Coverage: Middle East VCs 2025, pre-seed VC firms MENA, seed funding Middle East, early-stage investors UAE, Series A investors Saudi Arabia, GCC venture capital firms, best MENA VCs
🌍 Introduction: Why the Middle East Is a Hotbed for Early-Stage Funding in 2025
The Middle East has evolved into one of the most dynamic early-stage investment hubs globally. With countries like Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain heavily investing in entrepreneurship as part of their economic transformation strategies (e.g., Vision 2030), there’s never been a better time for founders to raise funding across pre-seed to Series A in the region.
Whether you’re a SaaS founder in Dubai, a fintech innovator in Riyadh, or building a D2C brand from Cairo or Doha — this list of 15 active VCs in the Middle East will help you discover the right partners for your fundraising journey.
🏆 1. Shorooq Partners
HQ: Abu Dhabi, Riyadh
Stage: Pre-seed to Series A
Focus: Fintech, SaaS, DevTools
Why They Stand Out: Their “Bedaya” program supports founders from MVP to institutional funding.
🚀 2. BECO Capital
HQ: Dubai
Stage: Seed to Series A
Focus: Consumer, SaaS, marketplaces
Why They Stand Out: One of the most respected VCs in MENA, early backers of Careem, Kitopi, and more.
🌐 3. Wamda Capital
HQ: UAE
Stage: Seed and early Series A
Focus: Healthtech, logistics, marketplaces
Why They Stand Out: Led by Fadi Ghandour, with deep founder support and cross-regional reach.
💼 4. Flat6Labs
HQ: Cairo, Manama, Jeddah
Stage: Pre-seed and seed
Focus: Tech, edtech, B2C
Why They Stand Out: Regional accelerator and VC hybrid that offers funding and hands-on support.
📊 5. Outliers Venture Capital
HQ: Riyadh, Dubai, San Francisco
Stage: Seed to Series A
Focus: Fintech, SaaS, marketplace infra
Why They Stand Out: Global-local advantage, operator-first fund with a bridge to Silicon Valley.
🔍 6. VentureSouq
HQ: Dubai, Riyadh
Stage: Pre-seed to Seed
Focus: Climate tech, crypto, digital infra
Why They Stand Out: Early champions of sustainability and decentralized platforms in MENA.
🏛️ 7. Raed Ventures
HQ: Riyadh
Stage: Seed and Series A
Focus: SaaS, logistics, commerce
Why They Stand Out: KSA’s most consistent early-stage VC; backed Foodics, Sary, and Nana.
🌱 8. Arzan Venture Capital
HQ: Kuwait
Stage: Pre-seed to Seed
Focus: SaaS, healthtech, edtech
Why They Stand Out: Supports founders in GCC, North Africa, and Pakistan — with fast decision-making.
🔬 9. Khwarizmi Ventures
HQ: Riyadh
Stage: Pre-seed and Seed
Focus: B2B SaaS, fintech
Why They Stand Out: Emerging as a new-age VC betting on operator founders across the region.
🧠 10. Nama Ventures
HQ: Saudi Arabia
Stage: Pre-seed
Focus: Tech, B2B, marketplaces
Why They Stand Out: Thesis-driven firm investing in product-stage startups with clear early traction.
🏗️ 11. Faith Capital
HQ: Kuwait
Stage: Seed to Series A
Focus: Consumer, marketplaces
Why They Stand Out: Known for founder support and long-term partnership approach in the GCC.
🔧 12. Plus Venture Capital (+VC)
HQ: Bahrain
Stage: Pre-seed, seed
Focus: Agnostic – tech-focused
Why They Stand Out: Active across 12 countries in MENA, supporting over 180 startups since inception.
🌎 13. Global Ventures
HQ: UAE
Stage: Series A
Focus: Fintech, healthtech, enterprise tech
Why They Stand Out: Data-first firm with significant investments in Africa–MENA crossover startups.
🧪 14. Modus Capital
HQ: UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt
Stage: Pre-seed to Series A
Focus: Tech, AI, platform plays
Why They Stand Out: Offers startup studio + VC funding hybrid, helping founders build from scratch.
🏢 15. Riyadh Valley Company (RVC)
HQ: Saudi Arabia
Stage: Seed, Series A
Focus: Deeptech, AI, university spinouts
Why They Stand Out: The investment arm of King Saud University, with a focus on academic IP and R&D.
📈 Trends Among Early-Stage VCs in MENA (2025)
1. Sector specialization is increasing
Climate, fintech, and AI-focused funds are on the rise.
2. More operator-led VCs
Ex-founders and tech execs are launching micro-VCs to back the next generation.
3. Cross-border strategies
Many firms are co-investing across UAE, KSA, Egypt, and Africa.
4. Faster deal velocity
Pre-seed rounds are closing faster—especially when traction or team is strong.
🧭 How to Get Noticed by These VCs
- Referrals: Get intros from portfolio founders or accelerator partners
- Cold Emails: Personalize with traction, metrics, and a crisp deck
- Founder Events: Join Techstars Riyadh, Flat6Labs, Hub71, Gitex Future Stars
- Pitch Competitions: Many of these VCs attend local demo days
📑 Email Template to Reach Out to MENA VCs
Subject: Pre-seed Fintech Startup in UAE – 25% MoM Growth – Raising $500K
Hi [Investor Name],
I’m [Your Name], co-founder of [Startup], a UAE-based platform solving [Problem]. We’ve onboarded 1,200+ users in 3 months and growing 25% MoM.
We’re raising a $500K pre-seed round to scale product and GTM. Attaching a short deck here.
Let me know if we could schedule a 20-minute chat.
Thanks,
[Your Name]
[LinkedIn | Deck Link | Calendly]
💡 Final Thoughts: The Time to Raise Is Now
Early-stage capital in the Middle East has never been more founder-friendly. With a maturing ecosystem, rising fund sizes, and more ex-operators becoming investors, the 2025 fundraising landscape is vibrant and growing.
Use this list of 15 active VCs in MENA as your first step to raising smart capital from partners who truly understand your region and sector.
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