An impact report released by Saudi Venture Capital (SVC) has shed light on the significant role the organization has played in scaling the Kingdom’s private investment landscape, which encompasses venture capital, private equity, and debt instruments. Since its inception in 2018, SVC has been pivotal to the business media sector through its numerous programs.
According to the report, SVC’s investments across all its programs have amounted to SAR 2.6 billion. Including commitments from partners, the overall impact of these investments is estimated at around SAR 13.6 billion. SVC has contributed to over 40 investment funds, with more than 700 startups and small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across various sectors such as e-commerce, fintech, healthcare, educational technologies, transportation, and logistics.
The report also highlighted that the Kingdom’s venture capital ecosystem has experienced a staggering 21-fold increase in total startup investment amounts, reaching SAR 5.2 billion (approximately USD 1.4 billion) in 2023. This signifies a historic milestone for Saudi Arabia, positioning it as the leader in venture capital value in the Middle East and North Africa region for the first time in 2023, reflecting the country’s economic and financial sector evolution under the Saudi Vision 2030.
Over the past five years, SVC’s strategy has successfully attracted more investors to Saudi startups and SMEs, encouraged financial market institutions to establish specialized venture capital and private equity funds, and stimulated regional and global funds to invest in national companies.
Dr. Nabil Koshak, CEO and Board Member of SVC, reaffirmed the commitment to further stimulate the private investment ecosystem by launching tailored investment programs and products. These initiatives are based on rigorous analysis of the system’s needs and global business models. The aim is to motivate private sector investors to support startups and SMEs, allowing for rapid and substantial growth that contributes to diversifying the national economy and achieving the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.
