VC
News
+2
Feb 8, 2026
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2 min read
MASNA Ventures launches Saudi Arabia’s first defence-focused VC fund, targets $100M
MASNA plans to complete around 10 investments, initially focusing on drone and counter-drone systems, precision-guided munitions, and AI-enabled defence technologies.
Funding
+4
Feb 2, 2026
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3 min read
Shorooq launches $200m late-stage growth fund backed by QIA
The fund is backed by Qatar Investment Authority alongside other sovereign and institutional investors from the GCC and Asia, with the launch announced at Web Summit Qatar.
News
+2
Feb 2, 2026
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4 min read
Qatar's fund-of-funds backs five new global VC firms
The funds are Greycroft, Ion Pacific, Liberty City Ventures, Shorooq, and Speedinvest, all of which are establishing offices in Doha, QIA said in a statement.
News
+2
Feb 2, 2026
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3 min read
Qatar to double venture fund-of-funds to $2B, unveils 10-year residency for founders
The expansion builds on Qatar’s existing $1 billion Fund of Funds, launched in February 2024 to attract international venture firms to Doha and channel capital into local and regional startups.
Startups
+3
Jan 14, 2026
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19 min read
MENA tech predictions for 2026
Why the IPO dam is finally about to break, the rise of "agentic" AI in the boring back-office, and why the Gulf’s next sovereign race could be all about longevity.
Startups
+3
Jan 9, 2026
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2 min read
MEVP’s annual letter discloses a number of unannounced funding rounds, including for Stake, Ziina, and MealPlanet
In 2025, MEVP deployed $18.1 million across eight new investments and two follow-on rounds.
Jordan
+3
Nov 26, 2025
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2 min read
Propeller launches $50M Fund III to back AI infrastructure and AI-native software across US and MENA
Founded in 2017 by Zaid Farekh and Tambi Jalouqa, Propeller operates across Amman, Riyadh, Boston, and Silicon Valley, positioning itself as a bridge between MENA AI builders and US growth markets.
Startups
+3
Nov 11, 2025
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2 min read
Irish firm Quintas Capital invests $18 million in UAE e-commerce business Petal Group
The deal marks Quintas Capital’s first managed equity investment as it eyes cross-border growth across the Irish–Middle Eastern corridor.
Startups
+3
Nov 7, 2025
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2 min read
Saudi VC firm SVC eyes $3 billion target by 2030 as over a dozen portfolio companies prepare IPOs
SVC Chief Executive Nabeel Koshak revealed that more than 13 of the companies in its portfolio have begun preparations for an initial public offering on the sidelines of the Private Capital Forum in Riyadh.
News
+2
Oct 21, 2025
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2 min read
Crescent Enterprises launches $68M investment programme to scale CE-Creates venture studio
The move comes alongside the appointment of Rakhil Fernando as Head of CE-Creates, signalling a more aggressive build-out of the platform.
News
+2
Oct 15, 2025
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2 min read
Investcorp closes $750M Golden Horizon Fund with CIC to target GCC-China growth
The fund will focus on sectors including consumer, healthcare, logistics, and business services. It targets established companies with scale and maturity, with a clear path to IPOs or strategic exits within three to five years.
News
+2
Sep 29, 2025
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2 min read
BECO Capital closes $370M across two funds to back Gulf founders from pre-seed to IPO
The raise includes $120 million for BECO Fund IV, the firm’s fourth early-stage vehicle, and a $250 million Growth Fund targeting companies from Series B to pre-IPO.
Startups
+2
Sep 29, 2025
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3 min read
MENA's top founders head to London as Key Capital builds cross-border investor bridge
The event builds on two earlier editions, which facilitated more than 200 meetings between 30+ global investors and 40 MENA startups in 2024.
News
+1
Sep 26, 2025
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2 min read
PayPal to deploy $100M in MENA and Africa through ventures, acquisitions, and tech rollouts
The announcement follows the launch of its first regional hub in Dubai earlier this year, set up to provide businesses with seamless payments, enhanced security, and access to global markets.
Startups
+4
Sep 23, 2025
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2 min read
Presight and Shorooq launch $100M global AI fund to accelerate innovation
The vehicle will target AI and analytics startups across multiple stages, with an investment focus spanning smart cities, energy, fintech, AI/ML, AR/VR, gaming, Industry 4.0, and deep tech.
Startups
+3
Sep 8, 2025
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2 min read
anb Capital and Lexham Partners launch $200M growth fund targeting MENA tech startups
The vehicle will back firms at the growth and pre-IPO stage through a mix of equity and secondary transactions, prioritising businesses with scalable platforms and alignment to Saudi Vision 2030’s digital transformation agenda.
SWFs
+5
Sep 3, 2025
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3 min read
Qatar’s QIA backs Anthropic’s record $13B round at $183B valuation
The raise, led by Iconiq Capital with co-leads Fidelity Management & Research Company and Lightspeed Venture Partners, nearly triples Anthropic’s valuation from just six months ago.
SWFs
+5
Aug 28, 2025
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3 min read
Mistral eyes $1B raise as Gulf ties deepen with Sanabil, Damac, and potential backing from Mubadala, MGX, and PIF
The startup’s current Gulf investors include Saudi Arabia’s Sanabil and UAE’s Damac, with reported talks underway with Mubadala, Abu Dhabi’s new AI investment vehicle MGX, and potentially Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF).
News
+2
Aug 26, 2025
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2 min read
VC React Podcast (Episode #48)
This week on VC React, we unpack Robinhood’s push into the GCC, ask whether global unicorns upend MENA’s copycat playbook or force founders to compete head-on, dissect Impact46’s gaming spree, probe Merak’s full-stack capital model, and debate whether Saudi developers should lead with local stories or go global first.
