Latest news with #WyldVC
Arab News
16-05-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Startup Wrap — Saudi capital driving SME growth amid rising AI and tech demand
RIYADH: Startups across the Middle East and North Africa continued to attract significant investment in the past week, with Saudi Arabia emerging as the driving force behind many of the region's most prominent funding rounds and initiatives. Backed by government-led strategies and private capital, the Kingdom is reinforcing its position as a regional hub for innovation and artificial intelligence-driven technologies. Saudi Arabia-based Wyld VC has launched a $50 million early-stage venture capital fund focused exclusively on AI, becoming the first AI-native VC firm in the MENA region. The fund is founded and led by Tala Hasan Al-Jabri and is designed to support AI founders building middleware and application-layer innovations, targeting sectors with the highest potential for industrial transformation. 'The GCC is leading the charge in catalyzing an AI revolution— through massive infrastructure investments, advanced research and model deployment, and transparent, innovation-forward regulation,' said Al-Jabri, adding: 'However, the region's greatest gap is AI talent. Wyld VC is here to fill that gap.' Wyld VC is backed by the family office of Lawrence E. Golub, marking its first investment in the Middle East. 'Tala is a highly accomplished, talented investor, with a track record of success investing in innovative, early-stage technology companies,' said Golub. 'Her considerable investment acumen, combined with her unparalleled and comprehensive ties and network in the Gulf and the US, offer a unique investment opportunity. I am excited to be supporting Tala and Wyld on this compelling new venture,' Golub added. WakeCap raises $28m to expand contech platform WakeCap, a Saudi construction technology company, secured $28 million in funding during the Saudi-US Investment Forum. The company will use the capital to enhance its construction site safety solutions, expand its presence in Saudi Arabia, and pursue international markets. Founded in 2017 by Hassan Al-Balawi and Ishita Sood, WakeCap provides wearable technology that enables contractors and project managers to monitor site operations in real-time. Its platform offers digital insights to improve safety, efficiency, and decision-making on large-scale construction projects. 'WakeCap's ability to capture and act on real-time jobsite data is critical for high-performing project controls,' said Al-Balawi. 'This round fuels our next stage of growth as we expand our global footprint, increasing the value we deliver to customers through richer insights, faster reporting, and greater operational efficiency,' he added. Kilow secures $2.5m to scale AI-powered weight management Saudi health tech startup Kilow has raised $2.5 million in seed funding to develop its personalized, AI-powered weight management platform. The round was led by Sanabil Venture Studio, in partnership with innovation services firm Stryber. Founded in 2024 by Fahed Al-Essa, Kilow provides users with personalized treatment plans, medical consultations, and real-time health tracking. The platform also integrates with smart health devices and offers at-home lab testing, enabling a comprehensive digital health experience. The funds will be used to expand Kilow's product capabilities and reach more users across Saudi Arabia as it aims to tackle the growing health and wellness market with AI-driven solutions. Saudi Arabia launches Humain to spearhead AI development Saudi Arabia has launched Humain, a state-backed AI company established under the Public Investment Fund. Chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Humain will serve as the central national entity responsible for AI development and investments, aligning with the Kingdom's Vision 2030 agenda. With a focus on infrastructure and model development, the company will offer next-generation data centers, advanced AI infrastructure, and cloud computing capabilities. A key initiative will be the development of a multimodal Arabic large language model tailored to regional needs. The launch was strategically timed to coincide with the visit of US President Donald Trump to Riyadh, reflecting the broader geopolitical importance of AI collaboration between Saudi Arabia and the US. Google backs STV's new AI fund for MENA startups Saudi-based venture capital firm STV has launched a new AI-focused fund with backing from Google, aimed at supporting early-stage startups in the MENA region. The fund will invest in companies developing application-layer AI products, localized large language models, and supporting