Venture capital firms in UAE are funding founders again. After a quieter 2023, Dubai and Abu Dhabi-based investors are deploying fresh capital into early-stage and growth startups across MENA. This guide ranks the 20 most active venture capital firms in UAE in 2026, with focus areas, ticket sizes and stage preferences for each.
Quick answer: The most active venture capital firms in UAE in 2026 include Mubadala, Global Ventures, Shorooq Partners, BECO Capital, COTU Ventures and VentureSouq. Most are based in Dubai or Abu Dhabi and write tickets between $250K and $20M. They back founders building in fintech, healthtech, climate, AI and consumer.
For full investor profiles with ticket sizes, sector tags, recent deals and direct contacts, browse the UAE venture capital firms directory on Private Equity List. The directory updates weekly and lets you filter by stage, sector and free zone.
Why founders raise from venture capital firms in UAE
The UAE has become MENA's deepest startup capital hub. Sovereign-backed funds, family offices and dedicated VCs share the same square mile in DIFC and ADGM. That density gives founders three things competing markets cannot match.
- Capital plus distribution. Many UAE VCs co-invest with sovereign LPs and corporates, opening pilots with regional banks, telcos and retailers.
- Cross-border reach. Dubai funds routinely back companies operating across Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Pakistan and India.
- Founder-friendly residency. Golden Visa and ADGM/DIFC fast-track licensing make relocation realistic in weeks, not months.
Most UAE PE/VC funds are family-owned or sovereign-backed, write large tickets and follow global trends. The early-stage scene is now dominated by dedicated VCs rather than generalist family offices.
Top 20 venture capital firms in UAE
This list ranks the most active venture capital firms in UAE for 2026 by deal volume, public deployments and founder accessibility. Use the table for a fast scan, then read the profiles below to match a fund to your stage and sector.
| # | Firm | HQ | Stage focus | Typical ticket |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mubadala | Abu Dhabi | Growth, Late | $25M–$500M+ |
| 2 | Global Ventures | Dubai | Series A–B | $2M–$15M |
| 3 | Shorooq Partners | Abu Dhabi / Dubai | Pre-seed, Seed | $500K–$5M |
| 4 | BECO Capital | Dubai | Seed, Series A | $1M–$10M |
| 5 | COTU Ventures | Dubai | Pre-seed, Seed | $500K–$3M |
| 6 | VentureSouq | Dubai | Seed, Series A | $250K–$3M |
| 7 | Nuwa Capital | Dubai / Riyadh | Seed, Series A | $1M–$8M |
| 8 | Wamda Capital | Dubai | Seed, Series A | $500K–$5M |
| 9 | Middle East Venture Partners | Dubai | Series A–B | $2M–$10M |
| 10 | Iliad Partners | Dubai | Seed, Series A | $500K–$5M |
| 11 | Anamcara Capital | Dubai | Pre-seed, Seed | $250K–$2M |
| 12 | Further Ventures | Abu Dhabi | Seed, Series A | $1M–$10M |
| 13 | A.Partners | Dubai | Seed, Series A | $500K–$5M |
| 14 | Oraseya Capital | Dubai | Pre-seed, Seed | $250K–$2M |
| 15 | Arzan Venture Capital | Dubai / Kuwait | Seed, Series A | $500K–$3M |
| 16 | Gulf Capital | Abu Dhabi | Growth | $10M–$50M |
| 17 | Plug and Play ADGM | Abu Dhabi | Pre-seed, Seed | $25K–$500K |
| 18 | Dtec Ventures | Dubai | Pre-seed, Seed | $50K–$500K |
| 19 | Krypto Labs | Abu Dhabi | Pre-seed, Seed | $50K–$500K |
| 20 | Dubai Angel Investors | Dubai | Pre-seed | $100K–$500K |
1. Mubadala
Sovereign investor of Abu Dhabi with a dedicated venture and growth arm. Backs late-stage tech globally and seeds regional champions through its MENA program. Notable bets include G42, Khazna Data Centers and dozens of Series B+ rounds across fintech and deeptech.
2. Global Ventures
One of the most active Series A and B investors across MENA, Africa and Pakistan. Focus areas include fintech, healthtech, climate and food security. Recent rounds include Tabby, Yodawy and Tarjama.
3. Shorooq Partners
Pre-seed and seed specialist with offices in Abu Dhabi, Riyadh and Dubai. Runs both equity and venture debt strategies. Backed Pyypl, Nymcard and Lean Technologies early.
4. BECO Capital
Long-running Dubai VC focused on seed and Series A in tech-enabled MENA businesses. Portfolio includes Careem (exited), Property Finder and Trukker.
5. COTU Ventures
Founder-first pre-seed and seed firm led by Amir Farha. Writes first cheques into MENA-based founders building globally relevant products. Recent investments include Lune, Erad and Huspy.
