Abu Dhabi based investment firm Shorooq has unveiled a $200 million late stage growth fund under its Qatalyst Series, designed to support mature technology companies in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) as they prepare for initial public offerings (IPOs) and other exit strategies. The fund, backed by the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) along with other sovereign and institutional investors from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Asia, was announced at Web Summit Qatar 2026 in Doha.
The new vehicle, referred to as Qatalyst Fund I, is structured to address a persistent gap in institutional capital for late stage and pre IPO companies across the region. Unlike early stage venture capital, which focuses on product development and market entry, this fund targets businesses with proven scale, solid unit economics, and public-market readiness. Its investment focus includes sectors where innovation intersects with structural demand, particularly fintech infrastructure, software, and artificial intelligence (AI).
Anchored by QIA, part of its $3 billion venture capital Fund of Funds initiative to attract global VC expertise to Qatar , Shorooq’s fund aims to provide long duration, patient capital for private companies aspiring to become regional public market leaders. According to Shorooq’s founding partner Mahmoud Adi, the strategy is intended to make public-market readiness “a repeatable pathway rather than an episodic outcome,” reflecting the wider push by Gulf sovereign funds to strengthen local startup ecosystems.
