How to apply to Den VC as an African founder

TL;DR

Den VC invests in sector-agnostic companies at Pre-Seed, Seed, and Series A, writes cheques of Flexible (from $125K seed to multi-million Series A), and takes applications through direct outreach to the team.

Who Den VC is

Den VC is a Egypt / MENA / Africa investor headquartered in Cairo. The fund describes its mandate as sector-agnostic. The thesis, in the fund's own words: Backing early-stage startups that blend impact with strong unit economics in emerging markets.

On the ground, Den VC operates as a Pre-Seed, Seed, and Series A investor with an Africa focus described as "Egypt (primary), expanding across Africa and MENA". The fund's managing partner is Waleed Khalil, alongside Dalia Tharwat (Venture Partner) and Veronica Murguia (Venture Partner).

What they invest in

Stages: Pre-Seed, Seed, and Series A
Sectors: Sector-agnostic. The fund calls itself sector-agnostic, but its actual portfolio tells a more concentrated story: 19% of classified portfolio companies are in Healthtech, and 18% are in E-commerce.
Cheque size: Flexible (from $125K seed to multi-million Series A)
Geography focus: Egypt / MENA / Africa / Yes -- Egypt (primary), expanding across Africa and MENA

How to apply

Den VC's application path is: "mailto:info@denvc.com". This reads as direct outreach rather than a public form, which means the fund is more reachable through a warm introduction or a well-targeted cold message than through a portal. Waleed Khalil (Managing Partner) is the name most associated with the fund publicly, and a specific, well-prepared message referencing why you fit their stated thesis is a better opener than a generic pitch blast. Check https://denvc.com/ first in case a form or dedicated email address has since gone live.

Portfolio pattern

Den VC's portfolio, as listed in their Trampoline fund page, includes:

Nawah Scientific (Egypt): Biotech research facilities ($23M Series A)
WideBot (Egypt): Arabic AI chatbot platform
Proteinea (Egypt): AI-powered antibody engineering
Career180 (Egypt): Edtech and career development
Whiteguard (Egypt): Cybersecurity solutions

That spread gives you a sense of what a real check from Den VC has funded, not just what the thesis claims it funds.

Before you apply

Have these ready before you reach out:

Deck: Check your readiness first so you know where the gaps are
Metrics dashboard: Set up your metrics dashboard so you can show real traction, not slides
Cap table
A one-line description of what your company does
A short, specific note explaining why you fit their stated thesis, ready to send cold or through a warm intro

FAQ

Does Den VC have a sector focus?

Den VC describes its mandate as sector-agnostic, meaning it does not restrict itself to a fixed list of sectors.

What stage does Den VC typically write cheques at?

Den VC invests at Pre-Seed, Seed, and Series A, with cheque sizes of Flexible (from $125K seed to multi-million Series A).

Do you need a warm intro to apply to Den VC?

Den VC's application path is direct outreach rather than a public form, so a warm introduction generally carries more weight than a cold message, though it is not stated as a hard requirement.

Does Den VC invest outside Egypt / MENA / Africa?

Den VC's Africa focus is described as "Egypt (primary), expanding across Africa and MENA". Check the full fund profile for the exact geographic boundaries before you apply.

Is Den VC a remote or in-person fund?

Den VC's format is listed as Hybrid.