What We Do

Venture Capital

Sanabil’s Venture Capital Program aims to develop a diversified portfolio across all stages of venture capital. The program is designed to include direct investments, commitments to funds, and selective co-investments alongside fund managers.

Sanabil in the long run seeks to achieve attractive risk-adjusted returns by investing in promising venture capital-backed companies and with top-tier venture fund managers around the globe with emphasis on the U.S., Europe, and China in addition to Saudi Arabia.

Direct investments include leading and participating in equity funding rounds (Series B and beyond) in early stage, late stage and high growth companies. Fund investments are intended to be stage-agnostic (i.e., to include seed, early stage, late stage, and growth), industry-agnostic, and geography-agnostic (i.e., to include global, U.S., Europe, and China).

Private Equity

Funds

Sanabil invests in Buyout strategies in North America, Europe and Emerging Markets. Sanabil targets Mega/Large Buyout funds as well as mid-market Buyout funds and Growth Equity strategies in the lower- to mid-market segments.

Sanabil conducts analysis on the General Partners’ team stability, track record, and performance relative to peers and to public markets. Furthermore, Sanabil looks at value creation attributions, deal sourcing capabilities, and return volatility.

Buyout fund investments typically range from US$50 million to US$250 million, but could go higher in some cases

Co-investments

Sanabil selectively co-invests in the equity of certain companies alongside current and prospective General Partners. Sanabil is generally industry and geography agnostic in selecting attractive co-investment opportunities and seeks minority positions with commensurate minority protection rights and favorable economics.

Private Equity

Sanabil’s Private Equity Program aims to develop a diversified portfolio across various geographies, sectors, strategies and vintage years. Program investments primarily focus on making commitments to private equity funds.

Sanabil seeks to achieve attractive risk-adjusted returns by investing with top-tier private equity fund managers around the globe and becoming a long term strategic partner. Sanabil targets fund managers that have demonstrated persistent outperformance along with high levels of governance, alignment, and transparency.

Direct Investments

Sanabil Investments focuses on making direct equity investments in private companies and projects. Our goal in this regard is to acquire influential minority stakes with appropriate minority protection rights and board representations to ensure the implementation of our investment thesis and strategy. While our primary objective in making direct investments is to optimize returns, we take other factors into consideration when investing, including the investment’s potential role in contributing to the development of the Saudi economy, the transfer of expertise and technology to the local markets, as well as contribution towards national priorities.

Real Assets

Sanabil’s Real Asset Program provides broad exposure to global real assets, through allocations to high return strategies, and multiple geographies and vintage years.

Sanabil currently implements its real assets strategy by investing as a limited partner in closed-end commingled funds, including value-add and opportunistic strategies, which are managed by high-quality, best-in-class managers.

Prior to investing in a fund, Sanabil undertakes a comprehensive due diligence exercise aimed at evaluating the key characteristics of a fund, as well as the General Partner managing the fund. Such due diligence includes analysis of historical performance, performance attribution, market opportunity, investment thesis, key investment terms, organizational structure, governance, transparency, and alignment of interest.