Head of Middle East FinTech Ecosystem

Cedar-IBSi FinTech Labs; Dubai; On-site; AED 650,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

Cedar-IBSi FinTech Lab in the UAE seeks a Head of Middle East Ecosystem to own end-to-end program design, startup curation, partnerships, and community presence. This is a practitioner role requiring proven incubator or ecosystem leadership and strong founder relationships.

You will drive engagement across India, Middle East and APAC, build cohort programs, coordinate with Cedar Hill Capital, and position Cedar-IBSi as a credible platform for fintech innovation with banks, regulators, and

Qualifications

• 5-7 years in leadership at incubator/accelerator or fintech ecosystem platform
• Proven track record building startup programs
• Experience in India, Middle East, APAC; UAE/Singapore exposure a plus
• Deep relationships with founders, angels, early VCs, and enterprise buyers
• Experience designing training or capability-building programs for founders or enterprise teams

Responsibilities

• Own the Lab's end-to-end strategy and program design.
• Design and run structured cohorts with milestones, mentorship, and demo days.
• Build and maintain a live pipeline of fintech founders across APAC, MEA, and India.
• Collaborate with Cedar Hill Capital on deal flow and joint programming.

Skills

Leadership

Ecosystem building

Relationship building

BFSI knowledge

Fundraising

Job description

Cedar-IBSi FinTech Lab in the UAE seeks a Head of Middle East Ecosystem to own end-to-end program design, startup curation, partnerships, and community presence. This is a practitioner role requiring proven incubator or ecosystem leadership and strong founder relationships.

You will drive engagement across India, Middle East and APAC, build cohort programs, coordinate with Cedar Hill Capital, and position Cedar-IBSi as a credible platform for fintech innovation with banks, regulators, and