QIA's $1 billion fund of funds kicks off with Investment in Rasmal Ventures
Qatar-based VC firm Rasmal Ventures LLC has secured funding from Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) as part of its Fund of Funds programme.
The investment will fund Rasmal Venture's inaugural homegrown VC fund, Rasmal Innovation Fund I LLC, which targets high-performance startups and scales up across sectors, including fintech, B2B SaaS, healthtech and AI.
Rasmal Innovation Fund I is the first fund to join the $1 billion VC programme from QIA, with a target close of $100 million.
In June 2024, Rasmal launched its inaugural fund, raising $30 million from institutional investors and family offices, with the aim of reaching $100 million in investment commitments.
Press release:
Rasmal Ventures LLC, Qatar's first independent venture capital (VC) company, which was established in 2023, has today announced funding from QIA as part of its Fund of Funds programme.
The funding is received into Rasmal Venture's inaugural, home-grown venture capital fund, Rasmal Innovation Fund I LLC, which targets high-performance startups and scales up across a variety of innovative technology sectors, including fintech, B2B SaaS, HealthTech and AI.
Rasmal Innovation Fund I LLC is the first fund announcement as part of QIA's $1 billion Fund of Funds program announced as open to applicants in February 2024.
To date, the Rasmal Innovation Fund I LLC has closed funding from QIA's Fund of Funds, corporates, family offices and individual high-net-worth investors with an aim to reach $100 million in investment commitments. The fund is only open to professional investors as defined in QFCRA regulation.
Alexander Wiedmer, Co-Managing Partner of Rasmal Ventures, said, 'As the first private VC fund based in Doha, we have forged strong partnerships with leading Qatari institutions to work closely with exceptional founders, stimulate innovation, and meet the region's unique needs. While still in the early stages of capital deployment, we take pride in our first investments in proprietary tech startups. The trust QIA and our other investors placed in us is a testament to our team's capabilities and dedication. We will continue to grow our presence across the region and execute our highly selective investment strategy to establish ourselves as a key player in the MENA VC landscape."
The Rasmal Innovation Fund I LLC is managed by a highly experienced team of VC experts that have collectively managed more than 100 VC deals, along with impressive exits.
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