Venture Building and Fintech Growth: SC Ventures’ Mohamed Fairooz on Innovation in the Middle East

SC Ventures fintech growth in the Middle East is gaining strong traction, with the firm ramping up its presence through regional partnerships, venture creation, and digital asset innovation. As the venture arm of Standard Chartered Bank, SC Ventures is driving transformation by combining entrepreneurial thinking with global banking scale.

At the 2025 Dubai FinTech Summit, we spoke with Mohamed Fairooz, SC Ventures Lead for the Middle East, to explore the company’s strategy, recent expansion, and why the region is central to its innovation agenda.

A Distinctive Innovation Engine SC Ventures

Q: Can you start by giving us an overview of SC Ventures and what sets it apart?
Mohamed Fairooz: SC Ventures is the innovation and venture arm of Standard Chartered. Although we’re backed by the bank, we operate independently with a dedicated team, mandate, and entrepreneurial mindset. Since 2018, our goal has been to go beyond traditional banking to create impactful solutions that solve emerging financial needs.

Key Areas of Focus when it comes to SC Ventures

Q: What areas does SC Ventures focus on when building or backing ventures?
Mohamed: We concentrate on four key themes: online economies and lifestyle, SMEs and trade, digital assets, and financial inclusion. Whether the ideas come from internal teams or external collaborators, we remain open to innovation from any source.

Building From Within — and With Others

Q: What’s your approach to venture creation versus investing in existing fintechs?
Mohamed: We do both. Some ventures we build from the ground up; others we support through investment or co-creation. Our approach always emphasizes solving real-world problems. Ultimately, we’re ecosystem participants — not just investors.

A Region on the Rise

Q: You’ve expanded significantly in the region. What does that growth look like?
Mohamed: In just 18 months, we’ve scaled from two to seven ventures across the region, created over 150 jobs, and launched our Digital Asset Fund in the UAE. It’s a signal of our long-term commitment and belief in the MEASA region’s potential.

The Allure of MEASA

Q: What makes the MEASA region such an attractive market right now?
Mohamed: The shift is clear — there’s more capital, stronger regulatory support, and exceptional talent emerging locally. These conditions make the region a compelling launchpad for innovative financial solutions.

Aligning with DIFC

Q: Tell us more about your partnership with DIFC. What does that involve?
Mohamed: At the Dubai FinTech Summit, we announced a strategic partnership with DIFC. SC Ventures is now their official venture-building partner. This isn’t just symbolic — we’re working hand-in-hand to strengthen the local fintech ecosystem.

The Power of Collaboration

Q: Any other strategic partnerships you’re excited about?
Mohamed: Yes, we’ve signed over eight major partnerships with regional banks, family offices, and ecosystem players. Each collaboration enables us to scale faster and deliver more tailored, impactful solutions.

Final Thoughts

From venture building to co-creation, SC Ventures is helping to redefine the fintech narrative in the Middle East. As more partnerships take shape and the region opens up to experimentation, one thing is clear — innovation here is just getting started.

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