The fund gives du access to companies and emerging technologies to enhance its core services and benefit its wider digital ecosystem.

Dubai, UAE: du, the leading telecom and digital services provider, today announced the launch of du Ventures, a $50 million corporate venture fund developed in partnership with Shorooq and designed to accelerate the next wave of digital innovations across the UAE and the broader region. The initiative marks a significant milestone in du's evolution beyond traditional telecom services into a comprehensive digital ecosystem player.

du Ventures will partner with promising startups and founders who are transforming emerging technologies into real-world solutions, focusing on companies across fintech, AI, cybersecurity, cloud, loyalty, gaming, enterprise solutions, and customer experience technologies.

Fahad Al Hassawi, CEO at du, said: "du Ventures represents our commitment to driving meaningful digital transformation while contributing to the UAE's ambitions to build a globally competitive digital economy. Through this platform, we are investing in technologies and founders that align closely with our strategic priorities. Leveraging du’s scale, infrastructure, and enterprise reach with startup innovation, we aim to accelerate the commercialization of emerging technologies and create long term value for our customers, shareholders, and the wider economy."

The fund will be managed by Shorooq, a leading multi-strategy investment firm that will prioritize investments that fit du’s corporate strategy, with a significant share of investments dedicated specifically to UAE-based ventures.

Mahmoud Adi, founding partner at Shorooq said: "Partnering with du on this initiative is a natural fit for Shorooq. We share a common belief that the region's most promising startups deserve access to both capital and the strategic infrastructure that du can offer. du Ventures will enable us to bridge the gap between innovation and scale, empowering founders to bring transformative solutions to market faster."

About du

du adds life to life with a comprehensive portfolio of mobile, fixed, broadband, entertainment services, and fintech solutions. Through a digital-first approach powered by ultra-reliable fiber and 5G technology, du delivers bespoke solutions leveraging cloud computing, AI-driven analytics, advanced cybersecurity, and IoT integration. As a trusted digital telco enabler spearheading the UAE's digital transformation, we collaborate with a dynamic partner ecosystem to propel industries and society toward operational excellence, shaping a more connected and digitally advanced future across the region.

About Shorooq

Founded in 2017, Shorooq is a multi-strategy investment firm engineered around technology. Our strategies span venture capital, credit, private equity, and real assets—each guided by a tech native lens that informs how we identify innovation, underwrite risk, and drive value. This integrated approach allows us to invest across the capital stack in businesses reshaping their sectors, from fintech and software to AI, industrials, and infrastructure.

Rooted in a founder-centric principle and disciplined underwriting, Shorooq blends global investment standards with true on-the-ground presence across the MENA and Asia. We are building an institution designed to endure, born in a region where the future of capital is being written.

Visit us at www.shorooq.com

Shorooq refers to a group of companies that are affiliates of each other and which operate under this business name, of which Shorooq Partners Ltd (regulated by the ADGM Financial Services Regulatory Authority FSRA FSP: 190004 as a category 3C Fund Manager) is a member. Shorooq is only allowed to deal with Professional Clients as per the FSRA.