THE MIDDLE EAST’S
1. Fahad Alidi
Company: Wa'ed Ventures
Designation: Managing Director & CEO
Nationality: Saudi
Headquarters: Saudi Arabia
Established: 2013
Alidi assumed his current position in 2021. Wa'ed Ventures is the $500 million venture capital arm of Saudi Aramco, which had a portfolio of over 75 companies in sectors including AI, semiconductor, fintech, sustainability, cybersecurity, spacetech, proptech, biotech, and enterprise SaaS, as of June 2024. In 2024, the funding rounds that the company participated in included Abyan Capital’s $18 million Series A and U.A.E.-based proptech Stake’s $14 million Series A. In October 2024, Wa'ed Ventures allocated $100 million for AI investments. Alidi also sits on the boards of OQ Technology, Abyan Capital, Manafa, and the Saudi Venture Capital and Private Equity Association.