Qatar Investment Authority funds Rasmal Ventures

Qatar Investment Authority funds Rasmal Ventures

Qatar Investment Authority has funded Rasmal Ventures LLC as part of its Fund of Funds Program. The funding is received into Rasmal Venture’s inaugural, home-grown venture capital fund, Rasmal Innovation Fund I LLC, which targets high-performance startups and scales up across a variety of innovative technology sectors, including fintech, B2B SaaS, HealthTech and AI.

Rasmal Innovation Fund I LLC is the first fund announcement as part of QIA’s $1 billion Fund of Funds program announced as open to applicants in February 2024.

To date, the Rasmal Innovation Fund I LLC has closed funding from QIA’s Fund of Funds, corporates, family offices and individual high-net-worth investors with an aim to reach $100 million in investment commitments. The fund is only open to professional investors as defined in QFCRA regulation.

Alexander Wiedmer, Co-Managing Partner of Rasmal Ventures, said, “As the first private VC fund based in Doha, we have forged strong partnerships with leading Qatari institutions to work closely with exceptional founders, stimulate innovation, and meet the region’s unique needs. While still in the early stages of capital deployment, we take pride in our first investments in proprietary tech startups. The trust QIA and our other investors placed in us is a testament to our team’s capabilities and dedication. We will continue to grow our presence across the region and execute our highly selective investment strategy to establish ourselves as a key player in the MENA VC landscape.”

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UAE and Qatar VCs invest in securitization AI entity, Teamsec

UAE and Qatar VCs invest in securitization AI entity, Teamsec

Deniz Ventures, the venture capital fund of DenizBank, established under the Emirates NBD Innovation Fund—the Corporate Venture Capital arm of Emirates NBD Group—and Qatar based Rasmal Ventures, a venture capital firm, have invested in Turkish based TeamSec, an a AI-powered securitization platform, transforming the structured finance industry through its innovative Securitization-as-a-Service platform.

Securitization is the process in which certain types of assets are pooled so that they can be repackaged into interest-bearing securities.

With a total investment raise of 7.6 million USD, TeamSec aims to accelerate its growth operations, focusing on rapid expansion in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The company already has an innovation license in DIFC ( Dubai International Finance Center). Additionally, TeamSec also aims to diversify its product and service portfolio and enhance current service offerings.

TeamSec in Saudi Arabia

In Saudi Arabia, TeamSec has taken a major leap forward by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with SIMAH, the Saudi Credit Bureau. This collaboration is a key milestone in enhancing the securitization ecosystem in the Kingdom, enabling us to access critical credit data and analytics required to structure robust securitization solutions.

The partnership with SIMAH will provide data-driven securitization models that meet international standards. By leveraging SIMAH’s extensive credit information database, the company seeks to ensure that their securitization products are built on a foundation of trust, reliability, and precision—qualities that are vital for attracting investors and fostering confidence in the market.

Through its AI and data analytics-based solutions, TeamSec seeks to create critical value for investors and financial institutions.

Commenting on the investment, Ahmed Al Qassim, Group Head of Wholesale Banking at Emirates NBD, said, “We recognize the immense potential securitization holds in supporting regional growth. Our recent strategic investment in TeamSec, a fintech innovator specializing in Securitization-as-a-Service, underscores our commitment to shaping this market and enabling its growth. We are the first investor in TeamSec, supporting the founder and team in their growth journey at an early stage.”

NEOHUB CEO Gürhan Çam highlighted that TeamSec’s technological infrastructure will lay the groundwork for stronger collaborations among financial institutions in the future and contribute significantly to the financial ecosystem. He stated: “Digital transformation in the fintech sector is no longer a luxury but a necessity. As DenizBank and NEOHUB, we aim to address the technological gaps in the field of securitization by collaborating with startups through our investment in TeamSec. We recognize that TeamSec’s innovations in securitization have the potential to set new industry standards.”

Emphasizing the collaborative approach, Rasmal Ventures’ Co-Managing Partner, Alexander Wiedmer, noted: “TeamSec’s bold vision to revolutionize the securitization industry across the Middle East and beyond resonates strongly with us. Their mission-driven, execution-focused team exemplifies the kind of ambition and innovation we are excited to support. Our investment, alongside Deniz Ventures, reflects our commitment to advance fintech solutions that redefine traditional financial processes. By backing teams like TeamSec, with deep expertise in their field, we aim to accelerate digital transformation and fortify the regional financial ecosystem.”

