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Oman is putting new capital to work, and the Inspire Oman Investors Summit showed where.On Oct 14, companies announced a...
10/15/2026

Oman is putting new capital to work, and the Inspire Oman Investors Summit showed where.

On Oct 14, companies announced a $10M oil waste processing facility in the Special Economic Zone at Duqm, pharmaceutical manufacturing by Avenzo Pharma in Khazaen Economic City, an engineering and manufacturing facility by E M Badr El-Din & Co, and a packaging MoU between Hotpack and Sea Pride.

India’s Ambassador to Oman also pointed to joint venture scope under the India-Oman CEPA, which has been in force since 1 June 2026 and gives zero-duty access to 99.38% of India’s exports to Oman.

Our view at FCI: the zones are where projects are landing, so companies looking at Oman should compare zone terms and local partners early.

Considering manufacturing in Oman? Comment OMAN or DM us, and we’ll send a short zones summary.

Sources: Oman Observer (Oct 14, 2026), TBS News (Jun 1, 2026), U.S. Department of State 2026 Investment Climate Statement: Oman.

Saudi Arabia has listed data center infrastructure as an open opportunity for foreign investors, and the market around i...
10/14/2026

Saudi Arabia has listed data center infrastructure as an open opportunity for foreign investors, and the market around it is moving fast.
Swipe through the brief.

The opportunity (via Invest Saudi):
Expected investment: USD 11bn+
Capacity: 1,300MW targeted by 2030
Structure: 100% foreign ownership, or a joint venture with a Saudi partner

Why now:
MCIT reports 467MW of operational capacity in Q1 2026, up from 68MW in 2021. At LEAP 2026, AWS confirmed its first Saudi region for December and Microsoft confirmed Saudi Arabia East for November. Al Moammar Information Systems announced $1.2bn to reach 192MW.

What we would check first: power access, because it sets the build timeline.

If you are considering Saudi data centers, comment or message us and we will send the opportunity summary.
And if you already operate or invest in the region, what is the hardest variable to solve: power, partners or demand?

Sources: Invest Saudi, MCIT, AWS, Microsoft, Saudi Press Agency. Figures as published and subject to change.

MISA FoundersClubInternational

The UAE is still one of the most structured places in the region to set up. Here is what to know before you pick a struc...
10/13/2026

The UAE is still one of the most structured places in the region to set up. Here is what to know before you pick a structure.

Swipe for the numbers: the 9% corporate tax, when a free zone really gets 0%, and what the investor Golden Visa requires.

The takeaway: decide the business model first, then the zone.

Comment UAE and we'll send you our market-entry summary.
Want the full picture? Message us.

Recognizing leaders behind the UAE’s startup and free-zone push.H.E. Essa Kazim has led the Dubai International Financia...
10/12/2026

Recognizing leaders behind the UAE’s startup and free-zone push.

H.E. Essa Kazim has led the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) as Governor since January 2014.
Under his watch, the free zone passed 10,000 active registered companies in H1 2026 for the first time, up 30% in a year.

The innovation side is growing faster. DIFC’s AI, FinTech and innovation firms rose 39% to 1,933, and 361 new companies joined the Innovation Hub in six months.

Kazim also chairs Borse Dubai and, since February 2026, DP World’s board. He previously ran the Dubai Financial Market for more than two decades, as Director General and then Chairman.

If you’re a founder weighing a UAE free zone, which factor decides it for you: cost, credibility or access to investors? Tell us below

Comment “ZONE” if you’re exploring UAE free zones for your business, and we’ll help you understand your options.

Send this to a founder who’s weighing a UAE free zone.

Founders Club International is hosting a Founder & Investor Meetup at CODE in Riyadh, and the room is curated.Expect sta...
10/11/2026

Founders Club International is hosting a Founder & Investor Meetup at CODE in Riyadh, and the room is curated.

Expect startup pitches from promising ventures, open networking, and honest conversations between founders, operators and investors. The aim is meaningful connections that last beyond the evening, not a crowded mixer.

📅 Tuesday, October 27 | 6:00 to 9:00 PM
📍 CODE (Center of Digital Entrepreneurship), Al-Mursalat, Riyadh
🍽️ Beverages and snacks provided

Who should join: startup founders, scale-up teams, investors and operators.

How to register:
- Go to luma.com/20zmvogg (link in bio) and tap "Request to Join".
- Our team reviews every request, so approval is needed to attend.
- Questions or a pitch slot?
Email: [email protected].

Seats are limited. If you're building something meaningful, this is a room you want to be in.

Comment MEETUP and we'll DM you the registration link.

Founders Club International is hosting a Founder & Investor Meetup at CODE in Riyadh, and the room is curated.Expect sta...
10/11/2026

Founders Club International is hosting a Founder & Investor Meetup at CODE in Riyadh, and the room is curated.

Expect startup pitches from promising ventures, open networking, and honest conversations between founders, operators and investors. The aim is meaningful connections that last beyond the evening, not a crowded mixer.

