Building the future of event businesses
in the Middle East.

Manta Middle East is the regional platform of Manta Media Capital. Created to partner with ambitious event founders, independent organisers and international event brands to invest in, launch and scale high-potential event businesses across the UAE and wider Middle East.

Led by industry leaders with decades of regional expertise, Manta combines investment, strategic guidance and hands-on operational support to help founders to grow faster, access new opportunities and build scalable, commercially valuable event platforms.

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What We Do

Launch & Incubate New Event Platforms

We work with founders, investors, government entities and sector specialists to fund and create new event platforms built around clear market opportunities.

This includes the entire spectrum, from identifying the right sectors to shaping the event proposal, building audience and commercial models and supporting execution.

Our focus is on events with the potential to become repeatable, scalable and commercially valuable brands.

Accelerate Existing Event Platforms

We support existing event businesses with strong potential, but that need sharper strategy, stronger commercial direction, or a clearer route or funding to scale.

Facilitate International Event Market Entry in the Region

Many international event brands have strong potential in the Middle East but require the right local insight, partnerships, market access and operating structure to succeed.

Manta Middle East helps global organisers and event owners assess regional opportunities, validate market potential and build a practical route to launch or expansion.

Work with us

The Middle East’s event industry is entering a defining new era

The Middle East has become one of the world’s fastest-growing and most dynamic markets for business events and exhibitions and is rapidly establishing itself as a core global meeting point for sectors such as AI, aerospace, finance, technology, healthcare and the creative industries.

Now, with major investment into infrastructure, government-backed growth initiatives and increasing international demand, there is an opportunity to become more deliberate about launching, scaling and owning events from the region.

The next generation of successful event platforms will help shape industries, convene decision-makers, support inward investment, create commercial deal flow and position the region as a serious global hub for growth.

Manta Middle East exists to support event founders and operators in joining that shift.

Our approach

We don’t just invest in event businesses. We help to build them.

Unlike traditional investors or private equity firms, Manta Middle East is built specifically for the events industry in the region. We combine capital with practical operator expertise to help event businesses move from concept to sustainable, scalable commercial growth. We invest early and stay involved.

We provide:

We offer early stage investment for event founders and operators.
Practical insight and strategic growth guidance from experienced industry leaders who have built event businesses themselves.
Operational expertise across launch marketing and commercial strategy.
Access to longstanding global networks and relationships with government, venues and industry stakeholders.
Fractional support with finance, technology and marketing.
Expertise in internațional expansion for global event brands entering the Middle East.
Long-term guidance on preparation for M&A.

Contact us

Manta Middle East brings together investment, regional market knowledge and hands-on operator expertise from leaders with a track record across major regional event brands, including GITEX, Dubai Airshow and IDEX. Led by Doug Emslie, former CEO of Tarsus Group, the team brings more than 100 years of combined experience launching, scaling, marketing and operating major events across the UAE and international markets.