The Private Capital Forum
Gateway to Global Investment
Leveraging the region’s robust investment scene, Private Capital Forum acts as a bridge to the world, inviting international financial leaders to explore new partnerships and opportunities in KSA and the GCC..
What Attendees Can Expect
Private Capital Forum, Riyadh will be an orchestrated blend of diverse content formats to cater to various interests and needs. Each day will be anchored around a distinct theme, guiding attendees through a structured narrative that makes the most of their time and engagement.
Structure of Private Capital Forum
<span data-metadata=""><span data-buffer="">Engage, Collaborate, and Innovate
Step into the heart of the Private Capital Forum by joining the Inner Circle. Experience our plenary briefings like never before, held in the round to foster openness and dialogue. This unique setup brings you closer to the insights and strategies shaping the future of private capital, allowing for an immersive exchange of ideas among peers and industry leaders.
Dive deep into your sector of interest or tackle pressing industry challenges in our exclusive LP/GP working groups. Limited to just 10 participants each, these boardroom-style sessions are designed to facilitate intensive discussion, knowledge sharing, and collaboration. Here, you’ll work alongside like-minded professionals to resolve issues, share expertise, benchmark performance, and significantly deepen your understanding of the sector.
Maximize your forum experience with the flexibility to schedule meetings tailored to your needs. Whether you prefer to arrange these encounters ahead of the event or seize impromptu opportunities as they arise, our forum provides private meeting facilities available throughout the day. This ensures that you can connect with potential partners, discuss future collaborations, or delve into detailed discussions at your convenience.
A Forum Designed for Impact!
The structure of the Private Capital Forum is meticulously designed to encourage meaningful engagement, strategic collaboration, and actionable insights. By participating, you’re not just attending an event; you’re becoming an integral part of a community dedicated to driving forward the landscape of private capital investment.
The Audience
Limited Partners (LPs)
General Partners (GPs)
Venture Capitalists (VCs)
Private Equity Professionals
Industry Thought Leaders and Analysts
Regulatory and Government Officials
Banks and Financial Institutions
Service Providers and Consultants
Why Attend?
For Investors and Venture Capitalists:
- Gain cutting-edge strategies and insights in private capital investment.
- Meet and collaborate with a global community of investment leaders.
- Explore investment opportunities in Saudi Arabia’s burgeoning sectors.
For Financial Experts:
- Share knowledge and expertise in fostering an environment of innovation.
- Engage in discussions on optimal ownership and governance blueprints.
- Network with peers and industry leaders in an exclusive inner circle.
About Saudi Venture Capital Company (SVC)
SVC is an investment company ($2.3 billion AUM) established in 2018 and is a subsidiary of the SME Bank, one of the development banks affiliated with the National Development Fund.
SVC aims to stimulate and sustain financing for startups and SMEs from pre-seed to pre-IPO through investment in funds and co-investment in startups and SMEs.
Since its inception, SVC has backed 50 Private Capital (Venture Capital, Private Equity, Venture Debt, Private Debt) Funds that supported 600+ Startups and SMEs.
1. Investment in Funds
1.1 - VC Funds
Accelerator and Startup Studio Funds
1.2 - Venture Debt Funds
1.3 - Private Equity Funds
1.4 - Private Debt Funds
2. Co-Investment in Startups and SMEs
Co-investing in startups along with institutional investors (i.e., fund managers), when there is an equity financing gap or to catalyze later stage investments for strategic or financially-driven objectives.
Learn more about SVC at
KSA Venture Capital Report 2023.
Saudi Arabia ranks first across MENA for the first time in 2023 for total funding in Venture Capital, crossing the $1Bn mark for the second year.
The Kingdom's VC ecosystem aggregated a record-breaking $1,383M in capital deployed in 2023, up by 33% compared to 2022. This pushed the country's contribution to the MENA region's total funding from 30% in 2022 to 52% in 2023.
Despite a 20% YoY reduction in the number of deals, Saudi Arabia increased its rank to 2nd most transacted MENA country in 2023.
The Kingdom now accounted for 26% of total deals across MENA in 2023, rising from 22% a year earlier. Reflecting the impact of the MEGA deals, the average deal size in the country rose by a yearly 73% from $7.4M in 2022 to $12.8M in 2023.
MEGA deals stood at an all-time high of $879M across four deals in 2023, reporting a triple-digit annual growth of 138% from 2022.
The deals closed by BNPL startups Tamara and Tabby and E-Commerce/Retail startups Floward and Nana captured 77% of all MENA mega deals ($100M+) in 2023, up from a share of 33% in 2022.
FinTech leads as the industry of choice for investors in the Kingdom for deals and capital deployed, amassing $704M across 30 deals in 2023.
E-Commerce/Retail saw rising interest and landed second in deals and funding. The industry accounted for two of the four MEGA rounds and three of the top five deals closed in Saudi Arabia in 2023.|
The Kingdom recorded a growing funding gap versus its MENA peers in 2023, the only country in MENA's top 3 that saw YoY growth in investments.
Dating back five years, the gap between the UAE and Saudi Arabia in funding was $502M, whereas in 2023, the gap increase for Kingdom was $692M. In terms of transactions, dating back five years the gap between the UAE and Saudi Arabia was 53 for the Emirates, whereas in 2023 it narrowed down to 33 deals.
114 investors backed Saudi-based startups in 2023, nearly on par with the 116 investors in 2022.
Around 56% of those investors reigned down from the Kingdom. In comparison, the MENA region saw a 30% YoY decrease in the number of investors with only 45% coming from outside the region in 2023.
