RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, September 3, 2026 – COLABS and the leading alternative investment firm, Shorooq, hosted a private gathering of approximately 250 founders, investors and ecosystem stakeholders in Riyadh to discuss investing, operating and building companies amid continued regional uncertainty.
Held during LEAP 2026 at COLABS Narjis, the independently organized gathering brought together participants from Saudi Arabia and the wider region for an evening of discussion and relationship-building.
The event took place as the global technology and investment community reconvened in Riyadh following a period in which geopolitical instability had disrupted travel, investment activity and major business gatherings across the region.
“Bringing people together is particularly important when the operating environment is uncertain,” said Omar Shah, CEO of COLABS. “Together with Shorooq, we wanted to create a private setting where founders, investors and ecosystem leaders could have candid conversations, strengthen relationships and maintain momentum.”
The gathering reflected a shared conviction between COLABS and Shorooq that the region’s long-term growth will depend not only on capital, but also on trusted networks, local operating infrastructure and sustained collaboration between founders, investors and institutions.
“Periods of uncertainty make long-term partnerships and trusted founder networks even more important,” said Shane Shin, Founding Partner at Shorooq. “Our relationship with COLABS is grounded in a shared commitment to helping founders build enduring companies and giving them access to the capital, connections and infrastructure they need to grow across the region.”
Throughout the evening, founders, investors, builders and ecosystem stakeholders from Saudi Arabia and the wider region had the opportunity to connect and strengthen relationships across the regional technology and investment ecosystem.
For COLABS and Shorooq, the gathering formed part of a longer-term effort to strengthen connections between capital, companies and the wider entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Shorooq first invested in COLABS in 2022 and has since backed the company three times, including leading its $2 million Pre-Series A round in 2024. The partnership reflects their shared commitment to supporting founders and strengthening the infrastructure available to companies building across the region.
COLABS has raised more than $8 million to date from investors including Shorooq, Waseel Partners, Zayn VC, Indus Valley Capital, Fatima Gobi Ventures and other regional backers. The company aims to build a leading workspace and business-support platform for startups, scaleups and enterprise teams across the Middle East, North Africa and Pakistan.
COLABS currently operates more than 500,000 square feet of workspace across more than 10 locations, supporting over 5,000 members and 300 companies.
COLABS develops and operates workspace campuses for startups, SMEs and enterprise teams, combining physical infrastructure with curated communities and programming. It is supported by regional investors including Shorooq, Waseel Partners, Fatima Gobi Ventures and Indus Valley Capital, alongside strategic operators across venture and real estate.
Through its campuses, COLABS brings together founders, operators, investors and creatives in environments designed for focused work and consistent progress. COLABS works alongside more than 250 ecosystem partners, including EY, DigitalOcean, Canva, Coca-Cola, Spotify and Endeavor.
For more information, please visit colabs.sa
Founded in 2017, Shorooq is a multi-strategy investment firm engineered around technology. Its strategies span venture capital, credit and, private equity, and real assets — each guided by a tech-native lens that informs how it identifies innovation, underwrites risk, and drives value. This integrated approach allows us to invest across the capital stack in businesses reshaping their sectors, from fintech and software to AI, industrials, and infrastructure. Shorooq is regulated by the FSRA under FSP: 190004 as a Fund and Asset Manager and only deals with professional clients.
Rooted in a founder-centric principle and disciplined underwriting, Shorooq blends global investment standards with true on-the-ground presence across MENA and Asia. We are building an institution designed to endure, born in a region where the future of capital is being written.
Visit us at www.shorooq.com
Shorooq refers to a group of companies that are affiliates of each other and which operate under this business name, of which Shorooq Partners Ltd (regulated by the ADGM Financial Services Regulatory Authority FSRA, FSP: 190004, as a Category 3C Fund Manager) is a member. Shorooq is only permitted to deal with Professional Clients as per the FSRA.
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