Cairo, Egypt: Egypt-based investment advisory platform Exits MENA has signed a multi-seven-figure transaction, alongside Avanz Capital Egypt’s existing local management, to acquire Avanz Capital Egypt (ACE), a private equity and asset management firm.
The transaction has received initial approval from Egypt’s Financial Regulatory Authority (FRA) and marks a significant step in Exits MENA’s strategy to build an integrated financial group serving investors, startups, SMEs and financial institutions across Egypt and the wider MENA region.
Following the acquisition, ACE will be rebranded as Exits Manara, the private capital and asset management subsidiary of Exits MENA.
ACE’s existing management team, led by Haytham Wagih, CEO and Managing Director, will remain in place and continue overseeing the firm’s operations and investment activities. The structure is intended to provide continuity for existing investors and clients while expanding the firm’s capacity to develop private capital opportunities.
“We are now better aligned through ownership participation. Our team remains in place and will continue to expand. Our investment process remains unchanged,” said Haytham Wagih, Managing Director and CEO of Avanz Capital Egypt.
He added that the transaction will strengthen the firm’s ability to grow and retain key talent, while providing access to Exits MENA’s broader regional platform.
Founded in 2022 by Mohamed Abuelnaga Nagaty, Ayman El Tanbouly and Ahella El Saban, Exits MENA provides M&A, fundraising, investment-readiness and advisory services to startups and SMEs.
The company has expanded its footprint across more than seven global markets and has established more than 75 global partnerships. It has also launched three investment-readiness programmes and supported more than 2,000 businesses across the region.
“This acquisition marks a defining step in Exits MENA’s journey to build an integrated financial group serving the region,” the company’s founding team said.
The founders said the acquisition responds to the need for a more connected pathway between investment readiness, advisory services and access to capital, adding that the integration of private equity and asset management capabilities will strengthen the platform for founders, SMEs, investors and institutional partners.
Under the new structure, Exits Manara will continue managing Manara 1, the existing fund of funds focused on SMEs. The company also plans to launch Manara 2 for Export Investments, a new investment vehicle targeting mid-sized Egyptian exporters seeking to expand into international markets.
Exits MENA said the expanded platform will combine advisory, private equity and asset management capabilities under one group while maintaining separation between advisory mandates and investment decision-making to support governance, independence and alignment with investors’ interests.
The acquisition comes as SMEs and high-growth businesses across the MENA region continue to face significant financing challenges. According to the World Bank, SMEs in the region receive approximately 8% of total bank credit, compared with 22% in high-income economies, while CGAP estimates the Arab world’s SME finance gap at around $123 billion.
The acquisition is expected to strengthen Exits MENA’s position in Egypt’s private capital market while expanding access to investment opportunities and supporting the growth and internationalisation of SMEs across the region.
