Merak Capital on investor expectations and taking MENA game studios global

• Merak Capital says vision plus execution set Exel’s first cohort apart from 300+ applicants.
• The firm looks at team strength, market potential and scalability when investing in startups.
• Exel’s $300k investments are ‘catalytic’ funds designed to unlock growth and attract further capital.
• Exel is open to African game studios, seeing strong potential in cross-regional collaboration.
• Relocating to Saudi Arabia gives startups direct access to mentors, investors, and a fast-growing gaming

Pocket Gamer Connects Jordan returns on November 8th and 9th, 2025, offering a chance to gain insights into the world’s fastest-growing games market, MENA.

As part of our MENA coverage and run-up to the event, we caught up with Merak Capital VP of innovation platform and head of Exel by Merak Faisal Sedrani, who discussed the accelerator’s first cohort, common founder mistakes and the impact of $300,000 catalytic funding.

PocketGamer.biz: Out of over 300 applicants, you selected 17 startups in the first cohort. What stood out about these teams?

Faisal Sedrani: What impressed us most was the combination of vision and execution. Many of the selected teams brought not only creativity in their game concepts but also a clear understanding of how to build sustainable businesses.

During the bootcamp, they demonstrated both their business capabilities and their commitment to the program, showing us they could balance bold ideas with traction, market awareness, and adaptability.

Can you take us through the selection process? What does Merak look for when investing in a startup? And what’s a common mistake you see gaming founders make when pitching to investors?

Our process blends both qualitative and quantitative measures. We assess team strength, market potential, scalability, and technical execution. We also consider how founders approach monetisation and long-term sustainability, not just the product itself.

A common mistake we see is founders focusing entirely on the game’s creative vision without tying it to the commercial side. Investors want to know how the game aligns with market demand, how it will attract and retain users, and how the business will generate revenue. Creativity matters, but without a clear go-to-market and monetisation plan, it’s challenging to convince investors.

Now that the first cohort has graduated, what lessons did Merak take away that will shape the second and third cohorts? And what do you wish more investors understood about backing gaming ventures in the Middle East?

One key lesson was the impact of tailored mentorship. Startups advanced faster when guidance matched their stage and genre, so in upcoming cohorts we’re building even more structured and specialised support. We also saw that global distribution remains a major hurdle for regional teams, which is why we’re strengthening international partnerships to help founders scale beyond local markets.

For investors, the takeaway is clear: gaming in the Middle East is not a niche; it is one of the fastest-growing entertainment markets worldwide. Supporting ventures here means tapping into a young, digital-native population with global ambitions, and the opportunity is far larger than most realise.

What’s unique about the startups you’re seeing from the Middle East compared to those from other regions? Is it greater use of AI, a focus on certain genres, or something else entirely?

What makes Middle Eastern startups unique is their ability to blend global standards with local storytelling. Many studios are weaving regional culture and narratives into their games, creating content that feels both authentic and globally appealing.

We also see a strong focus on mobile-first experiences, reflecting the region’s demographics, and growing adoption of AI tools that speed up production and personalise gameplay. The result is a wave of innovation that feels distinct from other markets.

$300,000 is a meaningful sum, but in game development terms it can vanish quickly. How did you land on that figure, and how is Exel ensuring startups don’t stall out after the initial accelerator funding?

The $300,000 investment is meant to be catalytic, not symbolic. It gives founders the runway to build a strong prototype or hit key milestones that position them for follow-on funding.

But capital on its own isn’t enough, so Exel also provides structured mentorship, market guidance, and access to investor networks. The goal is that by the time founders graduate, they’re not only funded but also ready for the next stage of growth.

Beyond just games, you’ve backed other platforms and tools. In your view, what kind of innovation do you think MENA is best positioned to lead globally?

MENA is best positioned to lead globally in areas where its strengths align with urgent global needs, particularly AI-driven development platforms, scalable cloud services, and digital community-building technologies.

The region’s mobile-first economy, combined with substantial government investment in digital transformation, creates fertile ground for breakthroughs that extend far beyond gaming. These innovations have the potential to shape not just entertainment, but also education, fintech, and enterprise on a global scale.

Are there more partnerships in the pipeline to help game startups scale internationally? If so, which ones?

Partnerships are at the core of our strategy. With partners like Savvy, Huawei, the Saudi Esports Federation, and Microsoft, we’ve already built a strong foundation.

Looking ahead, we’re in active discussions with global publishers, cloud providers, and venture networks to create seamless pathways for our startups to scale internationally. The priority is to make sure that global reach and scalability are built into the DNA of every startup we support.

Do you foresee expanding Exel to welcome studios from Africa into the accelerator? And will these studios need to relocate to the Middle East?

The Exel Gaming Accelerator is open to talent from around the world, and we’ve already welcomed startups from Egypt alongside Saudi and regional teams. We’re especially excited about the creativity emerging from Africa and see strong potential for cross-regional collaboration.

As part of the program, startups are asked to relocate to Saudi Arabia, embedding themselves in one of the fastest-growing gaming markets globally.

This relocation isn’t just about geography; it gives founders direct access to mentors, investors, and partners while positioning them at the heart of a rapidly expanding ecosystem. For many, this has been a turning point in unlocking doors and opportunities that simply didn’t exist elsewhere.

Despite its growth, some view the region as one of the most complex markets. What do you think needs to change for MENA to become a true powerhouse in gaming, on par with regions like China or the US?

The region’s next leap will come from two shifts: stronger infrastructure and a more forward-looking investment mindset. We need continued investment in distribution, publishing, and payment systems tailored to MENA’s realities. 

At the same time, investors must begin to treat gaming as a serious, scalable industry that sits at the intersection of culture, technology, and intellectual property. With these elements in place, MENA has all the ingredients to stand alongside the US and China as a global gaming powerhouse.

Learn more about the MENA games market at Pocket Gamer Connects Aqaba on November 8th to 9th, 2025.