Investor Profile: HALA Ventures — Thesis, Cheque Size & How to Apply

Founders asking how to get funding from HALA Ventures should first know the name on the door has changed: in August 2025 HALA Ventures evolved into HALA Capital, a closed joint stock company licensed by Saudi Arabia's Capital Market Authority (license 25318-02) to conduct investment management. Founded in 2014 by Ali Abussaud and Hussain Almarhoon, it is one of the earliest venture capital firms in the MENA region — and it now stands as a full-spectrum private capital manager spanning venture capital, private equity and private credit, with over SAR 4 billion in portfolio value. This profile covers its thesis, cheques, portfolio and how to pitch it.

The investment thesis

As HALA Ventures, the firm specialised in early-stage, cutting-edge tech-driven startups with the power to scale quickly while remaining capital-efficient — investing not just in businesses but in "the future of disruption". It focused on the MENA region, backing bold founders across fintech, e-commerce, SaaS, logistics and media. As HALA Capital it has broadened into a hands-on, long-term-value investor with cross-industry flexibility, while early-stage venture remains core to its identity. Its stated philosophy: investing in companies that drive regional growth, supporting visionary leaders "long before their potential is fully recognised".

Fund size and cheque sizes

The firm's total fund size is not publicly disclosed. Its own site reports over +30 investments and a portfolio valuation north of $1 billion, with the rebranded HALA Capital now stating over SAR 4 billion in portfolio value and multiple companies surpassing 15x valuation milestones. Independent coverage of its venture-stage activity puts average ticket sizes in the $500,000 to $5 million range at pre-seed and seed. Strategic partners listed on its site include Jada, Monshaat, SVC, MISA, InvestSaudi and Microsoft — signalling deep integration with Saudi Arabia's startup ecosystem.

Notable portfolio

HALA Ventures was instrumental in the early growth of TruKKer (MENA logistics) and Foodics (restaurant tech), both now scaling rapidly across the region — early calls that cemented its reputation. The current portfolio on hala.vc includes Sarwa (investing platform, UAE), Nearpay (payment infrastructure, Saudi Arabia), Rize (rent-now-pay-later), Raqamyah (SAMA-licensed crowdlending), Democrance (insurtech), Sanad Cash (expense management), Vuz (immersive social media), Telfaz11 (creative studio), Kaso (B2B ordering), Torod (post-order logistics), Dailymealz, Krave Mart, SubsBase, CreditFins, Omniful, Lamsa, MAGNiTT and Super Commerce.

How to apply for funding

The venture site's clearest call to action is its Get Funded route on hala.vc — the front door for founder pitches. Founders can also reach the team directly at [email protected] or +966 13 898 0254 (Riyadh). The strongest pitches speak its language: capital-efficient, tech-driven models with regional scale potential across MENA, ideally in fintech, commerce or logistics where its track record runs deepest. Given its Saudi licensing and government-linked strategic partners, founders aligned with the Kingdom's Vision 2030 ecosystem priorities tend to resonate.