• Saudi Arabia-based private markets investment platform OORI has received a licence from the Capital Market Authority (CMA) to conduct arranging and advising activities and is preparing to commence operations.
• Founded in 2023 by Elie Nasr and Naif Al Ajmi, OORI provides qualified investors in Saudi Arabia with regulated access to Shariah-compliant private market investment opportunities, initially targeting technology companies from pre-Seed through pre-IPO stages.
• The company raised a seven-figure USD pre-Seed round in 2024 from strategic investors, family offices and angel investors across Saudi Arabia, the GCC and Europe, including Bunat Ventures and RZM Investments.
• The funding was used to develop OORI's technology platform, complete the regulatory licensing process and prepare for its operational launch.
• OORI plans to expand beyond technology into additional alternative asset classes, while its longer-term roadmap includes tokenisation, smart contracts and digital investment infrastructure.

Press release:

OORI, the Saudi-based investment platform focused on private markets, today announced that it has received a license from the Saudi Capital Market Authority to conduct Arranging and Advising activities and is preparing to commence operations. The platform will provide Shariah-compliant investment opportunities and structures for qualified investors in the Kingdom with regulated access to curated private market investment opportunities, initially focused on technology companies spanning pre-seed, venture, growth and pre-IPO stages.

OORI completed a seven-figure USD pre-seed funding round in 2024, backed by strategic investors, family offices and angel investors from Saudi Arabia, the GCC and Europe, including Bunat Ventures and RZM Investments. The funding supported the development of the company's technology platform, regulatory licensing process and operational launch.

Private markets have traditionally remained difficult to access due to limited deal availability, high minimum investment thresholds and illiquid investment structures. OORI was established to address these longstanding barriers by providing a regulated platform that broadens access to curated investment opportunities while laying the foundation for a more transparent and efficient private markets ecosystem.

Elie Nasr, Co-Founder and CEO of OORI, said: "Private markets have historically been accessible to only a small segment of high-net-worth investors, largely because of structural and cost barriers rather than a lack of demand. We built OORI to change that through a platform that streamlines the process and reduces cost while maintaining  regulatory oversight, making private market investing more transparent, accessible and efficient."

Naif Al Ajmi, Co-Founder of OORI, said: "Saudi Arabia is creating one of the world's most dynamic financial markets, and we wanted to build alongside that transformation from the very beginning. Choosing to pursue a CMA licence from day one reflects our confidence in the Kingdom's long-term vision. We're proud to launch a platform that contributes to that vision by expanding access to global private investment opportunities to a new demographic of investors that have the foresight and drive for private markets but only need better structure and opportunities."

To support its investment offering, OORI has established a network of partnerships spanning investment banks, venture capital firms, private equity funds and other investment platforms, alongside collaborations with wealth managers, family offices and independent financial advisors. Together, these relationships enable the platform to provide qualified investors with access to curated private market investment opportunities.

Initially, OORI will focus on technology investments spanning pre-seed through pre-IPO companies. Over time, the platform plans to expand into additional alternative asset classes, broadening access to private market opportunities through its regulated, technology-enabled platform.