Fast Capital
Fast Capital (operating as FasterCapital) is a Dubai-based online venture builder and incubator that co-invests in startups worldwide via sweat-equity technical and business development services, connecting founders to 175K+ angels, 50+ VCs, and 1,109 mentors.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersDubai, United Arab Emirates
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Fast Capital does
Fast Capital, operating commercially as FasterCapital, is a Dubai-headquartered global venture builder and online incubator founded in 2014 (rebranded from NextStep Systems). Rather than deploying cash, the firm co-invests in startups by contributing in-house technical and business development services valued at approximately $100K–$150K per engagement, in exchange for equity stakes. Its primary customers are non-technical and early-stage entrepreneurs worldwide who lack co-founders and access to angel or venture capital networks.
The platform is structured around five core programs — Tech Cofounder (sweat-equity technical development), Raise Capital (pitch and investor matching), Grow Your Startup (sales and marketing acceleration), Idea to Product (pre-seed validation), and Mega Financing ($100M–$10B for large-scale projects) — supported by LearnHub (an educational content platform with 1.5M+ articles in 13 languages), Founder Academy (1,559 courses in 10 languages), and a Business Intelligence Platform indexing 291K companies, 190K investor profiles, and 478K funding records. Adjacent services include Real Estate Financing, IP Services, Start Business UAE, Canadian Startup Visa support, and a Franchise Program.
FasterCapital's commercial mechanics combine long-dated equity participation with operational service delivery through a network of 476 offices, 1,055 representatives, 1,109 mentors, 175K+ angels, 50+ VCs, and 14+ partner incubators and accelerators. The firm reports 1,632 startups supported, $2.8B raised for portfolio companies, and $1.25B directly invested, with 2025 alone accounting for 526 startups raising $550M+ and $212M+ invested. The company states it does not seek short-term returns and is not actively raising capital for itself.
Fast Capital firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Fast Capital
- Legal name
- FasterCapital LLC-FZ
- Website
- https://fastercapital.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Fast Capital (operating as FasterCapital) is a Dubai-based online venture builder and incubator that co-invests in startups worldwide via sweat-equity technical and business development services, connecting founders to 175K+ angels, 50+ VCs, and 1,109 mentors.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Fast Capital industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Venture Incubation
- NAICS
- Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Other Investment Pools and Funds (5259), Funds, Trusts, and Other Financial Vehicles (525)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282), Loan Brokers (6163)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Corporate Venture Studios & Incubators (Build/launch ventures) (FSANAHAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated) (FSANAAAM), Capital Raising Advisory (Debt/Equity/Private Capital) (BPAHADAG), Venture Capital Fundraising Placement (FSAEALAC)
Keywords
Where Fast Capital is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Dubai
- HQ country
- United Arab Emirates
- HQ region
- Middle East
Offices2 records
Markets served
Fast Capital business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Equity Investment Returns: FasterCapital invests in startups by providing technical development (sweat equity) and business development services in exchange for equity. They generate returns by selling equity when startups raise more capital or through exit events.
- Startup Portfolio Returns: Income generated by startups in their programs as shareholders. FasterCapital maintains long-term investment approach and is not looking to make money quickly.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Tech Cofounder Program - 50% of development costs covered for equity |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Grow Your Startup Program - 50% of business development costs covered for equity |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Fast Capital product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Fast Capital (operating as FasterCapital) is a global venture builder and online incubator that co-founds and co-funds startups by providing technical development and business development services in exchange for equity (sweat-equity model). It runs structured programs including Tech Cofounder, Raise Capital, Grow Your Startup, Idea to Product, and Mega Financing, alongside supporting platforms such as LearnHub, Founder Academy, and a Business Intelligence suite.
Product overview
FasterCapital is a global venture builder and online incubator operating as a platform-plus-program architecture. The core offering consists of five main programs: Tech Cofounder (technical development in exchange for equity), Raise Capital (investor matching and fundraising support), Grow Your Startup (sales and marketing acceleration), Idea to Product (pre-seed validation), and Mega Financing (large-scale project funding up to $10B). Supporting these are subsidiary platforms including LearnHub (educational content with 1.5M+ articles), Founder Academy (1,559 courses with playbooks and diagnostics), and a Business Intelligence Platform (company/investor databases). Additional services encompass technical development, business development, real estate financing, startup visa support, IP services, UAE business setup, and franchise programs. The ecosystem also includes free tools (valuation calculators, patent services) available without signup.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Tech Cofounder Program Sweat-equity technical partnership program in which Fast Capital provides a dedicated tech team to build a startup's MVP and co-funds 50% of development costs (valued at $100k-$150k) in exchange for equity.
- Raise Capital Program Startup fundraising support service that prepares founders (pitch decks, business plans, financial models) and matches them via warm introductions to a network of 155K+ angels and 50K+ VCs.
- Grow Your Startup Program Growth acceleration program providing in-house expertise in sales, marketing, and expansion to help startups scale into new markets, with Fast Capital covering 50% of business development costs for equity.
- Idea to Product Program Pre-seed stage program that validates ideas, reviews and improves business plans, and matches founders with investors for funding.
