Golden Gate launches $100mn Mena Fund I, first global venture capital fund managed in Qatar

Golden Gate launches $100mn Mena Fund I, first global venture capital fund managed in Qatar

Michael Lints, Partner at Golden Gate Ventures and Hussain Abdulla, Senior Advisor at Golden Gate Ventures after the launch of Mena Fund I.

Golden Gate Ventures, a venture capital fund founded by Silicon Valley natives, yesterday launched its first $100mn Middle East and North Africa (Mena) Fund I, led by Qatar’s most prominent families Al Khor Holding, Al Attiya Group, and Sheikh Jassim bin Jabor al-Thani as anchor investors.The fund, which has $20mn in commitments from Qatar’s families, is the first international venture capital fund to be established and managed within Qatar. It was unveiled at the Qatar Economic Forum, powered by Bloomberg.The fund will focus on powering startups in key sectors such as alternative energy, green technology, B2B Artificial Intelligence, and energy-related deep tech. Supporting innovation in these high-demand areas will complement Qatar’s international leadership in liquefied natural gas and alternative energy, cementing its growing global influence in the energy space as the world picks up the pace on the climate agenda.Other strategic sectors that Mena Fund I will cover include fintech, healthtech, and edtech, which will further Qatar’s economic diversification agenda."The launch of Golden Gate Ventures in Qatar represents a notable progression towards diversifying the venture capital