PRESS RELEASE: OURCROWD & ABDULLAH SAEED AL NABOODAH CREATE PARTNERSHIP TO DEVELOP TECH INVESTMENT TIES BETWEEN GULF REGION & ISRAEL 

 OURCROWD & ABDULLAH SAEED AL NABOODAH CREATE PARTNERSHIP TO DEVELOP TECH INVESTMENT TIES BETWEEN GULF REGION & ISRAEL 

• First announced major alliance between Israeli VC firm and top tier UAE business group
• Jonathan Medved, CEO of Israeli VC firm OurCrowd, signs first partnership MOU in OurCrowd’s UAE expansion strategy
• Abdullah S Al Naboodah, Chairman of Al Naboodah Investments LLC, to lead Phoenix Capital LLC, an entity for development and bi-directional investment

Jerusalem/Dubai, Oct. 6, 2020 – OurCrowd, the world’s largest global venture investing platform, today signed a memorandum of understanding with Phoenix, a business development company, to increase business and tech ties between Israel and the United Arab Emirates. This is the first announced alliance between a top-ranked UAE corporation and a major Israeli venture investment firm.

Founded by Jonathan Medved, OurCrowd is a global leader in equity crowdfunding and Israel’s most active venture investor with $1.5B of committed funding. OurCrowd will identify and support UAE-based startups seeking growth and development in Israel, as well as leverage its diverse portfolio of 220 companies to enhance business development for UAE startups seeking to collaborate on innovative solutions. OurCrowd’s UAE expansion will be led by Dr. Sabah al-Binali, newly appointed Venture Partner and Head of the Gulf Region for OurCrowd.

Phoenix, spearheaded by Abdullah S Al Naboodah, Chairman of Al Naboodah Investments LLC, will serve as an investment platform for individuals and family offices located in the Gulf seeking opportunities to invest in the Israeli tech ecosystem. Phoenix will enable investors to access OurCrowd’s vast array of tech investment opportunities across a variety of sectors including AgriTech, EdTech, HealthTech, Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and more. Phoenix will also introduce OurCrowd to Gulf-based startups with the aim of raising investment through OurCrowd’s platform. Leveraging its cross-industry reach, Phoenix will also assist Israeli-based startups with potential partners in the Gulf region.

Phoenix Chairman Abdullah S Al Naboodah said: “Phoenix will be a bridge, a two-way conduit for both Israeli and UAE investors, as well as startups seeking strategic, business and investment partners in these powerhouse tech nations. This first of its kind major alliance will pave the way for the rapid expansion of business between our two countries.”

OurCrowd CEO Jon Medved said: “OurCrowd is pleased to associate itself with Al Naboodah, a leading and well-regarded business group in the UAE. The signing of OurCrowd’s first MOU in the UAE less than a month after formal normalization between the UAE and Israel shows our deep commitment to building relationships, and growing business in the UAE and beyond.”

Phoenix Chairman Abdullah S Al Naboodah will speak Oct. 13^th  at OurCrowd and Emirates Angels’ online event:  UAE Tech Investment Landscape: Introduction for the Israeli Ecosystem. Click here to register.

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About OurCrowd: OurCrowd is a global venture investment platform that empowers institutions and individuals to invest and engage in emerging companies.  The most active venture investor in Israel, OurCrowd vets and selects companies, invests its capital, and provides its global network with unparalleled access to co-invest and contribute connections, talent and deal flow. OurCrowd builds value for its portfolio companies throughout their lifecycles, providing mentorship, recruiting industry advisors, navigating follow-on rounds and creating growth opportunities through its network of multinational partnerships.  With $1.5 billion of committed funding, and investments in 220 portfolio companies and 22 venture funds, OurCrowd offers access to its membership of 55,000 individual accredited and institutional investors, family offices, and venture capital partners from over 183 countries to invest alongside, at the same terms.  OurCrowd’s portfolio is diversified across sectors and stages, ranging from seed and series A through late stage and pre-IPO firms. Since its founding in 2013, OurCrowd portfolio companies have been acquired by some of the most prestigious brands in the world, including Microsoft, Uber, Canon, Oracle, Nike, and Intel.  To register and get involved, visit http://gold.ocdvlp.com/.

About Abdullah Saeed Al Naboodah: Abdullah Saeed Al Naboodah is the Chairman of Al Naboodah Investments Company and Executive Board Member of Saeed and Mohammed Al Naboodah Group. His key responsibilities are managing subsidiary companies and investment allocation in different global funds across several geographies including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Egypt, the UK, and the US. Further, he is responsible for creating the vision, strategy, and direction for the Al Naboodah group in various sectors like Construction, Transportation, Travel, and other investments. Abdullah also served on various boards such as the Board Member of the Commercial Bank of Dubai, Board Member of Dubai Chamber of Commerce, Board Member of Dar Al Takaful Insurance Company, Board member of Al Rawabi as well as the Chairman of Al Ahli Club in Dubai and the Vice Chairman of the UAE Golf Federation.

Founded in 1958 by two brothers, the Saeed & Mohammed Al Naboodah Group is among the most well-respected family company names in the UAE. Employing around 10,000 people of almost 50 different nationalities, the Al Naboodah Group’s core business focus covers civil engineering, building and MEP, in addition to representing a diverse portfolio of global brands in the automotive, transportation, travel, electrical, logistics, agriculture, smart cities, real estate and renewable energy sectors.

Saeed & Mohammed Al Naboodah Holding LLC is the parent company of the Group, and Al Naboodah Group Enterprises was established to oversee the management of the Group’s two main operating divisions – Al Naboodah Construction Group (ANCG), and Al Naboodah Commercial Group (ACG).

Al Naboodah is a trusted brand renowned for the delivery of world-class projects and services and exceeding the quality demanded by its clients. We wholeheartedly engage in sustainability at every level in our organisation, starting from the very top, and we acknowledge the vital role it has to play in any organisation looking to a successful future. For more information visit: https://www.alnaboodah.com/

For press materials click here.

Press Contact OurCrowd: Leah Stern, Vice President Communications, leah@ourcrowd.com, +44 747 019 6826

 Press Contact Phoenix Capital: Bruce Gurfein, bruce.gurfein@connectent.ae +971 50 9000 532