$50M fund launched to bring Chinese tech to the Middle East
5000萬美元基金啟動，將中國技術帶入中東
MEC Ventures will look to unify Chinese and Middle Eastern capital and technology markets.
MEC Ventures將尋求統一中國和中東的資本和技術市場。
Al Salam Bank-Bahrain (ASBB) has partnered with China’s MSA Capital to launch a new $50 million fund to introduce technology from China to the Middle East.
巴林薩拉姆銀行（ASBB）已與中國的MSA Capital合作，發起了一項新的5000萬美元的基金，將中國的技術引入中東。
The $50 million fund is formed under the name MEC Ventures. Using Bahrain as a gateway, the fund will invest in MENA-based opportunities to introduce Chinese technology and mobile-first business models. Sectors targeted by the fund include e-commerce, logistics, fintech, as well as the fourth industrial revolution technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data, and cloud computing.
這家5000萬美元的基金以MEC Ventures的名義成立。該基金將利用巴林作為門戶，投資基於MENA的機會，以引入中國技術和移動優先業務模式。該基金的目標行業包括電子商務，物流，金融科技以及人工智慧，大數據和雲計算等第四次工業革命技術。
The fund will also look to improve the flow of capital and technology between the two regions. Using ASBB’s network in the Middle East, MSA Capital will support its portfolio companies — 「which includes the sector leaders in most major technology verticals such as healthcare big data, gene sequencing, electric vehicles, food delivery, ride hailing, micro mobility, and cross boarder e-commerce」 — to expand in the region by 「enhancing their offerings, geographic reach and usage volumes, thereby exponentially enhancing value,」 as per statement.
該基金還將尋求改善兩個地區之間的資金和技術流動。通過使用ASBB在中東的網絡，MSA Capital將支持其投資組合公司-「其中包括大多數主要技術領域的行業領導者，例如醫療保健大數據，基因測序，電動汽車，食品運送，乘車，微型出行和跨界運輸 根據聲明，通過「擴大其產品，擴大地理覆蓋範圍和使用量，從而成倍地增加價值」來擴大該區域的電子商務。
「Al Salam Bank-Bahrain is uniquely positioned to provide regional access to capital and investment opportunities in the ever-growing Mena market complementing MSA’s deep industry expertise," said the bank's group chief executive, Rafik Nayed.
該銀行集團執行長拉菲克·納耶德（Rafik Nayed）表示：「巴林銀行（Al Salam Bank-Bahrain）處於獨特的位置，可在不斷增長的Mena市場中為區域提供資本和投資機會，以補充MSA的深厚行業專業知識。」
"MEC Ventures will be an active participant in the regional venture capital landscape which >」
Rafik Nayed, group CEO at Al Salam Bank-Bahrain
「 MEC Ventures將積極參與區域性風險投資領域，只有藉助基於中國的尖端技術和專業知識，該領域才能不斷發展。」
巴林Al Salam銀行集團執行長Rafik Nayed
Ben Harburg, managing partner, MSA Capital, said, "The combination of high mobile penetration, high ARPU, and a large youth population, coupled with substantial market white space, evidenced by factors such as low ecommerce penetration levels and large unbanked populations, offer an ideal opportunity for investment. We believe that the Mena region is nearing an inflection point that can be accelerated through the adoption of Chinese-inspired mobile-first business models.
MSA Capital的執行合伙人Ben Harburg說：「高移動普及率，高ARPU和龐大的年輕人口，再加上大量的市場空白，結合了較低的電子商務普及率水平和龐大的無銀行人口群體，這證明了 我們認為，美納地區正接近拐點，可以通過採用中國啟發性的移動優先業務模式來加快這一拐點。
He further added, 「We are proud to partner with Al Salam Bank-Bahrain to establish MEC Ventures, and see Bahrain as a hyper-efficient, user-friendly gateway to the Mena region, where we can collaborate with regulators, entrepreneurs, and strategic corporate partners to pilot new business models and serve as a hub for regional expansion."
他進一步補充說：「我們很榮幸與Al Salam Bank-Bahrain合作建立MEC Ventures，並將巴林視為通向Mena地區的高效，用戶友好的門戶，我們可以在此與監管機構，企業家和戰略合作 公司合作夥伴，以試行新的商業模式，並成為區域擴張的樞紐。」
Previously, Al Waha fund of funds, the investment vehicle owned by the Bahrain government's sovereign fund, Mumtalakat, raised their $100 million investment fund in 2018. In May this year, it was reported that they have already deployed over half of that capital. In October last month, they announced that they would invest in the $250 million fund by China’s MSA Capital. Overall, Bahrain and China have been developing stronger relations to strengthen their foothold in the Middle East business ecosystem.
此前，巴林政府主權基金Mumtalakat擁有的投資工具Al Waha基金在2018年籌集了1億美元的投資基金。據報導，今年5月，他們已經動用了超過一半的資本。他們在上個月的10月宣布，他們將投資中國MSA Capital的這隻2.5億美元的基金。總體而言，巴林和中國一直在發展更牢固的關係，以加強在中東商業生態系統中的立足點。