Emphasizing the role Emirates NBD’s Corporate Venture Capital arm played in driving this investment, Neeraj Makin, Group Head of Strategy, Analytics, and Venture Capital at Emirates NBD, added, “Emirates NBD’s Innovation Fund drives strategic investments in cutting-edge fintech startups like TeamSec, enabling us to deliver tailored solutions that align with our vision of being the most innovative bank for our customers. As the industry evolves, the fund ensures we stay ahead of disruptive trends while enhancing the digital experience for our clients.”

Esad Erkam Köroğlu, Founder and CEO of TeamSec, highlighted that this strategic investment from Deniz Ventures combined with the VC mindset and experience of the Rasmal Ventures’ team, is a key enabler in achieving the company’s vision: “The investment we received from ENBD and Rasmal Ventures demonstrates the trust placed in TeamSec’s vision and technological prowess by these renowned institutions. At the same time, this investment round supports our mission to revolutionize the securitization market, positioning TeamSec as a leader in the fintech sector as well as in the securitization market, particularly in the MENA region. With this investment, we endeavor to strengthen our position as a global game-changer in the field of securitization.”

Qatar based Rasmal Ventures, the first independent venture capital company within QFC authority, licensed to manage exempt funds domiciled in QFC, launched its Rasmal $100 million Fund I in 2023. The Fund was supported by key Qatari private investors and institutions.

Qatar Rasmal Ventures to launch $100 million tech fund

Qatar Rasmal Ventures to launch $100 million tech fund

Qatar based Rasmal Ventures, the first independent venture capital company within QFC authority, licensed to manage exempt funds domiciled in QFC, has announced the launch of its upcoming Rasmal $100 million Fund I, with the support of key Qatari private investors and institutions. For its first closing of over USD $30 million, it includes a prestigious institutional investor, family offices and individual high net worth investors from across Qatar and the rest of the world.

As per the release, the team is working with QFCRA to incorporate the fund, and a first closing is expected to be announced in Q4 2023. The fund will make up to 25 equity investments in Qatari start-ups and scale-ups affording outstanding growth potential as well as regional (MENA) and selective international technology investment opportunities at Pre-Series A, Series A, Series B stages. 

The newly launched Fund manager aims to target high performing startups in fast-growing technology sectors. The fund will have a generalist tech approach across all sectors, but will also specialize in verticals such as climate tech and energy tech, supply chain logistics, fintech, B2B Saas Software and Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Founded by five seasoned venture capitalists, Rasmal Ventures is licensed to manage exempt funds domiciled in QFC as well as provide advisory services. Two of them, Alexander Wiedmer and Angus Paterson, were previously partners of Iris Capital and of a GCC fund that was the first institutional investor in Careem among other successful investments. Both have 20+ years of venture capital experience and 10+ years’ experience of VC investing in the GCC. They are joined by the founding partner of Doha Tech Angels and former executive at Ooredoo and Kahramaa Dr Shaikha Al Jabir; ex-asset manager for Qatar Energy and M&A Advisor at PwC Marc Bourland, and Soumaya Ben Beya Dridje, who has VC, fund investment and entrepreneurship experience in Silicon Valley, Europe and North Africa.

Dr Shaikha Al Jabir, Partner at Rasmal Ventures, said, “MENA has seen a dynamic and evolving venture capital landscape in recent years. According to a report by MAGNiTT, in 2022 alone the amount of funding in the region reached $3.2 billion, with 627 registered deals and a remarkable uptick in exits.    For our team, this offers an attractive opportunity to establish our base in a thriving market within a regulated environment. We strongly believe that Qatar’s stable economic outlook and well-regulated infrastructure will appeal to Qatar-based, as well as international, investors.”

On his side, Yousuf Mohamed Al-Jaida, Chief Executive Officer, QFC, said, “We are delighted to welcome Rasmal Ventures LLC to the QFC platform, yet another significant addition to our growing community. At the QFC, we remain committed to providing an exceptional and attractive business environment for startups to grow their businesses in Qatar. As an integral part of Qatar’s strategic initiative to build a robust economy, we aim to foster a thriving business ecosystem that drives innovation and accelerates technological advancement in the country. We are confident that Rasmal Ventures LLC will contribute to further the economic development of the region.”