How to apply to Plus VC as an African founder

TL;DR

Plus VC invests in sector-agnostic companies at Seed and Series A, writes cheques of ~$100K initial (seed), up to $500K follow-on, and takes applications through direct outreach to the team.

Who Plus VC is

Plus VC is a MENA investor headquartered in Cairo, Egypt. The fund describes its mandate as sector-agnostic. The thesis, in the fund's own words: Investing early and often in emerging market entrepreneurs across the MENA region.

On the ground, Plus VC operates as a Seed and Series A investor with an Africa focus described as "Egypt and North Africa (within broader MENA mandate)". The fund's co-founder & managing partner is Sharif El-Badawi, alongside Hasan Haider (Co-founder & Managing Partner).

What they invest in

Stages: Seed and Series A
Sectors: Sector-agnostic. The fund calls itself sector-agnostic, but its actual portfolio tells a more concentrated story: 25% of classified portfolio companies are in Fintech, and 25% are in AI-ML.
Cheque size: ~$100K initial (seed), up to $500K follow-on
Geography focus: MENA / Yes -- Egypt and North Africa (within broader MENA mandate)

How to apply

Plus VC's application path is: "Via website or warm intros through the portfolio network". 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. Sharif El-Badawi (Co-founder & 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://plus.vc/ first in case a form or dedicated email address has since gone live.

Portfolio pattern

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

Thndr (Egypt): Digital investment platform for retail investors
DXwand (Egypt): Conversational AI platform specialised in Arabic
Educatly (Egypt): Student recruitment platform for universities
Alterba (Compost Baladi) (Lebanon): Organic waste repurposing into compost

That spread gives you a sense of what a real check from Plus 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 Plus VC have a sector focus?

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

What stage does Plus VC typically write cheques at?

Plus VC invests at Seed and Series A, with cheque sizes of ~$100K initial (seed), up to $500K follow-on.

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

Plus 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 Plus VC invest outside MENA?

Plus VC's Africa focus is described as "Egypt and North Africa (within broader MENA mandate)". Check the full fund profile for the exact geographic boundaries before you apply.

Is Plus VC a remote or in-person fund?

Plus VC's format is listed as Hybrid.