Tamim El Zein is a co-founder and General Partner at Seedstars Africa Ventures, an early-stage venture capital fund leading pre-Series A and Series A investment rounds across sub-Saharan Africa. The fund is backed by leading institutional investors like the African Development Bank and the European Investment Bank and anchored by French Private Equity firm LBO France. An entrepreneur at heart, Tamim has been on both sides of the table throughout his career. Before co-founding Seedstars Africa Ventures, he was himself an entrepreneur in Africa, experiencing firsthand the operational and financial challenges facing founders on the continent. He previously served as COO of a high-growth tech startup in Europe, where he gained deep insights into scaling technology businesses. His entrepreneurial background shapes his investment philosophy, emphasizing hands-on operational support alongside capital. Tamim began his career as a strategy consultant specializing in innovation and telecommunications across the Middle East and Africa region. He later joined the strategy team of a world-leading company in B2B payment solutions, authentication, and identity services, where he led VC and M&A deals as an investor, gaining expertise in fintech infrastructure and cross-border transactions. Bilingual in French and English, Tamim is particularly active on bridging the funding gap in francophone Africa. He serves as a regular mentor with leading programs and is a sought-after speaker at major industry forums.