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Valu Alumni — Portfolio and Accelerator Network

The Valu alumni network is the permanent home for every founder who has completed our accelerator programme or exited a portfolio company. Our 25 portfolio companies, five exits and two pre-IPO businesses mean the Valu alumni community is growing fast, and we invest in keeping alumni connected long after the initial funding relationship ends. Alumni receive ongoing mentor access, co-investment opportunities in new Valu deals, invitations to exclusive events and referral pathways that strengthen your next venture. Whether you graduated from the accelerator three months ago or exited a company three years ago, the Valu alumni network is designed to keep you inside the ecosystem, sharing deal flow, knowledge and opportunities with the people who understand what it takes to build and sell a company.

Valu alumni network connecting accelerator graduates and exited founders

Is the Valu Alumni Network for You?

  • You completed the Valu.vc accelerator programme and want to maintain relationships with mentors, co-founders and investors.
  • You founded a portfolio company that has exited, and you want to stay in the investment ecosystem as an angel, mentor or advisor.
  • You raised from Valu.vc and are between ventures, looking for your next opportunity, co-founder or deal.
  • You want to co-invest alongside Valu.vc in new portfolio companies with terms aligned to alumni.
  • You are an active portfolio founder who wants to learn from peers who have already navigated the fundraising, growth and exit journey.

Why the Valu Alumni Network Matters

Three features make the Valu alumni network a genuine competitive advantage for founders. First, it compounds: every new accelerator graduate and every exited founder expands the pool of operators, angels and mentors available to the next generation of Valu-backed companies. Second, alumni get preferential access to co-investment allocations in new Valu deals, meaning you can back the next wave of GCC founders on terms typically reserved for institutional LPs. Third, the alumni network is integrated with the wider Valu ecosystem — our 1,000+ mentor network, corporate partners and LP base — so your reach extends well beyond the people who were in your accelerator cohort. The UK-GCC bridge gives Valu alumni a presence across four markets: Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and London, supported by government programmes including Tamkeen and Monshaat. This is not an isolated alumni directory; it is a live investment and operating network.

What Valu Alumni Get

  • Ongoing mentor access. Alumni retain access to the 1,000+ mentor network for your next venture, board roles or advisory positions. Mentors include operators, domain experts and fellow alumni who have built and exited companies in the GCC.
  • Co-investment opportunities. Alumni receive first-look access to new Valu.vc deals with co-investment tickets structured for individual angels. This is not a fund-of-funds arrangement — you invest directly alongside Valu on the same terms.
  • Exclusive events. Quarterly alumni-only dinners, an annual alumni summit, and priority invitations to demo days, investor mixers and the accelerator graduation events. Alumni also get early access to Valu’s community hackathons as mentors and judges.
  • Referral pathways. Alumni who refer founders that go on to raise from Valu receive a finder’s arrangement. Alumni who bring corporate or government innovation partners into the innovation hub receive commercial referral terms.
  • Portfolio founder support. Access to Valu’s founder support programme covering legal, finance, hiring and fundraising for your current or next company, even if you are not actively raising.
  • Network continuity. A dedicated alumni Slack channel, an alumni directory and annual updates on the portfolio ensure you stay connected to the people and companies that matter to your career.

How Valu Alumni Stay Engaged

  1. Join the alumni directory (immediate). After completing the accelerator or exiting, you are automatically added to the alumni directory and Slack channel. You control what information is visible and how you want to be contacted — whether for mentorship, investment, board roles or just staying in touch.
  2. Attend your first alumni event (within 3 months). Quarterly dinners and an annual summit are the backbone of the alumni calendar. These events are deliberately small to encourage real conversation, and they rotate across Manama, Riyadh, Dubai and London.
  3. Explore co-investment (when ready). Alumni who want to back new Valu deals notify the investment team and receive deal memos as new rounds open. Minimum ticket sizes are structured for individual angels, and Valu handles all legal, DD and closing work.
  4. Become a mentor or advisor (optional). Alumni who want to give back join the mentor network formally, advising current portfolio companies or accelerator cohorts. Mentor alumni receive structured feedback, cohort engagement tracking and, where applicable, advisor equity arrangements with the companies they support.

What We Expect From Valu Alumni

The alumni network works because alumni invest in it. We expect you to respond to outreach from current portfolio founders and accelerator participants who are navigating challenges you have already solved. Attend at least one alumni event per year — the network compounds only when people show up. If you invest as an alumni angel, we expect you to follow the same professional standards as any LP: confidentiality around deal terms, respect for fund processes, and a commitment to constructive engagement with the founders you back. Alumni are ambassadors for Valu.vc in the market, and we ask that you represent the brand accurately: refer honestly, share your real experience, and help us attract the best founders in the GCC and UK.

Commercials

There is no fee to remain in the Valu alumni network. Alumni events are funded by Valu.vc, and the alumni directory and Slack are free for all members. Co-investment allocations carry standard fund economics: alumni invest alongside the fund on the same terms with no carry or management fee applied to their personal ticket. Referral arrangements for founder introductions and corporate partner introductions are agreed case by case and disclosed to all parties. If you transition into a mentor or advisor role with a portfolio company, any advisor equity or compensation is negotiated directly with that company, not through Valu.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Who qualifies as a Valu alumni member?

Any founder who has completed our accelerator programme or been part of a portfolio company that has exited qualifies as a Valu alumni member. Both active and exited founders are welcome to stay connected through the alumni network.

What benefits do Valu alumni receive?

Alumni receive ongoing mentor access from our 1,000+ network, co-invest opportunities in new Valu portfolio companies, invitations to exclusive events, referral introductions to investors, and access to portfolio founder support services.

How can exited founders stay engaged with Valu?

Exited founders can join as mentors, become angel investors and co-invest in new Valu deals, attend alumni-only events, and serve as advisors or board members for current portfolio companies.

Do I need to be actively fundraising to stay in the alumni network?

No. The alumni network is designed for ongoing engagement regardless of your fundraising status. We host social events, knowledge-sharing sessions and referral opportunities that are valuable whether you are building, exited or between ventures.

Related Playbooks

More ways to engage with the Valu network: Accelerator Alumni — programme graduates and their journeys, Portfolio Founder Support — ongoing resources for Valu-backed companies, and Become a Mentor — join the 1,000+ mentor network.