Sharikat Mubasher: Stride Ventures completed the first close of its Abu Dhabi Global Market Fund V, marking the venture‑debt specialist’s formal entry into the GCC.

Through Fund V, Stride intends to triple its GCC assets under management to more than $500 million by 2026, supporting initiatives such as Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, according to the company’s press release.

Founder Ishpreet Singh Gandhi said the region’s push for economic diversification makes it one of the world’s most compelling growth stories, and he outlined ambitions to become the largest provider of flexible, Shariah‑compliant capital to high‑growth startups.

The firm has already assembled a $110-million deal pipeline covering fintech, healthtech, logistics, and climate tech, with average ticket sizes between 10 and 15 million dollars. Stride’s portfolio in the Gulf now includes companies such as Merit Incentives, and the firm is partnering with regional banks to widen access to venture debt.

Fariha Ansari, a partner at the firm, noted that Saudi Arabia’s forward‑looking regulations and innovation districts like Riyadh Digital Innovation District and The Garage are accelerating demand for growth‑stage financing.

With more than $1.2 billion already deployed across 170‑plus startups worldwide, Stride Ventures believes its global underwriting expertise and founder‑first approach will help Gulf entrepreneurs scale and create jobs in the region’s evolving innovation economy.