- Mega Financing Large-scale project funding service securing $100M to $10B for projects in energy, infrastructure, tourism, banking, and real estate sectors via VCs, banks, and grants.
- LearnHub Educational content platform with over 1.5M articles, 7M topics, 1.5M Q&A, 1M keywords, and 10M images/infographics in 13 languages, reaching 1M+ daily visitors.
- Founder Academy Practical founder education system within LearnHub offering 1,559 structured courses, 204 execution playbooks, and 157 readiness diagnostics across 10 live languages.
- Business Intelligence Platform Intelligence suite comprising Company Explorer (291K+ companies), Investor Explorer (190K+ profiles), and Insights Reports (478K+ funding records) with Matrix and Hypercube analysis tools.
- Real Estate Financing Tailored financing for real estate projects from property acquisition to launch, including social housing, urban development, hotels, schools, stadiums, and healthcare facilities.
- Startup Visa Program Immigration support service helping entrepreneurs obtain Canadian startup visas through assistance with designated organization support letters and application requirements.
- Intellectual Property Services IP solutions including patentability assessment, filing strategy, cost estimation, and support for selling, buying, or licensing patents and trademarks.
- Start Business UAE Company registration service in the UAE handling paperwork, compliance, and business setup for a smooth launch.
- Franchise Program Franchise development service helping businesses extend their franchise footprint into new countries through franchise models, franchisee connections, marketing, training, legal services, and expansion strategies.
Quantifiable outcome
- 1632 startups supported in raising capital
- +6 more outcomes
Companies that use Fast Capital
Customer profileNamed customers16 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Fast Capital technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Fast Capital partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- 14+ Global Incubators, Accelerators, and Venture FundscoreFasterCapital has established more than 14 partnerships with incubators, accelerators, and venture funds worldwide to support their global startup ecosystem.
Scale indicators28 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Fast Capital competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Techstars: Global accelerator network running 50+ programs worldwide, providing mentorship, capital, and investor access to early-stage startups in exchange for equity. Directly comparable in program structure, equity-for-services model, and global reach.
- Dreamit Ventures: Venture builder and accelerator focused on urban tech, health tech, and enterprise startups. Comparable in sweat-equity model and multi-stage program architecture.
- Plug and Play Tech Center: Global innovation platform and venture builder running industry-specific accelerator programs with corporate and VC partners. Comparable in equity-for-services model, corporate partnership structure, and global office footprint.
- Betaworks: Venture studio and seed fund that builds and invests in early-stage internet companies. Comparable as a venture builder that creates companies internally with technical and operational support.
- Antler: Global venture builder that co-founds startups from ideation through Series A with a strong presence in emerging markets. Comparable to FasterCapital's venture building model, target segment (idea to seed), and emphasis on geographies outside the US.
- 500 Global (500 Startups): Global venture firm and accelerator operating multiple funds and programs for early-stage startups worldwide. Comparable to FasterCapital in multi-program architecture, international footprint, and equity investment model.
- Y Combinator: The most recognized global startup accelerator, offering seed funding, mentorship, and investor matching in exchange for equity. Directly comparable to FasterCapital's Tech Cofounder and Raise Capital programs in funding model and target customer (early-stage startups).
- Idealab: One of the original venture studios, creating and launching internet technology companies in-house. Directly comparable as a venture builder that takes sweat equity in exchange for technical and operational resources.
- Startupbootcamp: Global network of industry-focused accelerators with programs across multiple continents. Comparable in equity-for-services model, multi-region presence, and corporate partner ecosystem.
- Entrepreneur First: Talent-first venture builder that brings together individuals to co-found companies from scratch with funding and support. Comparable to FasterCapital in venture building approach and equity-for-services model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Fast Capital social profiles
Digital presenceFast Capital financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Fast Capital leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Fast Capital funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Fast Capital M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Fast Capital
What does Fast Capital do?
Fast Capital (operating as FasterCapital) is a global venture builder and online incubator that co-founds and co-funds startups by providing technical development and business development services in exchange for equity (sweat-equity model). It runs structured programs including Tech Cofounder, Raise Capital, Grow Your Startup, Idea to Product, and Mega Financing, alongside supporting platforms such as LearnHub, Founder Academy, and a Business Intelligence suite.
Is Fast Capital a public or private company?
Fast Capital is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Fast Capital founded?
Fast Capital was founded in 2014. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Fast Capital based?
Fast Capital is headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in the Middle East region.
How does Fast Capital make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Equity Investment Returns are the primary driver. The others are startup Portfolio Returns.
Who are Fast Capital's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Techstars, Dreamit Ventures, Plug and Play Tech Center, Betaworks, Antler, 500 Global (500 Startups), Y Combinator, Idealab, Startupbootcamp and Entrepreneur First.
Does Fast Capital have an API?
No public API is recorded for Fast Capital.
What industry is Fast Capital in?
Fast Capital's product category is Venture Incubation. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSANAHAC, Corporate Venture Studios & Incubators (Build/launch ventures), with a secondary code of FSANAAAM, Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated). Its NAICS code is 523940 and its SIC code is 6282.