Riyadh Valley Company & SparkLabs Launch King Saud University Venture Fund
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Feb. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- SparkLabs Saudi Arabia announced today the launch of SparkLabs KSU Fund I, a USD 20 million venture capital fund focused on backing high-potential local and global founders building and scaling from Saudi Arabia. The Fund received an anchor investment from Riyadh Valley Company (RVC), an investment arm of King Saud University.
The fund will invest across pre-seed, seed, and Series A stages, with a strategic focus on Saudi-founded startups and ventures emerging from the King Saud University ecosystem, while allocating up to 20% of capital to international founders committed to localizing and expanding their businesses in the Kingdom.
The fund is closely aligned with the King Saud University Entrepreneurship Center, which plays a central role in nurturing student and faculty-led startups through education, mentorship, and venture-building support.
The capital raised will be used to provide early-stage funding, strategic support, and access to SparkLabs' global platform, enabling founders to accelerate product development, market entry, and international expansion.
"This investment from Riyadh Valley Company reflects strong alignment around the importance of building a globally connected innovation ecosystem rooted in Saudi Arabia," said Ivan Grlic, Managing Partner at SparkLabs Saudi Arabia. "Through SparkLabs KSU Fund I, we aim to support exceptional founders with capital, hands-on expertise, and access to international markets."
We are now accepting applications from ambitious founders building from Saudi Arabia. Apply through the link below:
About SparkLabs Group
Founded in 2013, SparkLabs Group is a global network of startup accelerators and venture capital funds with operations across Asia, the Middle East, Australia, and the United States. To date, SparkLabs has invested in over 600 companies across six continents, with a combined post-money valuation exceeding USD 56 billion.
SparkLabs has backed and co-invested alongside leading global technology firms and investors, and its portfolio includes category-defining companies in AI, deep tech, enterprise software, and digital platforms. The organization is particularly active in Saudi Arabia, Korea, Taiwan, Australia, and the U.S., enabling portfolio companies to scale globally while maintaining strong local foundations.
Strengthening Saudi Arabia's Startup Ecosystem
SparkLabs KSU Fund I will operate alongside the SparkLabs - KSU accelerator program, which supports early-stage founders through mentorship, operational guidance, and access to local and international networks. The accelerator is also supported by the National Technology Development Program (NTDP) and builds on SparkLabs' global accelerator model, which has demonstrated a startup survival rate of over 86.7%.
The partnership with Riyadh Valley Company reinforces the shared objective of attracting global innovation, nurturing Saudi talent, and contributing to the Kingdom's long-term economic transformation.
SOURCE SparkLabs Group
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