infrastructure. The initiative seeks to address the region's underrepresentation in AI funding. In 2024, only 1.5 percent of total VC investment in MENA was directed toward AI startups, compared to 38 percent in the US and 13 percent in India. The partnership brings together STV's regional market insight with Google's AI research and product expertise to support the development of locally relevant and globally competitive technologies. Nawy raises $75m to scale proptech and mortgage offering Egyptian property tech company Nawy has raised a total of $75 million in its latest funding rounds, comprising a $52 million series A equity round and $23 million in debt financing. The equity round was led by Partech, with participation from e& Capital, March Capital, and VKAV, as well as DPI via Nclude, VentureSouq, and Shorooq. Debt funding was provided by leading Egyptian banks to support the expansion of Nawy Now, the company's mortgage platform. Founded in 2019 by Mohamed Abou Ghanima, Abdel-Azim Osman, Ahmed Rafea, Aly Rafea, and Mostafa El-Beltagy, Nawy offers a full-stack real estate ecosystem including financing, fractional ownership, asset management, and business to business brokerage enablement. Nawy claims to have achieved $1.4 billion in gross merchandise value in 2024 and reports a 50 time increase in US dollar-denominated revenue. The company previously raised $5 million in seed funding in 2022 from the Sawiris family office. AqlanX raises $10m for Arabic-first enterprise AI UAE-based AI company AqlanX has raised $10 million in funding from Lakeba Group through its subsidiary DoxAI. The investment was made under the UAE's NextGen FDI initiative, which aims to attract high-tech foreign investment to the country. Founded in 2025 by Demetrio Russo, AqlanX builds enterprise-grade AI solutions for automating business processes, improving operational efficiency, and transforming document management. The company focuses on building Arabic-first AI technologies to serve local enterprises. The funding will be used to localize and scale DoxAI's automation products across the Middle East, as the company expands its footprint within the region's growing AI ecosystem. TensorWave raises $100m to expand AMD-based AI clusters AI infrastructure startup TensorWave has raised $100 million in a funding round led by Magnetar and AMD Ventures, bringing its total raised to $146.7 million. Other participants include Maverick Silicon, Nexus Venture Partners, and Prosperity7 Ventures, the investment arm of Saudi Aramco. Founded in 2023 by Darrick Horton, Jeff Tatarchuk, and Piotr Tomasik, TensorWave offers AMD GPU-based cloud services optimized for AI training. The company has already launched a large-scale training cluster featuring 8,192 AMD Instinct MI325X GPUs. The new capital will be used to scale TensorWave's GPU infrastructure, grow its workforce to over 100 employees, and accelerate revenue growth. The company projects it will exceed $100 million in run-rate revenue by the end of 2025. Arkestro secures $36m to enhance AI procurement technology Arkestro, a predictive procurement platform, has closed a $36 million strategic funding round led by Altira Group and Aramco Ventures, with participation from NEA, KDT, and Activant. The platform uses AI, behavioral science, and game theory to drive cost savings and improve procurement efficiency. The company claims its platform generates an average of 18.8 percent in savings per $1 million of enterprise spend. The funding will support the company's global expansion and the continued development of its AI capabilities to reduce supply chain risk and enhance collaboration between procurement teams and suppliers.
CairoScene
13-05-2025
- Business
- CairoScene
Saudi VC Wyld Launches $50 Million Fund Targeting AI Startups
A new Saudi venture fund is bridging Middle Eastern innovation with Silicon Valley AI talent. May 13, 2025 Saudi-based venture capital firm Wyld VC has announced the launch of a $50 million fund dedicated to early-stage artificial intelligence startups. The fund will focus on fostering innovation in both the Middle East and the San Francisco Bay Area, with the aim of connecting regional startups to US-based talent and technological resources. The initiative has secured backing from the family office of US billionaire Lawrence Golub, underscoring growing interest among American investors in cross-border tech collaboration. With operations based in Saudi Arabia, Wyld VC is also preparing to expand its footprint by opening offices in the United Arab Emirates and Silicon Valley. Wyld's new fund is part of a broader strategy to deepen ties between Gulf countries and the United States in the AI sector.
