Vision Ventures — Early-stage VC · Dammam, Saudi Arabia

Investing and mentoring aspiring founders to transform economies and impact people’s lives in MENA — creating the greatest companies.

Apply for Funding → See the portfolio
Dammam · Riyadh · Cairo · Amsterdam The story starts in 1989 ↓

Recognized as the most active VC in MENA, 2020–2021

1994First ISP to bring the Saudi public online
7xReturned to Sahara Net investors in four years
2GP/LP funds — Saqr Fund I & Saqr Fund II
100+Years of collective team experience

01 — Our story · 1989 → today

We were founders first.

Vision Ventures grew out of Sahara Net — one of Saudi Arabia’s first internet companies. Three decades of building, raising, exiting and buying back: that’s the operating experience behind every cheque we write.

Scroll to move through the years — or swipe the strip.

1989–1994
The first dial tone 01 / 10
Sahara Network's 1990s website — the desert homepage of one of Saudi Arabia's first internet companies 1989–1994 Sahara Net

The first dial tone

One of the first Bulletin Board Services in the Kingdom — and by 1994, the first ISP to offer internet to the Saudi public.

From the Sahara Net archive, 1997–1998 1997–1998

Licensed by Royal Decree

Internet service is approved by Royal Decree — and Sahara Net is licensed among the first four official ISPs in Saudi Arabia.

From the Sahara Net archive, 2004 2004

The hard pivot

A first funding round to expand and pivot from B2C to B2B. In our own words: “it was so difficult back then.”

From the Sahara Net archive, 2009 — the Belgacom acquisition 2009 7x in 4 years

The 7x exit

Belgacom — one of Europe’s largest telecom operators — acquires a majority stake, returning 7x to our investors in four years.

From the Sahara Net archive, 2014 2014

Buying it back

We buy back Belgacom’s shares. A new era begins.

From the Vision Ventures archive, 2016 2016 VV founded

Vision Ventures

The operators become investors — Vision Ventures is founded in Dammam and starts backing startups.

From the Vision Ventures archive, 2018 2018

Saqr Fund I

Our first GP/LP venture fund launches.

From the Vision Ventures archive, 2018–2019 2018–2019

Most active in Saudi

Recognized as the most active VC in Saudi Arabia — and one of the top two in MENA.

From the Vision Ventures archive, 2020–2021 2020–2021 MENA’s most active

Most active in MENA

Recognized as the most active VC in all of MENA.

From the Vision Ventures archive, 2022 — Saqr Fund II launches 2022

Saqr Fund II

Our second GP/LP fund launches — and the wall below keeps growing.

02 — Featured portfolio

The founders we back.

Five recent investments from Saqr Fund II — real teams, photographed by us. Hover, tap or tab through them.

The TaminTech team
TaminTech

TaminTech

Insurtech digitizing SME insurance distribution and policy management — streamlining brokerage and centralizing coverage online.

Saqr Fund IIHealthTech

We are keen on becoming a lead investor and taking an active role on the board — managerial and operational advisory that helps our companies make more informed decisions.

03 — The wall

Two funds.
Nine markets.
One wall.

Saqr Fund I & II back founders across SaaS, fintech, cybersecurity, healthtech and e-commerce — Tamara, Calo, Salla, Sarwa, Bayzat, Trella and many more. Faces first, logos after: that’s how we see a portfolio.

Founders of TamaraTamaraFounders of CaloCaloFounders of SallaSallaFounders of SarwaSarwaFounders of BayzatBayzatFounders of TrellaTrellaFounders of RedBoxRedBoxFounders of SyarahSyarahFounders of GathernGathernFounders of 360 VUZ360 VUZFounders of ChefaaChefaaFounders of ShezlongShezlongFounders of CartlowCartlowFounders of DabchyDabchyFounders of POSRocketPOSRocketFounders of TamatemTamatemFounders of BrimoreBrimoreFounders of BuseetBuseetFounders of CaramellaCaramellaFounders of FacekiFacekiFounders of GeeksGeeksFounders of HaseelHaseelFounders of Hello World KidsHello World KidsFounders of MalaebMalaebFounders of MenaBytesMenaBytesFounders of MntrniMntrniFounders of NakheelNakheelFounders of QidzQidzFounders of QuantumQuantumFounders of RaqmyahRaqmyahFounders of The ChefzThe ChefzFounders of DhadDhadFounders of SocialDiceSocialDiceFounders of GyroGyroFounders of MarnMarnFounders of MunjizMunjizFounders of MyuMyuFounders of NearNearFounders of RainRainFounders of SiblySiblyFounders of Soroo7Soroo7
Where the portfolio operates Saudi Arabia UAE Bahrain Jordan Egypt Kuwait Tunisia Pakistan USA

04 — Meet the experts

Operators, on call.

Our knowledge, capabilities and network have produced some of the best returns to investors and portfolio companies in MENA — because we’ve sat on the founder’s side of the table.

Kais Al-Essa

Kais Al-Essa

Founding Partner & CEO

Ex-Saudi Aramco; VP Sales & Marketing at Sahara Net. Computer Engineering ’94 + Executive MBA ’16, KFUPM.

Haitham Bu-Aisha

Haitham Bu-Aisha

Founding Partner & Investment Manager

CEO of Sahara Net since 1989. Guiding startups to grow is his passion. MIS, KFUPM.

Mohamed Al-Amad

Mohamed Al-Amad

Managing Partner & CFO

12+ years across IT and trading finance. Certified Management Accountant (USA).

El Ghali Cherrat

El Ghali Cherrat

Investment Manager

Ex-ING Group; senior advisor to the Province of Flevoland (NL). Business Economics, Amsterdam.

Ahmed Osman

Ahmed Osman

Entrepreneur in Residence

Head of Products at CirclePay; ex-Rakuten Japan. CS degree + MBA, International University of Japan.

Basma Altwejri

Basma Altwejri

Community & Marketing Specialist

Strategist across commercial and nonprofit — King Khalid Foundation, Savills, JLL. Finance, Alfaisal University.

Fahad Al-Rasheed

Fahad Al-Rasheed

Investment Analyst

Ex-HSBC Investment Banking Advisory; helped build 500 Global-backed fintech Tammawal.

Abdullah Al-Essa

Abdullah Al-Essa

Investment Analyst

Hunting the next unicorn. MSc Engineering Business Management, University of Sussex.

Ali Al-Sakkaf

Ali Al-Sakkaf

Support Team

Sahara Net 2015 → Vision Ventures 2016.

Advisory Board — Isam M. Al-Muhaideb · Dr. Faisal Al-Kadi  ·  Also on the team — Abdulmohsen Bu-Aisha

05 — The deal

Simple asks, real help.

100+ years of collective experience across technology, business, strategy and finance — regional and international.

What we look for

Strong, passionate, resilient founders

The kind who keep going when it’s difficult — we’ve been there.

Working on it full-time

All-in, not on the side.

A minimum viable product we can see

Something shipped beats something pitched.

Incorporated — or ready to be

A legal entity, existing or imminent.

A large target market

Room to build one of the region’s greatest companies.

What we bring

i.

Lead cheques & a board seat

Managerial and operational advisory, not just capital.

ii.

Expansion across KSA & MENA

Regional rollout support, C-level recruiting, PR and marketing outreach.

iii.

Follow-on & international access

Doors to later rounds and to markets beyond the region.

iv.

The Mazaya Vision Program

Exclusive perks, only for our portfolio companies.

06 — Ready to venture?

Build the next great MENA company.

By entrepreneurs, for entrepreneurs — since 2016. Tell us what you’re building.

Apply Now →

or write to info@visionvc.co