6. VentureSouq
Thematic VC backing fintech, climate tech and consumer health. Operates as a syndicate plus institutional fund, giving founders access to a wide LP network.
7. Nuwa Capital
Cross-border seed and Series A fund operating between Dubai and Riyadh. Backs founders building in MENA and Pakistan with a heavy fintech and consumer focus.
8. Wamda Capital
One of the region's earliest dedicated VCs, also runs the Wamda media platform. Active across seed and Series A in tech-enabled startups.
9. Middle East Venture Partners (MEVP)
Series A and B investor with offices in Dubai, Beirut and Riyadh. Focused on digitisation of consumer, fintech and SaaS across the region.
10. Iliad Partners
Dubai-based seed and Series A fund with strong B2B and SaaS focus. Backs founders building infrastructure and software for the regional economy.
11. Anamcara Capital
Pre-seed and seed VC investing in technical founders building B2B software, AI tooling and developer infrastructure.
12. Further Ventures
Mubadala-backed Abu Dhabi fund focused on financial infrastructure, digital assets and supply chain. Writes seed and Series A cheques.
13. A.Partners
Dubai-based fund led by experienced operators, backing seed and Series A across MENA fintech, mobility and SaaS.
14. Oraseya Capital
Dubai Integrated Economic Zones-backed fund investing in pre-seed and seed startups operating from Dubai free zones.
15. Arzan Venture Capital
Kuwait–Dubai fund active across seed and Series A. Strong consumer, edtech and SaaS portfolio across MENA and SEA.
16. Gulf Capital
Abu Dhabi growth investor writing larger cheques into mid-market companies and late-stage tech across MENA and South Asia.
17. Plug and Play ADGM
Accelerator and seed investor based in Abu Dhabi Global Market. Strong pipeline across fintech, sustainability and govtech, with corporate co-investment partners.
18. Dtec Ventures
Pre-seed fund attached to the Dubai Technology Entrepreneur Campus at Silicon Oasis. Cheque sizes are small but founders gain free-zone licensing and workspace.
19. Krypto Labs
Abu Dhabi accelerator and pre-seed fund focused on hardware, deeptech and food tech. Runs structured cohort programs alongside cheques.
20. Dubai Angel Investors
Curated angel syndicate of Dubai-based UHNWIs and operators. Writes pre-seed cheques into founders with regional or global scope.
Other UAE PE/VC firms worth knowing
The full UAE investor landscape extends well beyond the top 20. Established names that still deploy capital, run family-office mandates or invest opportunistically include:
- Abu Dhabi Capital Management, Abu Dhabi Holding, Al Mal Capital, Al Masah Capital, Arqaam Capital
- ASA Ventures, Baer Capital Partners, Cedar Bridge, Crescent Investments, Daman Investments
- Digital Spring Ventures, EIP Capital, EQ2 Ventures, EVI Capital Partners, Fajr Capital
- Gateway Partners, GFH Capital, Havenvest Private Equity, HBG Holdings
- Ithmar Capital, Itqan Capital, Jabbar Internet Group, Legatum, Levant Capital, Malaz Capital
- Meraas Capital, NBK Capital Equity, Quilvest, Safanad, Samena Capital, Sheraa, STC Ventures
Dubai vs Abu Dhabi: which UAE hub fits your raise
Both emirates host strong investor density but optimise for different stages and sectors. Use this comparison to decide where to base outreach.
| Factor | Dubai | Abu Dhabi |
|---|---|---|
| Investor base | VCs, family offices, syndicates | Sovereign funds, corporate VCs, deeptech |
| Free zone | DIFC | ADGM |
| Stage strength | Pre-seed to Series B | Series A to Growth |
| Sector strength | Fintech, consumer, SaaS | Climate, AI, deeptech, infra |
| Founder programs | Dtec, in5, Sheraa | Hub71, Plug and Play ADGM |
How to pitch venture capital firms in UAE
UAE VCs see thousands of decks a year and prioritise founders who already have regional traction or strong unfair advantages. Three patterns separate decks that get a meeting from the rest.
- Lead with regional thesis. Show why MENA matters for your category and which markets you launch in first. Generic global decks lose attention fast.
- Quantify pipeline, not promises. Replace TAM slides with signed pilots, MoUs and revenue from named regional customers.
- Match stage to fund. Pre-revenue founders should target COTU, Shorooq, Anamcara or Plug and Play. Series A founders with traction should focus on BECO, Global Ventures, Nuwa and MEVP.
Warm intros still beat cold email by a wide margin. Most UAE VCs publish their thesis on their websites and hold open office hours through Sheraa, Hub71 or DIFC Innovation Hub.
Good luck with your raise.
— Private Equity List team
