11 October 2026
The Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZ) has doubled the venture capital fund of its investment arm, Oraseya Capital, from AED 500 million to AED 1 billion, the Dubai Media Office announced on 11 October 2026. The maximum investment in a single company rises from USD 3 million to USD 6 million (about AED 22 million), the fund can now back companies beyond Series B, and its scope widens from UAE-linked businesses to global companies of strategic relevance to the UAE. The next priorities are healthcare and longevity, fintech and digital assets, and artificial intelligence.
What DIEZ announced on 11 October
DIEZ is the authority that runs three Dubai free zones: Dubai Airport Freezone (DAFZ), the technology-focused Dubai Silicon Oasis and Dubai CommerCity, the free zone for digital commerce. Oraseya Capital is its venture investment arm. The October decision changes four parameters of the fund at once:
| Parameter | Before | From October 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Fund size | AED 500 million | AED 1 billion |
| Maximum per company | USD 3 million (about AED 11 million) | USD 6 million (about AED 22 million) |
| Stages | pre-seed to Series B | every stage, including beyond Series B |
| Geography | companies directly linked to the UAE | also global companies of strategic relevance to the UAE |
According to the release, the larger cheque lets the fund take part in bigger funding rounds and support companies at more advanced stages, while it continues to invest in early-stage start-ups. DIEZ links the move to the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 and says the aim is to help build the next generation of billion-dollar companies with Dubai as their base for regional and international expansion.
His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of DIEZ, said that doubling the fund reflects confidence in Dubai as a hub for technology leaders and that a larger fund gives promising companies the capital, expertise and opportunities to grow from Dubai into regional and global markets. Dr Mohammed Al Zarooni, Executive Chairman of DIEZ, said the decision takes Oraseya Capital into a new phase that combines capital, expertise, guidance and access to a network of investors and partners.
Oraseya Capital in numbers
DIEZ launched Oraseya Capital in November 2023 with AED 500 million, presenting it at the Dubai Business Forum as a fund for technology start-ups from pre-seed to Series B. Less than three years later, the release reports the following results:
- 66 active portfolio companies and an average of 25 investments a year;
- USD 387 million (about AED 1.42 billion) of combined annual recurring revenue across the portfolio, up from about USD 180 million at the time of investment; USD 140 million of it is generated in the UAE;
- USD 1.1 billion (about AED 4 billion) raised by portfolio companies in total;
- eight completed cohorts of the SANDBOX accelerator, which gives selected companies USD 150,000 in investment, plus LAUNCHPAD, a six-month programme for entrepreneurs.
By the count of the data platform MAGNiTT, Oraseya Capital has been the UAE’s most active investor by number of deals for three consecutive years: first in the UAE in 2024 and 2025, and again first in the UAE in the H1 2026 ranking, both by overall deal count and by early-stage activity, while placing second across the Middle East and North Africa in both categories. The fund was also named Venture Capital Firm of the Year at the Entrepreneur Middle East Awards 2025.
In August, DIEZ reported that Oraseya Capital invested in 15 start-ups in the first half of 2026, 25% more than a year earlier, and that SANDBOX received 771 applications for its eighth cohort and selected 16 companies. We covered those half-year results, together with the 96% occupancy of the DIEZ free zones, in our article on Dubai free zones at 96% occupancy.
Where the new money will go
The current portfolio spans fintech, proptech, artificial intelligence, media and advertising technology, marketing technology, sustainability, healthcare, digital commerce and education technology. For the expanded fund, DIEZ names three strategic priorities in emerging technologies:
- healthcare and longevity;
- fintech and digital assets;
- artificial intelligence.
The release describes these as areas that can change how people live, work and create value, and ties them to building globally competitive companies from Dubai. It does not split the extra AED 500 million between sectors or stages and does not publish a target number of new deals.
What changes for founders and growing companies
Three practical points follow directly from the new parameters.
Larger rounds. With up to USD 6 million per company, Oraseya Capital can take a meaningful share of a Series A or Series B round instead of a small ticket. For a company with proven revenue, a state-backed co-investor of this size can make it easier to close a round with other funds.
Later stages. Until now the fund stopped at Series B. The expanded mandate covers companies beyond Series B with proven business models, so a founder no longer has to look elsewhere once the company outgrows early-stage rounds.
Companies from outside the UAE. The fund may now invest in global businesses of strategic relevance to the UAE, not only in companies directly linked to the country. The release does not define strategic relevance and does not publish application criteria, so a foreign founder should treat this as an opening for a conversation, not as an automatic right to funding.
The release also does not say whether a company must hold a licence in one of the DIEZ free zones to receive investment. Whatever the investor requires, a UAE entity is the practical base for hiring staff on UAE visas, opening a corporate bank account and signing contracts with UAE clients. The choice between the mainland and a free zone such as Dubai Silicon Oasis or Dubai CommerCity depends on the activity and the clients; our guide to company formation in the UAE walks through the options step by step, and the neighbouring zone is described in our article on the second phase of Dubai CommerCity.
Checklist for a founder looking at Dubai
If you plan to raise money in Dubai or move a growing company here, prepare the basics before the first investor meeting:
- current metrics: annual recurring revenue, growth, unit economics and the share of revenue from the UAE and the GCC;
- a clear cap table and the size, stage and use of funds of the round you are raising;
- a plan for the UAE entity: mainland or free zone, licensed activities, office and the number of visas you will need;
- a corporate bank account timeline, because a new company needs an account before it can receive investment and pay salaries;
- visas for founders and key staff, since investors usually ask where the team is based;
- compliance basics: UAE corporate tax registration, VAT where relevant and ultimate beneficial owner records.
How Atlant Capital can help
Atlant Capital works with founders and entrepreneurs who build or move their business to the UAE. We help choose the jurisdiction and free zone for the activity, handle company setup in the UAE from licence to visas, prepare the file for corporate bank account opening and keep the company compliant after launch. For a start-up that is talking to UAE investors, this means the legal and banking base is ready by the time the round closes.
Bottom line
From October 2026, Oraseya Capital manages AED 1 billion instead of AED 500 million, can put up to USD 6 million into one company instead of USD 3 million, invests beyond Series B and is open to global companies of strategic relevance to the UAE. Its portfolio of 66 companies reports USD 387 million of annual recurring revenue and USD 1.1 billion raised. The new priorities are healthcare and longevity, fintech and digital assets, and artificial intelligence. Application criteria for foreign companies have not been published yet.
Source: Dubai Media Office, Emirates 24/7.
FAQ
How big is the Oraseya Capital fund now?
The Oraseya Capital fund is now AED 1 billion. The Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZ) doubled it from AED 500 million, the size at launch in November 2023, and the decision was announced on 11 October 2026.
How much can Oraseya Capital invest in one company?
Up to USD 6 million per company, which is about AED 22 million. The previous limit was USD 3 million. DIEZ says the higher limit lets the fund join larger rounds and back companies at later stages, including beyond Series B.
Can a startup from outside the UAE get investment from Oraseya Capital?
Yes, in principle. From October 2026 the fund may invest in global companies of strategic relevance to the UAE, not only in companies directly linked to the country. DIEZ has not published how strategic relevance is assessed or what the application criteria are.
Which sectors does Oraseya Capital focus on?
The new strategic priorities are healthcare and longevity, fintech and digital assets, and artificial intelligence. The existing portfolio of 66 companies also covers proptech, media and advertising technology, marketing technology, sustainability, digital commerce and education technology.
