VC Firm MASNA Ventures Launches $100M Fund for Saudi Defence Sector
Fund I targets new Saudi companies and adjacent plays in AI, logistics and aerospace services, aligning with Vision 2030’s 50% localisation push.
Saudi-based venture capital firm MASNA Ventures has launched MASNA Ventures Fund I, a vehicle of approximately $100 million dedicated to the Kingdom’s defence sector. The fund is structured to support the localisation of defence manufacturing and to help move proven systems from deployment into large-scale production within Saudi Arabia.
The fund targets newly established Saudi companies formed by the private sector that leverage technologies originating in the United States and manufacture them locally. MASNA Ventures said the approach is designed to accelerate industrial capacity, strengthen domestic supply chains, and support the transition from reliance on imports to in-country production.
Beyond direct defence investments, the fund will explore opportunities across related segments of the industrial ecosystem. These include supply chain and procurement services, logistics, defence and aerospace maintenance, repair and overhaul operations, artificial intelligence applications, and broader manufacturing equity investments tied to the defence value chain. Additional opportunities within the defence ecosystem may be considered as they emerge.
MASNA Ventures is co-founded and led by Lucien Zeigler and Nehal Farooqui. The firm focuses on scaling the deployment and commercialisation of in-demand systems while building local manufacturing capabilities. The launch of Fund I aligns with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 objective to increase local defence production to 50%, reinforcing efforts to develop a more self-sustaining and competitive defence industry within the Kingdom.
