Venture Capital & Emerging Companies
Global Guide 2024 : United Arab Emirates
Band 2
Contact number
+971 4 205 2000About
Provided by Hourani & Partners
The start-up ecosystem in the Middle East region has evolved at lightning speed over the past few years, particularly in countries such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Venture capital financing continues to be on the rise as existing and new regional funds raise and deploy funds, and government arms (such as Monshaat and Jada in Saudi Arabia) earmark billions of dollars to invest with regional funds or directly in regional start-ups and technology companies, and international venture capital funds start targeting the region.
Our knowledge of the regional venture scene and the key players behind it place Hourani & Partners in a unique position to provide not only astute legal advice but also the ability to leverage its relationships with different stakeholders to successfully negotiate and close transactions.
Entrepreneurs trust our counsel and value our handholding approach and how we strongly advocate for their rights. Simply speaking, we believe our experience in the region in the venture capital space is unmatched.
- Assisted a significant investor in Kitopi’s US$ 300 million Series C extension.
- Advised SellAnyCar.com in connection with its US$ 35 million capital raise from Sanabil Investments, Olayan Financing, and Gulf Investment Corporation.
- Advised HyperPay in its US$ 36.7 million capital raise led by Mastercard.
- Advised Naghi Group, as a key investor, in connection with its purchase of Series A shares in IKcon, an innovative kitchen concept based in KSA and UAE.
Chambers Review
Hourani & Partners is a respected law firm with deep roots in the Middle East. Its Dubai office fields a team with a wealth of experience in the venture capital space. It acts for a number of well-known venture capital firms on investments and acquisitions, with further proven capabilities assisting venture-backed companies. The team's work spans a variety of sectors, including retail and technology.
Work Highlights
- Hourani & Partners acted for Rani Hassan, the founder of Tarboosh Games, regarding the sale of a controlling stake in the company to French video game developer Voodoo.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"It is a deeply experienced team, with diverse backgrounds and strong relationships in the Gulf markets."
"They offer a very high drafting quality and a strong ability to distil and resolve complex issues through commercial and practical solutions."
"It is a deeply experienced team, with diverse backgrounds and strong relationships in the Gulf markets."
"They offer a very high drafting quality and a strong ability to distil and resolve complex issues through commercial and practical solutions."
Notable Practitioners
Rudolf Goldschmidt counsels clients on the full gamut of acquisitions, sales and investments. Admitted to the Paris Bar, he is capable of advising clients in English, French and German.
"Rudolf is experienced, hands-on and he knows the way we work, the internal mechanisms of us as a client."
"He has a very broad understanding of both the Middle East and Europe."
Salim Sader is a capable lawyer with a wide-ranging practice. He offers considerable experience advising on capital raises and strategic acquisitions, and his venture capital practice is complemented by further activity in the broader private equity space.
"He's a very solid attorney, with strong commercial acumen and top-tier drafting skills. He has a keen ability to identify key issues and propose actionable, commercial solutions to resolve them."
"Salim is extremely responsive, diligent and helpful."
Ranked Lawyers at
Hourani & Partners
United Arab Emirates
Members
Provided by Hourani & Partners
Clients
Provided by Hourani & Partners
Delivery Hero
HyperPay
Impact46
Kitopi
Naghi Group
Seedra Ventures
SellAnyCar.com
Tarboosh Games
Industries
Provided by Hourani & Partners
Biotechnology
Ecommerce
F&B
Games
Hospitality
Investment firms
Retail