Last week, Dusan Duffek, Managing Director of Zero One Hundred, a VC fund with offices in Slovakia, Czechia, Cyprus and the UAE, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Investopia, the UAE investment platform chaired by H.E. Abdullah Bin Touq Al Marri, the UAE Minister of Economy. The agreement seeks to strengthen economic and innovation ties between the UAE and Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) by increasing collaboration between the entrepreneurial ecosystems and promoting mutual business opportunities for investors and startups in both regions.
What is Investopia and its objectives?
The partnership reflects a strategic alignment between Investopia and Zero One Hundred, which recently established an office in Abu Dhabi. Investopia is a global investment platform that connects investors, startups, and policymakers through a series of events in the UAE and globally. The next flagship edition is scheduled for February 26–27, 2025, in Abu Dhabi.
Zero One Hundred will play a key role in the February event, bringing together entrepreneurs, investors, and government representatives from CEE, the Balkans, Greece, and Cyprus. The collaboration is expected to promote cross-border business opportunities and stimulate investment across regions.
In November 2025, Zero One Hundred will co-organize a satellite Investopia event in Hungary. The event will welcome high-ranking UAE officials, investors, and selected startups, further fostering connections between the two regions.
UAE’s interest in discovering CEE investment opportunities
Both parties aim to leverage the UAE’s rapid economic growth and innovation sector to attract global partnerships, foster economic collaboration, and create opportunities for investors and innovators in new economy sectors.
Dusan Duffek highlighted the partnership’s potential to connect ecosystems, stating:
“This partnership will bring unique opportunities for startups and investors from Central and Eastern Europe to connect with leading investors and business leaders from the UAE and other nations.”
The MoU underscores the UAE’s commitment to expanding its global innovation and investment networks while providing CEE startups and investors with new opportunities for growth. The collaboration is expected to support the development of strategic partnerships and foster long-term economic ties between the two regions.