Wamda
13-05-2025
- Business
- Wamda
Wyld VC launches $50 million AI-native fund
Wyld VC, a Saudi-based early-stage venture capital firm, has launched its inaugural $50 million fund, marking the first AI-native VC fund to emerge from the MENA region. Founded by Tala Hasan Al-Jabri, Wyld VC focuses on supporting AI founders advancing the frontiers of artificial intelligence. The fund aims to bridge the region's AI talent gap by investing in AI middleware and applications, sectors poised to drive transformation across industries. Wyld VC, a new early-stage venture capital firm founded by Saudi investor Tala Hasan Al-Jabri, has announced the launch of its inaugural $50 million fund — marking the first AI-native VC fund to emerge from the MENA region. The launch coincided with US President Donald Trump's high-profile visit to Riyadh from May 13-16, a trip focused on strengthening bilateral ties in key sectors including defence, technology, and artificial intelligence. 'The GCC is leading the charge in catalysing an AI revolution—through massive infrastructure investments, advanced research and model deployment, and transparent, innovation-forward regulation,' said Al-Jabri, founder and managing partner of Wyld VC. 'However, the region's greatest gap is AI talent. Wyld VC is here to fill that gap.' The firm is backed by the family office of Lawrence E. Golub, representing the office's first investment in the region. 'Tala is a highly accomplished, talented investor, with a track record of success investing in innovative, early-stage technology companies,' said Golub. 'Her considerable investment acumen, combined with her unparalleled and comprehensive ties and network in the Gulf and the US, offer a unique investment opportunity. I am excited to be supporting Tala and Wyld on this compelling new venture, and I look forward to working with her and her team.' Wyld VC aims to support what it calls 'Wyld minds' — founders advancing the frontiers of AI and shaping the next wave of the human experience. The fund will focus on AI middleware and applications, the layers seen as offering the most transformative potential across industries. Artificial intelligence has become a strategic priority across the Gulf, where governments and institutions are aggressively investing in research, infrastructure, and regulatory innovation. Against this backdrop, Wyld VC seeks to bridge a critical gap: nurturing the next generation of AI talent in the region. Al-Jabri is one of MENA's earliest and most respected tech investors, with a portfolio that includes regional successes like Tabby and international ventures such as the fast-growing U.S. startup Starcloud. She is also a trailblazer for women in Saudi Arabia, becoming the first woman to serve as a partner at a venture capital firm in the Kingdom — a milestone that earned her the title of Woman of the Year 2022 in Finance by Arabian Business. 'Founders in AI need a partner that caters to their unique needs. That's what Wyld VC is here to provide and we have the best partners to carry forward this mission,' said Al-Jabri. With deep ties across MENA and the US, Wyld VC enters the market at a time of heightened global interest in AI and regional momentum for tech-led transformation.
Arab News
12-05-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Saudi-based Wyld VC unveils $50m AI fund
RIYADH: Wyld VC, a new early-stage venture capital firm founded by Saudi investor Tala Hasan Al-Jabri, has announced the launch of its inaugural $50 million fund — marking the first AI-native VC fund to emerge from the MENA region. The launch coincided with US President Donald Trump's high-profile visit to Riyadh from May 13-16, a trip focused on strengthening bilateral ties in key sectors including defense, technology, and artificial intelligence. 'The GCC is leading the charge in catalyzing an AI revolution—through massive infrastructure investments, advanced research and model deployment, and transparent, innovation-forward regulation,' said Al-Jabri, founder and managing partner of Wyld VC. 'However, the region's greatest gap is AI talent. Wyld VC is here to fill that gap.' The firm is backed by the family office of Lawrence E. Golub, representing the office's first investment in the region. 'Tala is a highly accomplished, talented investor, with a track record of success investing in innovative, early-stage technology companies,' said Golub. 'Her considerable investment acumen, combined with her unparalleled and comprehensive ties and network in the Gulf and the US, offer a unique investment opportunity. I am excited to be supporting Tala and Wyld on this compelling new venture, and I look forward to working with her and her team.' Wyld VC aims to support what it calls 'Wyld minds' — founders advancing the frontiers of AI and shaping the next wave of the human experience. The fund will focus on AI middleware and applications, the layers seen as offering the most transformative potential across industries. Artificial intelligence has become a strategic priority across the Gulf, where governments and institutions are aggressively investing in research, infrastructure, and regulatory innovation. Against this backdrop, Wyld VC seeks to bridge a critical gap: nurturing the next generation of AI talent in the region. Al-Jabri is one of MENA's earliest and most respected tech investors, with a portfolio that includes regional successes like Tabby and international ventures such as the fast-growing U.S. startup Starcloud. She is also a trailblazer for women in Saudi Arabia, becoming the first woman to serve as a partner at a venture capital firm in the Kingdom — a milestone that earned her the title of Woman of the Year 2022 in Finance by Arabian Business. 'Founders in AI need a partner that caters to their unique needs. That's what Wyld VC is here to provide and we have the best partners to carry forward this mission,' said Al-Jabri. With deep ties across MENA and the US, Wyld VC enters the market at a time of heightened global interest in AI and regional momentum for tech-led transformation.
Bloomberg
12-05-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Golub-Backed Saudi Firm Starts AI Fund to Drive US-Mideast Ties
A Saudi Arabia-based venture capital firm that's backed by the family office of US billionaire Lawrence Golub is launching a $50 million fund to invest in artificial intelligence startups across the Middle East and the San Francisco Bay Area. Wyld VC plans to focus on early-stage companies, with a view toward driving deeper ties between Gulf nations and the US that can help accelerate AI development, according to founder Tala Hasan Al Jabri.
