The Middle East's venture capital (VC) landscape is thriving, with several firms making significant investments across diverse sectors. Identifying this region's most active VC players offers valuable insights into emerging trends and promising industries.

This article explores the 20 most active VC firms in the Middle East, highlighting their investment strategies, leadership, and notable portfolio companies. Understanding these key players provides a snapshot of the region's dynamic entrepreneurial environment.

Flat6Labs

• 🏦 HQ: Egypt

• 👨‍💻👩‍💻 Leadership: Hany Al Sonbaty, Ahmed El Alfi, and Ramez El-Serafy

• 💸 Average Investment Ticket: $50K to $500k

• 🔢 Number of Investments: 250-300

• 💰️ Number of Exits: 0-10

• 👜 Notable Portfolio companies: Dharma, iStoria

FasterCapital

• 🏦 HQ: United Arab Emirates

• 🎯 Target Sectors: Energy, Real Estate, Manufacturing, and Entertainment

• 👨‍💻👩‍💻 Leadership: Hesham Zreik

• 💵 Capital Invested: >$563M

• 🔢 Number of Investments: 200-250

• 💰️ Number of Exits: 1-10

VentureSouq

• 🏦 HQ: United Arab Emirates

• 🎯 Target Sectors: FinTech and ClimateTech

• 👨‍💻👩‍💻 Leadership: Suneel Gokhale, Sonia Weymuller, Sonia Gokhale, and Tammer Qaddumi

• 🔢 Number of Investments: 150-200

• 💰️ Number of Exits: 1-10

• 👜 Notable Portfolio companies: Andela, Baraka, Huspy

Oasis500

• 🏦 HQ: Jordan

• 🎯 Target Sectors: ICT

• 👨‍💻👩‍💻 Leadership: Luma Fawaz and Amineh Dabbas

• 🔢 Number of Investments: 150-200

• 💰️ Number of Exits: 1-10

• 👜 Notable Portfolio companies: Capifly

Shorooq Partners

• 🏦 HQ: United Arab Emirates

• 🎯 Target Sectors: Fintech, Software, Platforms, and Frontier Tech

• 👨‍💻👩‍💻 Leadership: Mahmoud Adi, Shane Shin

• 💵 Revenue Generated: $400M

• 🔢 Number of Investments: 100-150

• 💰️Number of Exits: 1-10

• 👜 Notable Portfolio companies: Tamara, Trukker, Lean Technologies, Pure Harvest

Wamda Capital

• 🏦 HQ: United Arab Emirates

• 🎯 Target Sectors: Fintech, Education, Consumer, Real Estate, and more.

• 👨‍💻👩‍💻 Leadership: Fadi Ghandour, Fares Ghandour

• 🔢 Number of Investments: 100-150

• 💰️ Number of Exits: 1-10

• 👜 Notable Portfolio companies: Tabby, Hala, Moove, Clara

Vision Ventures

• 🏦 HQ: United Arab Emirates

• 🎯 Target Sectors: Sector Agnostic

• 👨‍💻👩‍💻 Leadership: Kais Al-Essa, Haitham Bu-Aisha, Mohamed Al-Amad

• 🔢 Number of Investments: 50-100

• 💰️ Number of Exits: 1-10

• 👜 Notable Portfolio companies: Tamara, Foodics, Salla

KAUST Innovation Fund

• 🏦 HQ: Saudi Arabia

• 🎯 Target Sectors: Deep Tech

• 👨‍💻👩‍💻 Leadership: Dr. Ian W. Campbell

• 🔢 Number of Investments: 50-100

• 👜 Notable Portfolio companies: Red Sea Farms, Natufia

Middle East Venture Partners

• 🏦 HQ: United Arab Emirates

• 🎯 Target Sectors: E-commerce Marketplaces, Mobility, New Media, Enterprise, SaaS, BaaS, IoT, E-education, E-health, Others

• 👨‍💻👩‍💻 Leadership: Ali Almajthoob, Ankit Sarwahi, Sarrah Aljuaid

• 🔢 Number of Investments: 50-100

• 💰️ Number of Exits: 1-10

• 👜 Notable Portfolio companies: Anghami, Hala, Nana

Global Ventures

• 🏦 HQ: United Arab Emirates

• 🎯 Target Sectors: Web3, Mobility & Logistics, Infotech, Future of Work, E-commerce, Agritech, Fintech, Digital Health, Edtech, Food-tech, Insurtech, and Cyber Security

