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A Year of Progress, Presence, and Transformation |
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As we step into 2026, we look back on 2025 as a defining year for HALA Capital, a year marked by strategic evolution, deep ecosystem engagement, and tangible progress across our platform and portfolio.
Guided by a long-term vision and a disciplined investment philosophy, we continued to back ambitious founders, shape regional conversations, and strengthen our role as a trusted capital partner across the MENA ecosystem.
This annual review captures the milestones that defined our year, from a pivotal regulatory achievement to meaningful partnerships, thought leadership, and the continued growth of our portfolio companies. |
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From HALA Ventures to HALA Capital
Late 2025 marked a pivotal milestone for our firm and for the region’s investment landscape. With the successful securing of our CMA license as an Investment Management Company, HALA Capital formally evolved from HALA Ventures into a multi-asset investment firm, extending our reach Beyond Ventures and Across Alternatives. Visit our new website for more info.
Building on our venture roots, we are expanding our mandate beyond traditional venture capital and across alternative asset classes, reinforcing our commitment to institutional-grade governance, long-term value creation, and scalable capital solutions tailored to the region’s evolving markets. |
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HALA Capital — 2025 Highlights |
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Events, Thought Leadership, and Ecosystem Engagement |
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Web Summit Qatar
HALA Capital participated in two high-impact sessions, with our Founder & CEO, Ali Abussaud, leading a practical masterclass on cap table management and ESOP structuring, and our Co-Founder & CFO, Hussain Almarhoon, joining a panel led by QDB, on venture capital in emerging markets. |
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LEAP 2025
At LEAP 2025, HALA hosted a session on corporate–startup partnerships, featuring leaders from Microsoft, Almajdouie Motors, MBC Group, and Bank AlJazira. Moderated by our Value Creation Manager, Nada Helmy, the discussion focused on practical collaboration and long-term value creation. |
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Regional Economic DialogueOur Founder & CEO, Ali Abussaud, joined a Majalis by Endeavor panel on Riyadh’s rise as a global hub for entrepreneurs. While our Co-Founder & CFO, Hussain Almarhoon shared VC perspectives at the Access Circle Investment Forum, highlighting capital’s role in Saudi Arabia’s economic transformation. |
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Enablement Across Ecosystems
Our Value Creation Manager, Nada Helmy represented HALA Capital at Vodafone Foundation’s Spark Entrepreneurship Bootcamp and Techne Summit Cairo 2025, delivering sessions on navigating the Saudi startup ecosystem and building effective investor and corporate partnerships. |
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Doers Summit Dubai — Investor & LP Dialogue
HALA Capital participated in two investor-focused panels at Doers Summit Dubai, with our Founder & CEO and Ali Abussaud contributing to discussions on MENA fintech returns and engaging with LPs and GPs at the CarryON gathering on fund strategies and venture capital’s institutional role. |
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Investments & Strategic Partnerships |
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Microsoft x HALA Capital
We signed a strategic MoU with Microsoft Arabia, laying the foundation for collaboration that enables startups within our network to access advanced tools, expert mentorship, and global resources, reinforcing our commitment to delivering value beyond capital. |
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Continued Support for Torod
We participated in Torod’s latest funding round, reaffirming our belief in the company’s resilient business model and execution-focused founding team as they continue to scale across the logistics ecosystem. |
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Backing Intella’s Series A Growth
As part of Intella’s $12.5 million Series A round, led by Prosus Ventures, we strengthened our commitment to the company’s leadership in Arabic-first AI. The investment enables continued innovation in speech intelligence and enterprise AI solutions as Intella expands across key MENA markets. |
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Partnering in Rize’s Growth Journey
HALA Capital joined Rize’s SAR 132 million (USD 35 million) Series A round, supporting the company’s mission to deliver innovative, flexible rental solutions for tenants and landlords. This milestone reflects our confidence in Rize’s long-term growth and market impact. |
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Media Presence and Insights |
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Throughout 2025, HALA Capital’s evolution and investment philosophy were covered by leading regional and international media outlets, offering in-depth perspectives on our transition, strategy, and long-term outlook. |
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Lucidity InsightsFollowing the approval of our CMA license, Lucidity Insights featured an in-depth interview with our Founder & CEO, Ali Abussaud, discussing HALA Capital’s strategic evolution, sector focus across fintech, AI, and logistics, and our approach to founder partnerships and value creation.
