Dubai-based Disrupt.com to commit $100 million in establishing and supporting AI-driven startup ventures
Disrupt.com Announces $100 Million Commitment to AI-First Startups
Disrupt.com, a venture builder and investor based in Dubai, has announced a significant commitment of $100 million to fuel the growth of AI-first technology ventures globally. This move comes as the firm seeks to capitalize on the burgeoning opportunities presented by Web 3.0 and the increasing prevalence of AI.
Founding Partner of Disrupt.com, Aaqib Gadit, expressed his excitement about the new commitment, stating that the firm is doubling down on its experience, financial investment, and commitment to help build the next wave of startups. Gadit believes that there is a great opportunity to problem-solve and create businesses that will fit the needs of how people live and work in the era of Web 3.0 and AI.
Disrupt.com's strategy revolves around providing more than just capital to startups. The firm offers a team of over 650 professionals, providing technical and operational expertise to help startups scale. Through their "CoBuild" model, Disrupt.com functions as fractional co-founders, providing dedicated engineering, go-to-market, and operations teams.
The firm has already deployed over $40 million across its portfolio, which includes investments in four growth-stage companies, seven early-stage companies, and an exit valued at $350 million. Some of the startups in Disrupt.com's portfolio include PureSquare, a cybersecurity venture, UAE-homegrown fitness apparel brand Squatwolf, and ZigChain, a Web3.0 platform with over 500,000 users and hundreds of millions in managed assets.
Disrupt.com's investment targets five strategic sectors: artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, Web 3.0, automotive technology, and retail innovation. The firm primarily focuses on pre-seed to Series A stage startups with strong organic growth potential and clear paths to profitability.
The firm's founders, Aaqib Gadit, Uzair Gadit, and Umair Gadit, are also the team behind Cloudways, which was acquired by Digital Ocean for $350 million in 2022, marking the largest exit in Pakistan's tech sector to date.
Disrupt.com's $100 million commitment bucked the trend of contracting venture capital funding, demonstrating the firm's confidence in the potential of AI-first startups. Gadit also expressed his belief that the region can not only keep up but also lead the way in the development of AI and Web 3.0 technologies.
With Dubai's strategic location, favourable regulatory environment, and government-backed innovation initiatives, Disrupt.com aims to leverage these advantages to scale technologies with global potential. The firm's global approach implies a cross-sector focus on fintech, digital services, AI applications, and consumer tech powered by advanced tech infrastructure, consistent with regional AI and digital agendas.
In summary, Disrupt.com's strategy is to be an "unstoppable venture builder and investor" targeting AI-first startups across fintech, digital infrastructure, consumer tech, and blockchain/crypto sectors, leveraging capital, technology, and expertise to co-build and scale ventures from Dubai to global markets.
- Disrupt.com's $100 million commitment is earmarked for AI-first technology ventures, demonstrating their focus on the development of artificial intelligence.
- The strategic sectors that Disrupt.com is targeting for investment include artificial intelligence, signifying their commitment to fostering advancements in this field.
