Data-Driven Recognition from a Global Watchdog
The Global Entrepreneurship Club’s “Top 25 Entrepreneurs to Watch” list is based on a rigorous evaluation of founder activity across key metrics.
These include capital raised, innovation depth, market scalability, and the potential for positive societal impact.
Analysts review venture funding databases, regulatory data, patent records, media coverage, and M&A activity. Finalists are reviewed by a jury composed of business journalists, global founders, and venture capitalists.
This year, the jury emphasized founder-operator hybrids whose models actively remove structural bottlenecks that often hinder growth in emerging regions. In Zreik’s case, his co-founder-as-a-service model through FasterCapital stood out for its dual commitment to capital infusion and hands-on execution support.
“Hesham exemplifies the investor-operator hybrid our jury sought this year,” said Arnel Saligumba, spokesperson for the Global Entrepreneurship Club. “His co-investment model accelerates time-to-market for high-impact startups while lowering the friction that often stalls innovation in underserved ecosystems.”
A Track Record That Extends Beyond Capital
Zreik is no stranger to international recognition.
In 2018, he was ranked No. 39 on Forbes’ global list of Top 50 Investors, earning a place among prominent figures in venture capital. At the time, the acknowledgment was tied to his early-stage deal flow, active mentorship, and 11 successful exits. But Zreik’s contributions extend beyond the capital he provides.
Trained as a software architect and fluent in multiple languages—including Arabic, English, and French—Zreik takes a hands-on approach with the companies he supports. He often engages in technical development, product strategy, and market design.
His career began in 2002 with the founding of ZGroup Mobile, a mobile content firm that grew from a $20 monthly budget to a multimillion-dollar valuation within three years. Since then, Zreik has co-founded more than 100 companies and served as a mentor or board advisor to over 80 startups globally.
Founded in 2014, FasterCapital operates with an ambition to solve persistent problems in the startup ecosystem: lack of access to funding, shortage of technical co-founders, and the disconnect between innovation and implementation.
Under Zreik’s leadership, the Dubai-registered firm has supported over 744 startups, invested over $1 billion directly, and facilitated more than $2.2 billion in external capital raises.
FasterCapital’s co-founder-as-a-service model distinguishes it from traditional incubators or accelerators.
Instead of offering only advisory or office space, the firm provides in-house technical teams, business development services, and capital—all in exchange for equity.
In many cases, FasterCapital covers up to 50% of development costs, effectively becoming a technical co-founder with a stake in the startup’s success.
The firm’s programs span multiple verticals and include initiatives like:
Mega Financing for capital-intensive projects exceeding $100M
Real Estate Financing for property-based ventures
Intellectual Property Support to monetize or protect patents and trademarks
Start Business in the UAE for founders seeking regulatory clarity and operational support in local jurisdictions
Franchise Development, connecting founders with scalable business models and global partners
With over 1,000 regional partners, 1,600+ entrepreneurs, and access to more than 150,000 angel investors and 50,000 venture capital firms, FasterCapital has become one of the most expansive venture-building networks operating today.
Building a Borderless Innovation Culture
While Zreik’s operational base is in Dubai, his work spans more than 30 countries.
His philosophy of borderless entrepreneurship is evident not only in the firms he backs, but in the way he has structured FasterCapital’s online-first operations and multilingual communications.
Zreik has invested in high-profile companies like SpaceX and Twitter, as well as lesser-known but high-potential ventures in healthtech, fintech, edtech, and AI.
His investments have spanned a wide range of geographies and industries, unified by a shared focus on scalable, problem-solving platforms.
Role in Global Conversations on Innovation
Zreik’s influence continues to expand beyond the ventures he builds. He is a scheduled speaker at the GEC’s upcoming roundtable on September 30, titled “Capital-Intensive Innovation: When Hard Tech Meets Venture Scale.”
The panel will also feature fellow honorees Sam Sammane and Veejay Madhavan.
In December, he will participate in the GEC’s Dubai Founder Summit, which will be livestreamed globally and feature cohort-wide discussions on scaling, funding strategy, and AI-readiness in leadership teams.
Throughout the year, Zreik will also contribute to GEC’s Member Masterclasses, delivering insights on topics such as technical team building, cross-border funding strategies, and early traction validation.
Hesham Zreik is an angel investor, serial entrepreneur, and CEO of FasterCapital. He holds advanced degrees in computer information systems and business administration from HIAST, AABFS, and Edinburgh Business School. He began writing software in 1989 and has remained active as both a coder and strategist throughout his entrepreneurial career.
He has served as a judge in international startup competitions, a keynote speaker at global tech forums, and a mentor to dozens of accelerator cohorts. His areas of expertise include artificial intelligence, software architecture, and global venture development.
About FasterCapital
FasterCapital is a venture builder and online incubator founded in 2014 and registered in Dubai. The company operates across more than 100 countries, offering co-funding, co-founding, and technical development services to startups at various stages of growth. Its programs include fundraising support, software development, go-to-market strategy, and IP commercialization. FasterCapital is structured to function both virtually and globally, making it one of the most accessible venture platforms for startups operating outside traditional funding centers.
About the Global Entrepreneurship Club
Founded in 2024, the Global Entrepreneurship Club is a hybrid media and membership organization that supports entrepreneurial growth through editorial coverage, strategic partnerships, and curated founder resources. Its flagship list, “Top 25 Entrepreneurs to Watch,” is published annually and serves as an industry benchmark for identifying rising business leaders making tangible impact across global markets.
Media Contact: Press Desk Global Entrepreneurship Club press@trelexa.com
Once viewed as a cultural import or a niche luxury, saunas have quietly moved into the American mainstream. What was once confined to gyms, spas, or Scandinavian households is now appearing in private homes, backyard wellness spaces, and mixed-use developments
Most people think sharing their story will feel empowering. But the moment they sit down to write—or speak—it starts sounding like someone else. That disconnect can water down the truth, flatten your tone, and leave your audience unmoved. This article
Search isn’t what it used to be. The days of simply stuffing keywords into blog posts are fading fast. Now, content needs to perform well not just on Google, but in the eyes of AI systems that are changing how
