In a strong signal of the Middle East’s maturing financial landscape, Stride Ventures, a global leader in venture debt, has announced a significant expansion across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), with Saudi Arabia positioned as the central hub of its regional growth strategy. The expansion includes the opening of a second regional office and a doubling of the local team, reinforcing the Kingdom’s rising influence in the evolving landscape of startup financing.
This announcement aligns with the release of the Global Venture Debt Report 2025, a first-of-its-kind publication developed by Stride Ventures in collaboration with consulting firm Kearney. According to the report, while global venture debt has grown at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14% over the past five years, the GCC market—driven primarily by Saudi Arabia—has surged ahead with a 54% CAGR, reaching $500 million in 2024, up from just $60 million in 2020. This remarkable growth highlights the scale and pace of transformation in the region.
At the heart of this shift is Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, a wide-reaching initiative aimed at diversifying the Kingdom’s economy beyond hydrocarbons. Government-led programs, such as the Jada Fund of Funds, which manages $1.07 billion in assets, and partnerships with global asset managers like Goldman Sachs and Franklin Templeton, signal the state’s serious commitment to building a robust investment ecosystem. Elsewhere, Abu Dhabi’s ADGM and Hub71 are laying the regulatory and infrastructural foundation for a thriving private credit and venture debt environment.
Traditionally, banks across the GCC have been conservative in lending to early-stage, asset-light companies. In response, venture debt—a flexible, non-dilutive funding option for high-growth startups—has emerged as a powerful alternative to traditional financing. High-profile success stories, such as Tabby and Tamara, each securing over $100 million in venture debt, are setting the tone for broader adoption across sectors like healthcare, logistics, and climate technology.
Stride Ventures is strategically positioning itself to capitalize on this momentum. The firm has grown its GCC team by over 60% in the past year and aims to triple its regional assets under management by 2026. Over the next three to five years, it plans to deploy $500 million in the region, with its latest fund already attracting significant investor interest and expected to be oversubscribed within months.
Currently, Stride maintains an active regional investment pipeline valued at $110 million, with an average deal size of $10 million. This level of activity reflects both the depth of opportunity and the growing demand among founders for capital that empowers them rather than dilutes their ownership. With its founder-friendly approach and commitment to scalable financing, Stride is becoming a key player in enabling the Middle East’s next generation of unicorns.
An influx of global talent is also reinforcing the region’s credibility. Senior professionals from innovation hubs like Silicon Valley, London, and Singapore are relocating to Riyadh, attracted by the region’s capital availability and regulatory clarity.
“Saudi Arabia is shaping the future of venture capital and private credit with intention and scale,” said Fariha Ansari Javed, Partner at Stride Ventures. “We are seeing a new generation of founders who understand the value of non-dilutive capital to scale responsibly and an equally ambitious set of investors in the region ready to fuel their growth.”
“Saudi Arabia is moving from being a capital source to becoming a capital magnet. Stride is proud to be part of this next chapter,” added Fariha.
As the region shifts from being a passive capital exporter to an active hub for innovation finance, the rise of venture debt in the GCC no longer seems like a question of “if”—but “how fast.” With visionary leadership, maturing ecosystems, and institutions like Stride Ventures at the helm, the Middle East is poised to become a global center for entrepreneurial funding.
