Global Founders Capital is a venture capital firm founded in 2013 and based in Berlin, Germany, with a focus on empowering entrepreneurs globally. The firm is stage agnostic, investing in companies across various sectors, including internet, software, fintech, e-commerce, and telecommunications. Global Founders Capital typically invests in the equity of young technology companies, with a preference for startups located in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, North Africa, Vietnam, Colombia, Europe, the United States, and China. Investment amounts range from €0.01 million to €10 million, with specific allocations varying by stage: seed investments typically between €0.1 million and €1 million, early-stage investments between €1 million and €3 million, and growth-stage investments between €3 million and €8 million. The firm often seeks to be the lead investor and aims to secure board representation in its portfolio companies.
Arbor Ventures is a venture capital firm that specializes in early-stage investments, primarily focusing on fintech, technology, big data, and digital commerce. Established in 2012 and headquartered in Sheung Wan, Hong Kong, with additional offices in Shanghai and Tokyo, the firm targets investments in East and Southeast Asia, particularly in markets such as China, Indonesia, and Singapore. Arbor Ventures typically invests between $3 million and $5 million, seeking to partner with entrepreneurs who possess a profound understanding of their markets and the determination to build successful companies. The firm emphasizes leveraging advanced technologies to transform financial services and aims to connect global strategic networks to enhance collaboration and growth opportunities for its portfolio companies.
Sanabil Investments is a Saudi Arabian investment firm established in 2008, focusing on both direct investments and fund of funds strategies. The firm diversifies its portfolio across various asset classes, including private equity, real assets, and venture capital. By pursuing a multi-faceted investment approach, Sanabil aims to enhance its capital base while supporting the growth of innovative companies and projects.
Saudi Aramco is the state-owned oil company of Saudi Arabia, established in 1933 and headquartered in Dhahran. It is the largest oil producer and exporter in the world, specializing in crude oil and natural gas liquids, and is a significant player in natural gas production. The company has expanded its operations to include refining and is increasingly involved in chemical production, moving further downstream in the energy sector. Saudi Aramco's substantial contributions to the global energy market and its strategic initiatives in diversification highlight its pivotal role in both the national and international economy.
Wamda Capital, founded in 2010 and headquartered in Dubai with an office in Jordan, is a prominent venture capital firm in the MENA region. Specializing in seed and growth-stage investments, the firm focuses on financial services, consumer goods, and technology sectors. With a strategic approach, Wamda Capital supports exceptional entrepreneurs in developing high-growth technology businesses, providing funding from the early stages through successive rounds of financing to eventual exit opportunities.
Aramco is a global energy company that provides a wide range of services to Saudi Aramco and its affiliates to ensure energy provision worldwide. With headquarters in The Hague and satellite offices in various countries, Aramco offers purchasing, logistics, engineering, IT, finance, legal, and HR services. Additionally, Aramco Overseas Company invests in start-ups with technologies strategically important to Saudi Aramco through its corporate venture capital arm, Saudi Aramco Energy Ventures. Operating from Dhahran and regional offices in North America and Europe, SAEV focuses on enhancing reserve identification, energy production, operational efficiency, downstream processes, and optimizing energy and water consumption in Saudi Arabia. Their investment areas include upstream oil & gas, downstream & petrochemicals, sustainability, digitalization, and new drivers of hydrocarbon demand.
AlTouq Group, established in the 1970s as a family office in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, specializes in private equity investments, focusing on growth equity, mezzanine finance, leverage buyouts, and distressed buyouts. The firm also invests in private equity funds and co-investments across Europe, North America, South America, and Asia. With a global revenue-generating asset base, AlTouq Group has evolved into a sophisticated local and international investor, offering investment advisory services to clients while exploring various traditional and alternative asset classes.
DAAL is a venture capital firm based in AL Khobar, Saudi Arabia, specializing in growth capital and emerging growth investments, particularly in Information Technology sectors such as Saas, IoT, AI, FinTech, and Big Data. Founded in 2017, DAAL aims to pioneer investment opportunities in the emerging technology sector within the GCC region and beyond. As an offshoot of Sumou Holdings, DAAL connects promising IT opportunities globally with world-class investors in Saudi Arabia, offering mentorship and business development insights to companies in the IT space. With a focus on bringing innovative companies to the GCC region, DAAL provides investors with unique high-growth opportunities within the IT sector, guiding the growth of emerging companies looking to expand into the Middle East and penetrate the Saudi market.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is an investment firm established in 1991 to support the development of private sectors in post-communist countries across Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia. As the largest single investor in the region, the EBRD has invested over €130 billion in more than 5,200 projects, focusing primarily on private enterprises while also engaging with publicly owned companies to facilitate privatization and improve municipal services. The firm invests in minority equity positions and participates in private equity funds that target medium-sized companies seeking expansion. EBRD's investment strategy emphasizes collaboration with commercial partners and mobilizes significant foreign direct investment, leveraging its relationships with regional governments to promote favorable business environments. The institution's mandate ensures its operations are confined to countries committed to democratic principles, and it adheres to strong corporate governance standards, including respect for environmental considerations in all its investments.
African Development Bank, established in 1964 and headquartered in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, operates as a multilateral development finance institution in Africa. The company provides loans, lines of credit, guarantees, risk management products, trade finance programs, and equity and quasi-equity products to fund development projects and programs, along with technical assistance for capacity-building. Additionally, African Development Bank offers concessional loans for both public and private sectors, focusing on policy advice and technical assistance to support Africa's development efforts in reducing poverty. As a leading development institution on the continent, it collaborates with national and international partners to promote investments in projects that contribute to economic and social progress within regional member states.