Business · Companies · 3 hrs ago
500 Global expects Saudi share of its investments to exceed 40%
500 Global expects its Saudi investments to exceed 40% of its total portfolio, according to the firm’s regional managing partner, Amal Dokhan.
Saudi Arabia already accounts for 40% of the portfolio, and more Gulf startups are moving there.
The firm sees a large market and investment opportunities as reasons for the shift.
Fintech remains a major draw for venture capital, with health technology, insurance, governance and compliance also attracting interest.
AI is changing how investors assess startups, with more attention to founders’ experience and how efficiently they use funding as products become faster to develop and test.
Early-stage and growing Saudi startups have limited financing choices, while some cannot get bank loans because they lack financial statements.
Private credit offers another option for companies with commercial contracts, but Dokhan says the market needs more financing tools to fill gaps between growth stages.
500 Global expects Saudi Arabia’s share of its investment portfolio to rise above its current 40%, according to managing partner Amal Dokhan.
She said the shift is being driven by Gulf startups relocating to Saudi Arabia, attracted by the size of its market and available investment opportunities.
Financial technology remains a major draw for venture capital, while health technology, insurance, governance and compliance are also seeing growing opportunities.
Dokhan said artificial intelligence has sped up product development and testing, prompting investors to scrutinise founders’ experience and how startups use their funds.
She also said Saudi startups need a wider range of financing tools, particularly for early-stage and growth-stage companies.
- Who
- 500 Global, represented by its Middle East and North Africa managing partner and general partner Amal Dokhan.
- What
- The company expects Saudi Arabia’s share of its investment portfolio to exceed its current 40%.
- When
- The remarks were reported on October 13, 2026.
- Where
- At the Creativity Summit in Riyadh.
- Why
- Gulf startups are increasingly moving to Saudi Arabia, supported by the market’s size and investment opportunities.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Saudi Arabia accounted for 40% of 500 Global’s investment portfolio, according to Dokhan.
Al Eqtisadiah reported Dokhan’s expectation that the Saudi share would exceed 40%.
- Current Saudi portfolio share
- 40%
- Expected Saudi portfolio share
- Above 40%
- Company
- 500 Global
- Speaker
- Amal Dokhan
- Event location
- Riyadh
What people are saying
Private credit tools have provided additional financing options for companies that have commercial contracts.
The market needs to develop more financing tools to fill existing gaps between companies’ growth stages.
Sources
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