Read the full article |
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Arab News — Interview by Nour El-ShaeriArab News published a feature highlighting HALA Capital’s conversion into an investment management company, outlining key milestones, strategic priorities, and our perspective on the future of investments in Saudi Arabia. Read the full article |
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The Enterprise Company (Saudi Edition) — My Morning Routine SeriesIn Enterprise Company’s, My Morning Routine series, Our Founder & CEO Ali Abussaud shared personal insights on market dynamics, the shift toward late-stage funding, and HALA Capital’s expansion beyond venture capital into private equity and private credit to address financing gaps in the Saudi market. Read the full article |
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Bridge Middle EastBridge Middle East covered HALA Capital’s transition from HALA Ventures into a multi-asset investment firm, shedding light on our broader capital strategy and institutional direction. Read the full article |
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Entrepreneur Middle EastIn a dedicated feature, Our Founder & CEO Ali Abussaud shared perspectives on building long-term, trust-based founder–investor relationships that extend beyond funding and support sustainable growth. Read the full article |
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Nour El-Shaeri — Thought Leadership FeaturesIn an additional interview and social features with journalist Nour El-Shaeri, our Founder & CEO Ali Abussaud reflected on the early foundations of HALA Ventures and the principles that continue to shape HALA Capital today. Watch Here |
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Initiatives and Mentoring |
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Saudi Startup Ecosystem Infographic — Version 2.0We released the second edition of our Saudi Startup Ecosystem Infographic, offering a comprehensive, data-driven snapshot of the Kingdom’s entrepreneurial landscape, from founders and funding sources to incubators, accelerators, and enabling institutions. The full Map Here! Stay tuned for Version 3.0! |
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Corporate Engagement Program with Monsha’atIn collaboration with Monsha’at, we delivered trainings by 15 corporates, 50+ mentorship sessions, and supported 20+ scaleups across fintech, telecom, retail, logistics, travel, and insurance. The program focused on procurement readiness, enterprise sales, and building effective corporate partnerships. Program recap |
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Intella had a standout year across funding, innovation and recognition. They closed a $12.5 million Series A round led by Prosus, with HALA Capital participating. The company also launched Ziila, an advanced Arabic AI-powered digital human fluent in Saudi dialects and other Arabic dialects. Intella also ranked second in Tawuniya’s InsurAI Challenge, published leading research on Arabic speech and sentiment analysis, joined the InsurAI virtual program, and won the Women in Tech MENA Startup Award, with CEO Nour Taher representing the region globally. |
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Nearpay made significant strides in product and geographic expansion, launching Dynamic Currency Conversion across its payment solutions. The company secured official operating licenses in Turkey and entered the U.S. market, marking key milestones in its regional and global growth and reinforcing its cross-border fintech ambitions. |
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Sarwa delivered an exceptional year of growth and recognition, earning a place on the Forbes Middle East Fintech 50 list and being selected among the UAE’s Future 100 companies. The company reached over $828 million in AUM, added $124 million in new deposits, and recorded 39% QoQ growth in trading volume. Sarwa was also honored at the Global Broker Awards 2025 with multiple distinctions, including Best MENA Broker and Best Robo-Advisor. |
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Torod secured SAR 42 million in a Series A round announced at LEAP 2025, with HALA Capital proudly participating. The company was named Logistics Company of the Year by Arab Logistics Window, selected into the Saudi Unicorns Program, and saw its CEO, Faisal Almaklas, appointed to the Logistics National Committee. Torod also strengthened its ecosystem presence through thought leadership and community support, including sponsorship of JadaThon and appearances across leading business platforms.
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VUZ continued its rapid growth, closing a $12 million Pre-Series C round led by IFC (World Bank), with participation from AlJazira Capital, CrossWork, and leading Saudi family offices. They also showcased its vision at the 1 Billion Summit, and delivered a groundbreaking 6-kilometer immersive outdoor media experience in Riyadh in partnership with Mobily, Kingdom Holding, and Rotana. VUZ surpassed 2 billion immersive screen views, powering over 20,000 events and 1,000 projects, reinforcing its leadership in immersive media, while collaborating with global brands such as AirPano, Red Bull, Samsung, and CreatorUp to deliver premium 360° experiences.
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Rize secured a SAR 132 million (USD 35 million) Series A round, with HALA Capital participating, to fuel growth in flexible rental solutions. The company launched the Rize Tenant Package, introduced a refreshed brand identity, and joined the Saudi Unicorns Program. |
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Omniful maintained strong ecosystem visibility through active participation at Seamless Saudi Arabia 2025 and Biban Forum 2025. The company expanded rapidly, joining the Saudi Unicorns Program and becoming a Trendyol Group Integration Partner, enabling sellers to reach more than 20 million active users.
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Raqamyah strengthened its market position by signing strategic agreements with the National Housing Company and the SME Bank, expanding its supply chain financing offerings. The company also relaunched its app with an enhanced user experience, supporting continued growth and accessibility for its users. |
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Democrance continued to scale its digital insurance platform across the Middle East and Africa, while being named InsurTech of the Year at the MENA II Awards for the second consecutive year. Its CEO was also recognized as Emerging Talent of the Year. The company announced a strategic partnership with Oracle Financial Services to streamline the insurance value chain and accelerate digital transformation across the region.
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Lamsa advanced its mission in early childhood education with the launch of Lamsa LEARN, a platform designed to empower teachers through structured, accessible learning tools. The company was featured in the App Store’s Kids Corner, while CEO Badr Ward introduced the Unified Education Framework at Bett Global in London. Lamsa also contributed to UNICEF-led discussions on early childhood development at HCI. |
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As we move into 2026, HALA Capital remains focused on disciplined growth, deeper ecosystem impact, and building enduring partnerships with founders, institutions, and stakeholders. We are grateful for the trust placed in us and look forward to continuing this journey of long-term value creation across the region. Connect with us on LinkedIn and visit hala.capital for upcoming updates. |
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Warm regards, The HALA Capital Team |
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