Actor, screenwriter, filmmaker and entrepreneur R Madhavan is adding two more roles to his already diverse career: host and mentor. His startup investment series, Game Changers, is set to go on air soon, and Madhavan took to Instagram to announce the news. He also pointed out that the UAE, where he relocated to during the pandemic, is “the best place” for budding entrepreneurs to experiment.

Madhavan announces Game Changers Middle East

“People ask me what Game Changers is all about. It’s about entrepreneurship. It’s about investment. But more than anything, it’s about discovering people with courage, who believe in changing themselves and believe in changing society around them,” said Madhavan in a video on his Instagram handle.

He added that one should believe deeply in one’s ideas, but even more in the “ability to grow, change, and adapt yourselves to the challenges.”

Madhavan further said, “I hope the investors find a younger version of themselves. I hope they get to see another dream that they wish to pursue with the same missionary zeal as they did when they started off their journey, and the excitement comes back into their lives.”

The actor also hailed his new home, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), as “the greatest place for Game Changers” and the “greatest place to experiment.”

“Because if it works in the UAE, it’ll work everywhere,” claimed Madhavan. He also added that the hunt for the “next generation of game-changing entrepreneurs” won’t be limited to only the Middle East, but will extend to the entire globe.

What is Game Changers?

The Gamechangers Middle East is a UAE-born startup platform. It has received an overwhelming response of 2,000 founder applications, reflecting the growing ambition of entrepreneurs across the UAE. Designed to go beyond television, the series brings together a circle of influence — an elite panel of entrepreneurs, investors, industry leaders and ecosystem builders to spotlight and support the next generation of regional and global success stories.

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From the applications received, a select group of 70 high-potential startups will progress to pitch before a distinguished panel of investors and industry leaders in a televised format, broadcast across TV and streaming platforms, for the chance to secure backing and accelerate their growth in one of the world’s most dynamic business environments.

When Madhavan moved to Dubai

Madhavan relocated to Dubai from his hometown of Chennai, along with his family, during the pandemic, primarily to support his son Vedaant’s dream of becoming a professional swimmer. Since Vedaant was in the most crucial growth spurt phase of his life during the pandemic when swimming pools in India were not operational, Madhavan’s wife Sarita decided overnight to move to Dubai, where the national swimming team was rehearsing. Since then, Madhavan and his family have settled in the country, as he continues to travel to India for work commitments.