For several years, venture capital firms have been cagey about whether they have raised money from Saudi Arabia, following the 2018 murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi in one of the country’s consulates. The Saudis, for their part, are no longer keeping quiet.
The venture arm of the Saudi Public Investment Fund, the country’s $620 billion sovereign wealth fund, has begun disclosing on its website its partnerships with nearly 40 U.S. VC firms and a handful of international funds. Among the relationships disclosed by the Saudi venture arm—known as Sanabil Investments—are connections to marquee investment firms Andreesseen Horowitz, Coatue Management, Craft Ventures and Insight Partners.