• 👨‍💻👩‍💻 Leadership: Noor Sweid

• 🔢 Number of Investments: 50-100

• 💰️ Number of Exits: 1-10

• 👜 Notable Portfolio companies: Tabby, Lean, Thndr

Beco Capital

• 🏦 HQ: United Arab Emirates

• 🎯 Target Sectors: Consumer, Enterprise, Fintech, healthcare, Web3

• 👨‍💻👩‍💻 Leadership: Dany Farha, Yousef Hammad,

• 🔢 Number of Investments: 50-100

• 💰️ Number of Exits: 1-10

• 👜 Notable Portfolio companies: Careem, Ajar, Bayzat, RemotePass, NasAcademy, MaxAb

Raed Ventures

• 🏦 HQ: Saudi Arabia

• 🎯 Target Sectors: FinTech, E-commerce, Logistics, EdTech, Digital Health, Enterprise Solutions, Entertainment, RetailTech, AI/ML

• 👨‍💻👩‍💻 Leadership: Omar Almajdouie, Saed Nashef, Talal Alasmari

• 🔢 Number of Investments: 50-100

• 💰️ Number of Exits: 1-10

• 👜 Notable Portfolio companies: Tabby, Sary, Foodics, Salla, Lean, Bayzat

Waed Ventures

• 🏦 HQ: Saudi Arabia

• 🎯 Target Sectors: Sector Agnostic

• 👨‍💻👩‍💻 Leadership: Fahad Alidi

• 🔢 Number of Investments: 10-50

• 👜 Notable Portfolio companies: COFE, Pasqal, Rewaa, Zid, Manafa, Wahed

Arzan Venture Capital

• 🏦 HQ: Kuwait

• 🎯 Target Sectors: Sector Agnostic

• 👨‍💻👩‍💻 Leadership: Hasan J. Zainal

• 🔢 Number of Investments: 10-50

• 💰️ Number of Exits: 1-10

• 👜 Notable Portfolio companies: Careem, Hala, Zid

Oman Technology Fund

• 🏦 HQ: Oman

• 🎯 Target Sectors: Sector Agnostic

• 👨‍💻👩‍💻 Leadership: Anurag Agarwal

• 🔢 Number of Investments: 10-50

• 💰️ Number of Exits: 1-10

STV

• 🏦 HQ: Saudi Arabia

• 🎯 Target Sectors: Sector Agnostic

• 👨‍💻👩‍💻 Leadership: Abdulrahman Tarabzouni

• 🔢 Number of Investments: 10-50

• 💰️ Number of Exits: 1-10

• 👜 Notable Portfolio companies: Careem, Tabby, Sary, Foodics, Noon, Unifonic, Nana, Salla

TURN8

• 🏦 HQ: United Arab Emirates

• 🎯 Target Sectors: Sector Agnostic

• 👨‍💻👩‍💻 Leadership: Kamal Hassan, Yousif Al Mutawa

• 🔢 Number of Investments: 10-50

• 💰️ Number of Exits: 1-10

• 👜 Notable Portfolio companies: AirGo Design, Next

Prosperity7 Ventures

• 🏦 HQ: Saudi Arabia

• 🎯 Target Sectors: Sector Agnostic

• 👨‍💻👩‍💻 Leadership: Aysar Tayeb

• 🔢 Number of Investments: 10-50

• 💰️ Number of Exits: 1-10

• 👜 Notable Portfolio companies: Taulia, Rain Neuromorphics

Impact46

• 🏦 HQ: Saudi Arabia

• 🎯 Target Sectors: Sector Agnostic

• 👨‍💻👩‍💻 Leadership: Abdulaziz Alomran

• 🔢 Number of Investments: 10-50

• 💰️ Number of Exits: 1-10

• 👜 Notable Portfolio companies: Almatar, Floward, Nana, Jahez, Lendo, Tamara, Zid

Globivest

• 🏦 HQ: Lebanon

• 🎯 Target Sectors: Sector Agnostic

• 👨‍💻👩‍💻 Leadership: Jasmine Busson

• 🔢 Number of Investments: 10-50

• 💰️ Number of Exits: 1-10

• 👜 Notable Portfolio companies: Flash, Kwara

The VC scene in the Middle East is rapidly evolving, driven by these 20 influential firms actively supporting innovation and entrepreneurship. Their investments and strategic guidance are pivotal in shaping the startup ecosystem across various sectors. As this ecosystem continues to mature, collaboration between VC firms and startups will fuel further growth and establish the region as a prominent hub for innovation on a global scale.