Exclusive: Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed on impact investing, Gulf talent and NEOM

Exclusive: Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed on impact investing, Gulf talent and NEOM

From investing in alternate meat to vertical farming, Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal Al Saud, Saudi venture capitalist and founding CEO of KBW Ventures has turned to future tech in his quest to further the green revolution within the wider Middle East.

Speaking exclusively to Al Arabiya English in a wide-ranging interview, Prince Khaled explored his food-first drive, the tenets of investing and funding local talent, and the philosophy behind mega-projects like NEOM in Saudi Arabia.

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Future food

“Seventy percent of the world consumes other types of protein - we’re talking about sheep, we’re talking about lamb. [Black Sheep Foods] are really focused on that,” said Prince Khaled.

Black Sheep Foods, a company that specializes in developing plant-based lamb and other exotic meat, recently raised $12.3 million in series A funding led by plant-based venture veterans Unovis, Bessemer Ventures Partners, AgFunder, and KBW Ventures.

Prince Khaled said he met the foodtech team and arranged a tasting a few months ago before announcing the investment.

While many Silicon Valley companies are focused on plant-based chicken and beef, Black Sheep Foods sought after developing more exotic meat alternatives like lamb.

The new funding is expected