Oraseya Capital is the $136 million venture capital arm of the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZ). Established in November 2023 and based in Dubai, it is a sector-agnostic fund backing technology startups from pre-Seed through Series B, with a mandate to strengthen Dubai's and the wider MENA region's entrepreneurial ecosystem through strategic, hands-on capital.
Investment approach
Oraseya invests across sectors and stages — pre-Seed and Seed through Series A and Series B — with a UAE-centric lens: it backs startups with an existing tie to Dubai and the UAE, as well as international companies establishing operations there. Ticket sizes range from $500,000 to $10 million. The firm's stated ethos is founder-centric: it backs exceptional, decisive teams, emphasises customer validation, and engages actively through regular check-ins, strategy sessions and introductions rather than passive capital deployment. Launched with the aim of becoming a premier venture investment company sought out by entrepreneurs and investors alike, the fund concentrates on startups with substantial growth potential that can help reshape advanced technology sectors. It is chaired by Dr. Mohammed Al Zarooni, with Julien Plouzeau serving as Partner.
SANDBOX accelerator
Oraseya runs SANDBOX, its landmark startup accelerator for ambitious pre-Seed to Seed-stage technology entrepreneurs. Designed as a founder-centric, five-month journey, the program emphasises investor-readiness, commercial exposure and growth, giving founders access to VCs, seasoned entrepreneurs and hundreds of hours of hands-on support from regional mentors — alongside the opportunity for investment from Oraseya to support scaling. The program has drawn more than 1,200 applications and welcomed seven startup cohorts, with the next cohort now open for applications. The program has already welcomed seven cohorts into the portfolio from more than 1,200 applications, and its eighth cohort is set to commence soon, per the firm's January 2026 ecosystem update. Founders apply directly through the firm's website, which also accepts financing applications from companies outside the accelerator track.
Portfolio
Highlighted portfolio companies include health-and-wellness platform Bugaboo, AI-focused startup Omniscient AI, logistics tech company Parcelly and sustainability startup The Green Place — spanning health, AI, logistics and climate, consistent with the fund's sector-agnostic mandate.
Why it matters for founders
Oraseya Capital is one of the few MENA funds that writes cheques from pre-Seed to Series B under one roof, anchored by Dubai's economic-zones authority — a powerful signal if you are building in or expanding into the UAE. The five-month SANDBOX accelerator adds a structured on-ramp with a direct path to investment, making Oraseya a first stop for UAE-tied tech founders.