BoCG Ventures and Bin Dasmal Group Build Innovation Bridge Between Los Angeles and Dubai
The two firms unite to create a cross-border innovation hub across real estate, fintech, entertainment, and sports, launching transformative ventures between the U.S. and UAE.
Key Highlights:
- BoCG Ventures and Bin Dasmal Group sign MOU to create a U.S.–UAE innovation corridor.
- Sansbank, a U.S.-based blockchain fintech firm, to enter the Dubai market.
- Focus sectors include real estate, proptech, alternative lending, sports-tech, and entertainment.
- Partnership emphasizes youth, community, and creative sector development.
- Shared vision for building an “experience-driven economy” in the Middle East.
Strategic Corridor to Bridge LA and Dubai in Fintech, Sports, and Real Estate
In a major move signaling stronger ties between the innovation ecosystems of the U.S. and the UAE, BoCG Ventures, a global venture operating and investment firm, has joined forces with Bin Dasmal Group, one of Dubai’s most established industrial conglomerates, to establish a cross-border strategic alliance. Announced on July 16, the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) sets the groundwork for a powerful corridor connecting Los Angeles and Dubai, centered around real estate, fintech, proptech, sports entertainment, and immersive technology.
At the heart of this partnership lies BoCG Ventures’ Venture Operating Model (VOM)—a proprietary growth platform designed to scale emerging companies into market leaders. The firm will now apply this model to ventures in the UAE, particularly in Dubai, which BoCG Ventures Managing General Partner Chris M.G. Ha called “a dynamic gateway for innovation.”
“This partnership aligns with our mission to scale antifragile ventures by combining execution rigor with global reach,” Ha noted. “By connecting our ecosystem with regional leadership like Bin Dasmal Group, we’re enabling an actionable corridor between Los Angeles and Dubai that accelerates opportunity in both directions.”
Bringing Sansbank to the Middle East
One of the key highlights of the collaboration is the introduction of Sansbank, a U.S.-based blockchain fintech platform. The firm specializes in non-dilutive, asset-backed lending, particularly for SMEs and infrastructure projects—offering an alternative to traditional financing models and unlocking the potential of the $2 trillion recurring revenue asset class.
This move is part of a broader goal to empower local markets with future-focused fintech tools. Through AI, smart contracts, and transparent governance, Sansbank aims to expand private credit access while boosting the financial backbone of local ventures.
Strengthening Youth, Community, and Culture Through Tech
Beyond finance, the MOU paves the way for collaboration across sports-tech, audience engagement platforms, and immersive entertainment. The groups plan to work with local venues and talent in Dubai, enhancing both physical infrastructure and the broader creative economy.
Salem Bin Dasmal, Executive Vice Chairman of Bin Dasmal Group, called the alliance “an engine for cross-border transformation,” underscoring their interest in scalable solutions that merge property development, financial services, and community engagement. “Our strength in infrastructure and local sports, paired with BoCG’s operational expertise, sets the foundation for a truly impactful transformation,” he added.
A Shared Vision for an Experience-Driven Economy
From youth development to health education and international cultural exchanges, both organizations envision a future shaped by technology and collaboration. Lyon Kassab, LA-based Managing General Partner at BoCG Ventures, emphasized the importance of aligning real estate and entertainment platforms to “go beyond venues and shape ecosystems where youth engagement, fan culture, and digital innovation can co-exist.”
About the Partners
- BoCG Ventures is the manager of the Antifragile Fund I, an $80 million fund targeting high-growth, technology-first ventures across fintech, real estate, Web3, and media.
- Sansbank, one of its key portfolio firms, specializes in blockchain-based lending models aimed at empowering underbanked sectors.
- Bin Dasmal Group, a diversified UAE-based enterprise, brings deep expertise in HVAC, industrials, and infrastructure. Through its investment arm Tricap, it plays an active role in shaping the UAE’s economic landscape.
The partnership signals a growing trend of East-West innovation convergence, with Dubai emerging as a testing ground for U.S.-driven technologies and platforms. Both parties have also emphasized their commitment to youth empowerment, community development, and nurturing creative economies through localized global initiatives.
