Issa Aghabi, Managing Partner and Co-Founder of Access Bridge Ventures: Each week, My Morning Routine looks at how a successful member of the community starts their day — and then throws in a couple of random business questions just for fun. Speaking to us this week is Issa Aghabi (LinkedIn), managing partner and co-founder of Access Bridge Ventures. Edited excerpts from our conversation:

My name is Issa Aghabi. I’ve been a venture capitalist with a focus on the Middle East since around 2006, across various capacities. I'm currently the managing partner of Access Bridge Ventures, a fund that’s been around for three and a half years, concentrating on early-stage investments, particularly seed funding, across the Middle East.

My day-to-day work revolves around sourcing and investing in promising entrepreneurs and managing our portfolio. This includes both executing investments and supporting the companies post-investment.

There’s a lot that happens behind the scenes to keep the ship afloat. As a managing partner, I manage HR as well as limited-partner and investor relations. At some points I also wear the hat of the accountant, of an events planner, you name it. Since we’re a small, early-stage fund, we operate with a lean team, so as partners and founders of the fund, we wear many hats.

Though I initially started in banking and investment banking, 90% of my career has been dedicated to VC. I’ve served in different roles, mainly within fund and investment teams, and as a partner in various funds. I also ran a venture builder at one point, launching several operational companies under that umbrella. My experience spans from early-stage to later-stage investments, including fund-of-funds.

I had been in the VC space for 15 to 18 years before launching Access Bridge. I was deeply involved in everything from seed and early-stage investments to helping create and operate businesses across the region. My last role at the International Finance Corporation focused on later-stage financing, including growth capital and fund of funds. As my investments started yielding positive results, I realized it was time to take a leap of faith and do it on my own. I had been helping others benefit from the upside for so long that I started thinking, why not do it for myself and my stakeholders?

I gained exposure to other emerging markets and different stages of investment during my time at IFC. This broader perspective helped shape my understanding of the gaps in the VC and startup space. It became clear to me that there was a significant need for a dedicated early-stage fund that could support and nurture promising startups from the ground up.

This realization ultimately led to the creation of Access Bridge, to address the gap in early-stage financing and provide the necessary support to help entrepreneurs build successful businesses. I partnered with Rakan (LinkedIn), Imad (LinkedIn), and the CedarBridge Group to launch it, with a clear focus on early-stage tech.

Back in 2006 and 2010, the Middle East ecosystem was still nascent, and there wasn’t much capital available. As the ecosystem matured, we identified a couple of key data points. First, early-stage financing in emerging markets, and even globally, often leads to exits that are around the USD 100 mn mark. From a financial perspective, we wanted to create a viable proposition where early-stage investments could still generate significant returns even with mid-level exits. Our approach is to come in early at a favorable price point, allowing us to grow these opportunities so that even if they don’t become unicorns, they still offer a valid investment proposition.

While investors hope to back one-hit wonders and USD 3 bn-unicorns, the reality is that mid-level exits are more common statistically. Of course, we still aspire for unicorns, but our model ensures viability without relying solely on them.

Second, we recognized that while early-stage investing is inherently risky, success in this space often comes from being actively involved. It’s not just about providing capital; it’s about rolling up our sleeves and supporting entrepreneurs throughout their journey — from structuring and strategy to operational support and business development. This is where we differentiate ourselves. We don’t just invest.

Trends in the VC and startup world can change rapidly, sometimes even monthly. For example, when we first started, there was a big push for marketplaces, e-commerce platforms, content creation, blogs, news portals, and aggregators. As markets have matured, we’re now seeing a significant focus on fintech, particularly in areas like SME lending, financial inclusion, and support services.

We're seeing a big trend in AI; and we’re seeing meaningful AI applications within core sectors like health, education, e-commerce, and marketplaces. There’s a unique challenge and opportunity in adapting AI to the Arabic language and region.

Another significant trend is the increasing government support of the SME ecosystem through sovereign funds. Ten years ago, this kind of support didn’t exist in places like Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and the UAE. Sovereign funds are now playing a major role in fostering a healthy SME ecosystem and supporting entrepreneurship. Back in 2006, there were only two funds; by 2010, there were maybe five or six, which were the beginnings of what are now the big players in the region. Today, it's hard to keep track of all the new funds and the liquidity flowing into the market, which is a very positive sign.

The ecosystem is maturing, but the real question is how this will translate into successful exits and long-term success. We’re still waiting to see that equation fully play out.

We gravitate towards sectors where we have deep understanding and experience. Healthcare is a major focus, as is education, e-commerce and its enablers, and retail, which includes SaaS, enterprise tech, and marketplaces. Fintech is another core area for us. These five sectors form the backbone of our investments, but that doesn't mean we ignore others.

Recently, we've been looking into gaming and gaming enablement. Although we haven't made any new investments in this area yet, I've done maybe five or six gaming investments in the past, and we've exited a couple which were project financing.

My morning routine consists of getting up, getting ready, dropping my kid off, exercising, walking the dogs, and then planning and executing my day. Nowadays, I'm much more health-conscious, so I make time to work out and clear my mind before I start my day. The first thing I do when I get to the office is get organized. I plan out my day, set out the key tasks, deadlines, and follow-ups.

Having time for myself and my family is something I never compromise on. Family is my constant. I'm an involved parent, and I enjoy being around my family. For me, there's a non-negotiable time — from around 5:30 to 7:00 in the evening — that is strictly family time.

My efficiency has increased drastically post-covid with much of the work being virtual. Before, meeting people in person meant I could only handle one or two entrepreneur calls, a portfolio call, maybe a board meeting, or a meeting with an investor. Now you can do 10x more in the same time frame because your efficiency increases drastically.

One of the most important things for me is communication, which is something that’s often lacking in this part of the world. Being responsive, going through emails, and making sure people get answers is crucial. We've sourced around 4k startups over three and a half years of operations, and we've made it a point to respond to every single one. Things might fall through the cracks occasionally, but we try our best to get back to everyone who reaches out.

Professionally, our priority is to ensure that Access Bridge’s fund one is successful and delivers strong returns. We’re planning to double down on this success, potentially launching a second fund in the near future. For us, it's not about how much money we're managing, it’s about the focus, strategy, and execution. We’ll never aim to launch a massive fund. The size we’re at, or maybe slightly bigger, is ideal for us. We’ll continue with our hands-on, early-stage value investing approach.

On a personal level, I've been on a health kick for the past year, losing a lot of weight and working out regularly. It’s helping me as I get older, so staying healthy is a priority, and I’m committed to continuing this journey. Also being present for my family, watching my kid grow, and being an active part of their lives is a top priority for me.

Lately, I’ve been into reading biographies, especially those of key influential figures from the Middle East — people from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and other regions. I’ve also been exploring the lives of successful entrepreneurs. That’s really been my focus for the past six to nine months.

I recently recommended the Secrets of Sand Hill Road to an intern who joined us. Even though it’s a bit old, it’s the first book I read when I got into VC, and even though it could use some updates for today’s world, I still recommend it to anyone entering the field.

The best piece of advice I’ve ever received came from my wife about five years ago when I was contemplating my next steps. She told me, “You only live once and you're still young. If you don't take that leap of faith now and pursue what you love and are good at, you'll never do it. It only gets harder with time.” Her words really resonated with me and ultimately pushed me to quit and launch Access Bridge.