Matt Higgins Joins 'Shark Tank Dubai' for Season 2 as Guest Shark, Becoming the Only Shark to Appear on Both U.S. and Dubai Versions of "Shark Tank" Franchise

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Oct 29, 2024, 12:00 ET

Matt Higgins brings his entrepreneurial expertise to the UAE, joining an elite lineup of investors on the second season of "Shark Tank Dubai".

NEW YORK, Oct. 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Matt Higgins, CEO and Co-Founder of RSE Ventures, has officially joined the second season of "Shark Tank Dubai" as a Guest Shark. He will be competing for deals with notable UAE investors, including Faisal Belhoul, Amira Sajwani, Elie Khouri, and Adel Sajan.

"It's so exciting to be back in the tank, albeit halfway across the world!" says Higgins. "Shark Tank provides such an incredible opportunity to meet entrepreneurs from all walks of life. Some of our portfolio companies at RSE, such as Magnolia Bakery, have already launched in the region because of their ability to stay on the cutting edge of consumer brands all over the UAE and GCC."

As Co-Founder of RSE Ventures, Higgins built a multi-billion-dollar investment portfolio of over 100 leading brands and scaled unicorns across sports and entertainment, media and marketing, consumer, and technology industries. Alongside Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, he has helped grow and scale brands like Magnolia Bakery, Resy, Performance Drone Works, and Relevent Sports. In addition to his investment work, Higgins is an Executive Fellow at the Harvard Business School where he co-teaches the leading course on direct-to-consumer brands, "Moving Beyond Direct-to-Consumer." He is also the author of Wall Street Journal bestseller, Burn the Boats.

"We were thrilled to have Matt Higgins join "Shark Tank Dubai" Season 2. Matt brings an international perspective as an American investor and understands what it takes for a business to succeed not only in Dubai, but globally. Being a self-made founder and investor, Matt relates to the entrepreneurs that come into the tank and helps them take their venture to the next level," says Sarah Al Jarman, Senior Vice President - TV & Radio Channels at Dubai Media Inc (DMI).

Higgins first starred as a recurring Shark on the Emmy Award-winning U.S. version of ABC's Shark Tank, appearing on Seasons 10 and 11 and later hosted CNBC's Business Hunters. With his debut on "Shark Tank Dubai", he becomes the first Shark to participate in both the U.S. and Dubai version of the show's ever-expanding global franchise.

When asked why he chose to join "Shark Tank Dubai", Higgins explains: "Why Dubai? I've been to UAE many times over the last two years - we have several Magnolia Bakeries there and I own property in Abu Dhabi. Unless you've visited, it's hard to convey the contagious energy I see on the ground. The entire country has the feeling of a giant lab, especially Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and they have built such an exceptional ecosystem of innovation. Technological experimentation is everywhere you turn. But more importantly than gadgets and flying taxis, it's the nurturing of the entrepreneurial dream that is birthing a new generation of founders. So it just makes sense that Shark Tank would find a home and a growing audience in Dubai."

Higgins brings a unique perspective to Shark Tank shaped by his upbringing where at the age of 10, he sold flowers on street corners in Queens, New York and learned firsthand the value of becoming a self-starter after growing up in abject poverty. After dropping out of high school at 16, Higgins earned his GED, attended Queens College, and would later receive a J.D. from Fordham Law, before building a career that scaled the heights of several industries. At the age of 26, Higgins became the youngest Press Secretary for the Mayor of New York, overseeing the response to the attacks of September 11th, 2001. He received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, joining the ranks of seven former U.S. presidents, Nobel Prize winners and other leaders for work to improve society. In 2021, Higgins had a private audience with Pope Francis at the Vatican to discuss human rights and solidarity with the world's poor.

"What was different from Hollywood? Well, the Sharks on "Shark Tank Dubai" are a bit less sharky, and actually wait their turn!" says Higgins. "That was a welcome change from shouting over Mr. Wonderful. And other than the fact that half the show is in Arabic, "Shark Tank Dubai" is exactly what you come to expect from the greatest business show in the world."

For more information on Matt Higgins and "Shark Tank Dubai", please contact: [email protected]

SOURCE RSE Ventures