RIYADH: Saudi Venture Capital has announced an investment in the Growth Catalyst Fund, marking a continued push to expand private equity activity in Saudi Arabia’s mid-market segment.
The fund, managed by Growth Catalyst Investment Co., will target growth-stage businesses across the Kingdom and the wider Gulf Cooperation Council, focusing on sectors with strong expansion potential and strategic importance.
The move comes as Saudi Arabia accelerates efforts to diversify its economy under Vision 2030, with increasing demand for capital among scaling companies seeking to transition into regional and global competitors.
The Growth Catalyst Fund aims to address this gap by combining financial backing with operational expertise to improve efficiency and competitiveness.
Deputy CEO and chief investment officer at SVC, Nora Al-Sarhan, said: “The investment in Growth Catalyst Fund reflects SVC’s continued role in deepening the private equity market in the Kingdom, particularly at the growth stage, which is seeing rising demand from scalable companies.”
Al-Sarhan added: “Enabling fund managers to target this segment accelerates the development of national companies capable of competing regionally and globally, in line with the Kingdom’s ongoing economic transformation under Vision 2030.”
The fund will focus on industries including healthcare, education, and renewable energy, as well as food and beverage, targeting businesses with high growth potential and innovative capabilities.
Growth Catalyst Investment Co., established in 2024, is positioning the fund to support founder-led enterprises at a critical stage of expansion.
Turki Al-Dayel, founder and CEO of Growth Catalyst Investment Co., said: “We are delighted to partner with SVC as a cornerstone investor in Growth Catalyst Fund.”
“With SVC's backing, we are well-positioned to accelerate our mission of building the next generation of Saudi champions,” Al-Dayel added.
SVC, a subsidiary of the SME Bank under the National Development Fund, was established in 2018 to stimulate financing across the startup and SME ecosystem, from early-stage ventures to pre-initial public offering companies.
