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Saudi private equity rebounds, outpacing venture capital in H1 2026
Saudi PE deal value climbed to $834 million in the first half of 2026, while PE deal count totaled 17 deals, and venture capital deal count fell 58.6% year over year to 55.
Saudi Arabia private equity dealmaking showed greater resilience than venture capital in the first half of 2026, according to PitchBook's H1 2026 Saudi Arabia Private Capital Report as cited by Yahoo Finance. PE deal value reached $834 million in H1 2026, already above full-year 2025's $449.9 million, though it remains below the market peaks seen in 2023 and 2024.
Even with the higher total value, the number of PE deals is still behind 2025's pace. Through the first six months of 2026, there were 17 PE deals, compared with venture capital where deal count dropped 58.6% to 55 in H1 2026 from 133 in the same period a year earlier.
The report attributes resilience in both buyout and PE growth activity to a more mature private capital market where institutional investors are finding scaled opportunities. Most activity is described as single-asset deals focused on established businesses that were not venture-backed to begin with, reflecting broader institutionalization in Saudi private capital markets.
Deal activity in H1 2026 concentrated in established sectors, with B2B leading at $450 million in investment. B2C and healthcare followed with $223.7 million and $159.8 million in deal value, respectively. The report also notes fundraising is beginning to shift from capital raised deal by deal toward more blind-pool structures, including Saudi Venture Capital support for multiple blind-pool fund closes such as Jadwa Investment's GCC Private Equity Fund I, which closed in May at $341.5 million.