The Qatar Financial Centre (QFC), a leading onshore financial and business centre, has welcomed Shorooq Doha Advisory Services, a UAE-based investment firm, following its receipt of initial authorisation from the QFC Regulatory Authority. 

The firm’s establishment in Qatar adds further depth to QFC’s growing financial services community and supports the development of an increasingly connected regional investment ecosystem.

Earlier this year at Web Summit Qatar, Shorooq launched a $200 million late-stage growth fund under its Qatalyst Series, backed by Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) and other sovereign and institutional investors. 

The launch reflects Qatar’s expanding role in mobilising institutional capital for high-growth technology companies across the region.

The fund targets late-stage and pre-initial public offering (IPO) technology companies across the GCC, helping to address a long-standing growth-capital gap and strengthen pathways to public-market readiness, said the statement.

The Qatar office will be Shorooq’s fourth regional presence, building on its established presence in Riyadh, Bahrain and Cairo. Its expansion reflects the firm’s strategy to maintain an on-the-ground presence across key regional markets and work closely with founders as they scale.

Mansoor Rashid Al Khater, the Chief Executive Officer of QFC, said: "Shorooq’s establishment in Qatar is a welcome addition to QFC’s growing financial services community and reflects increasing regional confidence in Qatar’s investment proposition."

"By supporting late-stage technology companies and strengthening pathways to public markets, Shorooq will contribute to the continued development of Qatar’s venture capital and start-up ecosystem, while reinforcing the country’s position as a platform for innovation-led growth across the region," he stated.

Mahmoud Adi, Founding Partner at Shorooq, said: "Qatar is central to how we think about the next phase of growth capital in the region. Through our Qatalyst Series, and with the support of partners such as the Qatar Investment Authority, we are building the late-stage and pre-IPO capital that the region's most promising technology companies need to scale and reach the public markets."

"Establishing a presence in Doha, within the QFC's world-class environment, allows us to work more closely with founders and institutions on the ground. It reflects our long-term commitment to Qatar and to the region's growing role as a hub for innovation-led growth," he added.-TradeArabia News Service