For years the region had founders but few investors who had built anything. Capital came from banks, grants, or family, none of which understood startups.
That is changing. The founders who exited in the late 2010s are now angels. They write smaller cheques than funds, but they bring scar tissue.
An angel who has shipped a product and missed a payroll gives better advice than a spreadsheet ever will.
How to Find Them
They rarely advertise. The reliable path is a warm introduction from another founder they have already backed.
Earn it by being useful first. The ecosystem is small enough that reputation travels faster than any pitch deck.