If you’re in search of the best place to meet investors, you may have to travel quite far. That’s definitely true if you’re following the advice of “Shark Tank” investor and entrepreneur Kevin O’Leary.
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According to O’Leary, one of the best places to meet investors is far away from New York or California. In fact, it’s not even within the confines of the U.S.
Consider Abu Dhabi
On YouTube, O’Leary asked the question: Where’s a better place to meet investors — Silicon Valley or Abu Dhabi? His answer was Abu Dhabi.
“Abu Dhabi is the melting pot of the world right now in the hottest sector of technology — artificial intelligence,” O’Leary said. “And one of the reasons is they have power. They’re able to build data centers with nuclear power, and they’ve done exactly that.”
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Explore the Power
O’Leary went on to say they’re expanding quickly, pointing out that power is everything (referring to the fact that Abu Dhabi has oil, gas and nuclear power).
“Very hard to find that all together in the U.S. anywhere, including Silicon Valley,” according to the “Shark Tank” investor. O’Leary said they’re building what Silicon Valley can’t, which he noted is key for the future of innovation.
You may know from having watched O’Leary on television or followed him on social media that he’s very into funding innovation and finding other investors who want to do the same. That’s one of the top reasons he said you need to be in Abu Dhabi and meeting investors who are focused on future developments.
According to O’Leary: “Abu Dhabi is the Capital of Capital in the fastest-growing region, with some of the best minds in the world. They will drink innovation for years to come and I want to be a part of it.”
Specifically, O’Leary pointed to Abu Dhabi’s digital currency exchange, work with artificial intelligence and policies that support investors and innovation. O’Leary advised those seeking to invest in innovation that they keep growth in minds, and looking for opportunities and locations that are growing fast and offer options to expand your money.
In addition, O’Leary talked on LinkedIn about his decision to become an Emirati citizen. He said he sees growth potential in Abu Dhabi over the next ten years, and wants to be a part of it.
Lean Into Entrepreneurship
During an event at the University of North Dakota, O’Leary gave students advice on how to succeed as an entrepreneur. He told them being trustworthy and authentic are essential keys to success, and advised students to always be themselves and use their true personalities to build businesses and personal brands.
O’Leary also shared these three tips for future entrepreneurs:
- Respect the power you have with social media and how it can build or hurt your brand (sometimes very quickly).
- Separate the signal from the noise by focusing on the pertinent information and not being bogged down by all kinds of details.
- Don’t become an entrepreneur because of greed. Otherwise, you might not be willing to put forth the persistence, hard work and passion needed to grow your money.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: The Best Place To Meet Investors, According to Kevin O’Leary — and Why You Need To
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