Stride Ventures Accelerates in GCC with First Close of ADGM Fund V

Stride Ventures has just wrapped up the first close of its major ADGM Fund V, marking a key step in enhancing its position as a powerhouse in venture debt across the GCC region. It's a move that'll definitely catch founders' attention, especially since Stride aims to become the go-to player for shariah-compliant, non-dilutive funding tailored for fast-growing startups.

With a cool $1.2 billion already under its belt, deployed across more than 170 ambitious businesses globally, the firm clearly means business. In the GCC, ticket sizes have already averaged around $10 to $15 million. What's even more encouraging is a healthy pipeline worth some $110-million spread across sectors that really matter around here—fintech, healthcare tech, logistics, and even climate tech. Pretty spot on, I'd say.

Beyond simply handing over funds, Stride bets on providing its startups—like Merit Incentives, which sets the bar high in employee and customer engagement solutions—with industry know-how, strong global underwriting skills, and a founder-first ethos. As you'd expect, startups across the GCC will be chuffed to bits.

Stride has its sights firmly set on the bigger picture too, expecting to triple its assets in the region to over half a billion dollars by 2026. They've got a clear plan to double their presence here, particularly eyeing Saudi Arabia—a nod, undoubtedly, to the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 and its push for innovation-led growth. Anyone who's been around the startup scene lately knows Riyadh Digital Innovation District (RDID) has been instrumental. Well... I mean, places like The Garage have paved the way for meaningful connections between investors like Stride and some of the brightest entrepreneurial minds in Saudi Arabia.

Ishpreet Singh Gandhi, Stride’s founder and managing partner, in a statement shared earlier said, “The region is at the centre of one of the most dynamic growth stories of our time—driven by a clear vision for economic diversification and global competitiveness. At Stride Ventures, we are here to be a long-term partner in that journey. Through the ADGM Fund, we are committed to providing the capital, expertise, and partnership that ambitious founders and innovators need to build businesses that will define the region’s future.”

Personally, I reckon this is exactly the kind of commitment our startup ecosystem needs right now—especially given how the regulatory framework here is finally catching up to entrepreneurs’ ambitions. It sets a strong precedent for other big-name investors to follow suit.

Fariha Ansari, partner at Stride Ventures, highlighted Saudi Arabia’s accelerating role in shaping innovative debt financing, praising the Kingdom's forward-thinking stance fostered by Vision 2030: “Saudi Arabia is rapidly positioning itself as a dynamic and promising destination for innovative financing solutions, particularly in growth debt. Driven by Vision 2030’s ambitious goals to diversify the economy and foster innovation, the Kingdom’s forward-looking regulatory environment is creating exciting opportunities for investors and entrepreneurs alike.”

As readers of Arageek probably know well, ventures like these are crucial to the ongoing development and empowerment of the startup scene across our region. Stride’s expanded footprint within ADGM, and partnerships with top regional banks, indicate just how seriously they're taking this. Leveraging their impressive investment track recrod, including full returns of earlier funds, they're clearly banking on their partnerships here to yield similar success—and honestly, it seems like a smart bet to me.

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