Geneva / Dubai, May 25, 2026 — The World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (WAIPA) has signed a partnership agreement with Lion Economics, the new brand of Wavteq, to deliver the WAIPA Strategic Investor Matchmaking Programme at the World Investment Conference (WIC) 2026, taking place in Geneva, Switzerland, in November 2026.
The new programme will provide participating investment promotion agencies (IPAs) and economic development organisations (EDOs) with structured, targeted investor meeting programmes linked to WIC Geneva 2026.
The initiative is designed to help IPAs and EDOs maximize their return on investment from attending the World Investment Conference through the facilitation of meetings with strategically relevant international investors from Switzerland and neighboring cross-border business regions.
Under the agreement, Lion Economics will coordinate directly with participating IPAs to provide onboarding, sector prioritisation, bespoke investor targeting, investor outreach, investor profiles, meeting itineraries, meeting logistics, and post-event investor support.
WAIPA will formally endorse and promote the programme to its members and wider IPA network, providing suitable space at the venue for confidential 1:1 meetings and integrating the matchmaking sessions into the main WIC Geneva program.
Participating IPAs can select either a 5-meeting or 10-meeting programme package. Meetings may take place during the designated WAIPA Strategic Investor Matchmaking Day at WIC Geneva, at an investor’s office in Switzerland or nearby target locations, virtually (where an investor is unavailable in person), or through other mutually agreed formats.
The programme offers preferential pricing for WAIPA member IPAs, with additional concessional rates (up to a 30% total discount) for WAIPA members from lower-middle-income and low-income countries based on World Bank classifications.
This structure is intended to make strategic investor targeting significantly more accessible to IPAs that may otherwise lack the resources to organize proactive independent investor roadshows or bespoke investor engagement campaigns.
Ismail Ersahin, Executive Director and CEO of WAIPA, commented:
“The partnership reflects WAIPA’s continued commitment to strengthening the value delivered to its members, while supporting more effective investment promotion and facilitation globally. The partnership builds on nearly two decades of collaboration with Dr. Henry Loewendahl. We are very excited to partner with Henry and his team at Lion Economics to ensure IPAs can take full advantage of attending the World Investment Conference and generate strong FDI opportunities.”
Dr. Henry Loewendahl, CEO of Lion Economics, said:
“We are delighted to partner with WAIPA to launch this strategic investor matchmaking programme at WIC Geneva 2026. IPAs exist to attract investment, but many agencies — especially from emerging and developing economies — due to limited resources to organize targeted investor roadshows and structured investor engagement. This partnership is designed to help close that gap by giving IPAs direct access to relevant international investors through a practical, cost-effective, and results-oriented programme.”
The WAIPA Strategic Investor Matchmaking Programme is open to an exclusive group of agencies on a first-come, first-served basis, with a recommended cap of 10 participating IPAs to ensure high-quality matchmaking and dedicated delivery capacity.
About WAIPA
The World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (WAIPA) is the global association of investment promotion agencies. Established in 1995, WAIPA supports IPAs through advocacy, knowledge sharing, capacity building, partnerships, and global events, including its flagship annual World Investment Conference.
About Lion Economics
Lion Economics, the new brand of Wavteq, is a global leader in foreign direct investment (FDI), trade, and economic development solutions. The company supports investment promotion agencies, economic development organisations, free trade zones, governments, and international organisations with investor targeting, lead generation, and investment facilitation. Lion Economics builds on Wavteq’s long-standing track record of supporting more than 200 economic development clients worldwide, helping facilitate over $50 billion of investment projects across various sectors and regions.
Media Contacts & Further Information:
WAIPA:
Andreas Hora
Deputy Executive Director
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.waipa.org
Lion Economics:
Tapan Sahni
Vice President, Business Development
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.lioneconomics.com