📅 Tuesday, October 27 | 6:00 to 9:00 PM
📍 CODE (Center of Digital Entrepreneurship), Al-Mursalat, Riyadh
🍽️ Beverages and snacks provided

Who should join:
startup founders, scale-up teams, investors and operators.

How to register:
- Go to luma.com/20zmvogg (link in bio) and tap "Request to Join".
- Our team reviews every request, so approval is needed to attend.
- Questions or a pitch slot?
Email: [email protected].

Seats are limited. If you're building something meaningful, this is a room you want to be in.

Comment MEETUP and we'll DM you the registration link.

Saudi Arabia is looking for someone to build a generic drugs factory, and the government has already said it will buy th...
10/08/2026

Saudi Arabia is looking for someone to build a generic drugs factory, and the government has already said it will buy the output.

Invest Saudi, the Ministry of Investment's platform, lists the opportunity at about USD 394 million. Foreign investors can come in with 100% ownership or partner with a Saudi company.

Swipe to see why the timing matters

STADA is investing over €85 million in a new plant in Sudair City.
The Ministry of Industry issued 364 new industrial licenses in June, up 36% in May.
Jamjoom Pharma and PIF's Lifera signed a binding deal for a biologics company in July.
Pharma is a priority sector for incentives covering up to 35% of initial investment, capped at SAR 50 million.
Registration is open through the Senaei platform.

If you were entering Saudi pharma tomorrow, would you go 100% owned or joint venture? Tell us below.

Comment "PHARMA" and we will send you the opportunity summary and point you to the right team.

Save this for your next investment conversation.

Sources: Invest Saudi, STADA, Jamjoom Pharma (Tadawul), Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, SPA.

Saudi Arabia attracted SAR 133 billion in foreign direct investment in 2025, and the first half of 2026 tells a more int...
10/07/2026

Saudi Arabia attracted SAR 133 billion in foreign direct investment in 2025, and the first half of 2026 tells a more interesting story.

Swipe for where non-oil capital is actually going.

Net FDI hit a record SAR 48.4bn in Q4 2025, then eased to SAR 41.8bn across H1 2026 as oil output fell and regional disruption weighed on growth.
Non-oil activity kept growing, and the Ministry of Investment issued 9,018 licenses in Q2 alone, up 252% year on year.
The money is moving into AI and data centers, mining, logistics, real estate and financial services.
More than 700 multinationals now run regional headquarters from Riyadh.

Here's the question for founders and investors:
If oil is no longer the story, who is positioned to win the next phase?

Comment SAUDI and we'll send you our Saudi market-entry briefing: sectors, licensing routes, regional HQ requirements and who to talk to.

Save this for your next board or investor conversation.
Send it to the person on your team who is looking at the Kingdom.

Follow Founders Club International for the GCC leaders and capital shaping the region.

Sources: GASTAT, Ministry of Investment, UNCTAD, Vision 2030 Annual Report 2025, IMF.

Recognizing leaders driving Saudi Arabia's economic diversification.Faisal Alibrahim has served as Saudi Arabia's Minist...
10/06/2026

Recognizing leaders driving Saudi Arabia's economic diversification.

Faisal Alibrahim has served as Saudi Arabia's Minister of Economy and Planning since May 2021, after serving as Vice Minister from 2018. He also chairs the board of the National Infrastructure Fund (Infra) and sits on the boards of the National Development Fund and the Public Investment Fund.

Before the government, he held senior roles at Saudi Aramco, including the head of mergers and acquisitions. He holds an MBA from MIT and was named a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader in 2020.

Speaking at the Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh, he said the Kingdom is prioritizing a more resilient economy driven by productivity, not just natural resources. At Davos in January, he said non-oil activity now makes up around 55% of GDP.

At FCI, we feature leaders like Alibrahim to follow the people shaping business, infrastructure and investment across the GCC.

Comment 'Leaders' to connect with investors and founders expanding into Saudi Arabia
or visit foundersclubint.com.

وزارة الاقتصاد والتخطيط aramco Saudi Vision رؤية السعودية 2030

Welcome to the FCI network, Carl Grant III , Partner at AcumenX. Carl has spent more than thirty years turning relations...
10/05/2026

Welcome to the FCI network, Carl Grant III , Partner at AcumenX.

Carl has spent more than thirty years turning relationships into revenue. As Executive Vice President of Business Development at Cooley LLP, he led a team for twenty years that helped drive a $1.7B increase in annual revenue. Before that, he was PwC's first business development hire and led the Capital Attraction Program for Fairfax County, which doubled the number of venture funds in its market.

Today at AcumenX, a national boutique advisory firm, Carl leads the Growth Advisory and AI Advisory practices, helping high-growth companies and professional services firms build durable pipelines, sharpen their positioning and put AI to practical use.

He is a trusted advisor to CEOs and a super connector, which is exactly the kind of person our members should know.

Want an introduction to Carl? Comment "FCI" and we will message you the details, or visit foundersclubint.com.

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