YAKUB ABDULRASHEED – Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZ) has doubled the size of the venture capital fund managed by its investment arm, Oraseya Capital, from $136.2 million (AED 500 million) to $272.3 million (AED 1 billion).
The move aims at strengthening startup financing and supporting high-growth businesses seeking regional and global expansion.
The expansion also raises the fund’s maximum investment per company from $3 million to $6 million and extends its investment mandate beyond Series B funding rounds.
According to DIEZ Executive Chairman Dr. Mohammed Al Zarooni, “Increasing the fund’s size will enable larger investments, broaden the number of companies that can benefit from financing, and support their growth, expansion and access to global markets.”
Oraseya Capital and Its Investment Strategy
Oraseya Capital is the investment arm backed by DIEZ, a Dubai government authority focused on attracting investment and supporting economic development.
The fund provides capital to promising businesses with growth potential, enabling them to develop their products, expand operations and enter new markets.
Its portfolio currently comprises 66 active companies operating across sectors including financial technology, property technology, healthcare, digital commerce, sustainability, education technology, media and advertising.
The expanded fund will prioritise emerging technologies, particularly healthcare and longevity, fintech, digital assets and artificial intelligence.
The initiative also aligns with Dubai’s Economic Agenda D33, which seeks to strengthen the emirate’s position as a global business hub and encourage the development of future-focused industries.
Investment Limit and Broader Funding Opportunities
Under the expansion, Oraseya Capital’s maximum investment per company has increased from $3 million to $6 million, equivalent to approximately AED 22 million.
The higher ceiling gives the fund greater capacity to participate in larger financing rounds and support businesses that require substantial capital to scale their operations.
Beyond increasing its investment limit, the fund has expanded its mandate beyond Series B, potentially allowing it to support companies at more advanced stages of development.
This could enable Oraseya Capital to remain involved as businesses progress from early-stage financing to later funding rounds.
However, the $6 million ceiling represents the maximum investment per company, rather than a guaranteed allocation, and the announcement does not specify how the expanded capital will be distributed across funding stages.
International Startups Could Benefit From the Expanded Mandate
Oraseya Capital is broadening its investment scope to include international businesses with relevance to the United Arab Emirates, extending its potential reach beyond companies directly connected to the country.
The change could create additional opportunities for overseas startups seeking investment and access to Dubai’s business ecosystem as they pursue regional and international expansion.
For African technology companies, including Nigerian fintech and artificial intelligence startups, the broader mandate may present a potential funding avenue if their businesses meet the fund’s investment criteria and demonstrate relevance to the UAE.
Nevertheless, the expansion does not guarantee funding for international companies, and the announcement does not provide detailed eligibility requirements or specify how much capital will be allocated to businesses outside the UAE.
Portfolio Performance and What to Watch Next
Oraseya Capital’s existing portfolio has collectively raised $1.1 billion and generates $387 million in annual recurring revenue, according to the announcement.
These figures provide an indication of the scale and commercial activity of the companies in which the fund has invested, although they do not represent Oraseya Capital’s own investment total or the profitability of its portfolio companies.
The next indicators to watch will be how quickly the expanded fund deploys its capital, how much it allocates to later-stage businesses and whether its broader international mandate translates into more investments outside the UAE.
Its investment decisions across healthcare, longevity, digital assets and artificial intelligence will also offer insight into how Dubai intends to support emerging technologies and attract companies capable of scaling into regional and global markets.
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