Inovia Capital is extending its global footprint with a new office in Abu Dhabi, deepening the Canadian venture firm’s ties with the Middle East. The Montreal-headquartered investor has chosen Abu Dhabi Global Market as its latest hub, placing itself inside one of the region’s most active financial and innovation centers. The move reflects Inovia’s strategy to back Canada-rooted founders as they scale globally while engaging more closely with high-growth technology ecosystems.
Strategic expansion into Abu Dhabi
The Abu Dhabi office formalizes work Inovia has been doing in the Gulf over the past year, including repeated visits and a Canadian innovation delegation it helped organize in the autumn. By setting up in Abu Dhabi Global Market, the firm gains a base in what it describes as a leading platform for artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure. The new location complements existing offices in Canada, the Bay Area and London, creating a bridge between North American, European and Middle Eastern tech hubs.
Strengthening Canada–Middle East tech ties
Inovia’s decision comes as Canada and the United Arab Emirates seek deeper collaboration around innovation, AI and digital investment. The firm said its expansion is aligned with a recent Canada–UAE memorandum of understanding on artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure. Inovia views the new office as a way to turn high-level government agreements and diplomatic missions into concrete commercial and financial partnerships for technology companies.
Leadership shift with regional mandate
As part of the expansion, Claire Glossop Irani has been promoted to Head of Strategic Partnerships and Office of the CEO and is relocating to Abu Dhabi. She will continue to oversee Inovia’s global investor relations while leading the firm’s activities across the Middle East, with a particular focus on the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Inovia highlighted Glossop Irani’s prior professional experience in the Gulf and her background in investor relations, investment and ecosystem building as key strengths for scaling its regional presence.
Supporting portfolio companies in the GCC
From Abu Dhabi, Glossop Irani will work to open new commercial and capital markets for Inovia’s portfolio companies. The firm aims to connect founders with local corporates, sovereign wealth funds and financial institutions that are actively investing in next-generation digital infrastructure and software. Being physically based in the region is intended to shorten feedback loops, help companies navigate local partners and regulations and accelerate cross-border growth.
Deepening ecosystem connections
The office opening follows a recent UAE tour that Inovia co-led with Canadian technology companies and research institutes, designed to spark practical partnerships. Participants included software, AI and quantum-focused firms alongside academic labs working on advanced machine learning research. Inovia said the relationships forged during that mission, combined with rising interest from Middle Eastern investors in Canadian software, reinforced the case for establishing a permanent presence in Abu Dhabi.
Inovia’s global investment platform
Inovia describes itself as a full-stack software investor with three complementary strategies, Discovery, Venture and Growth. The firm manages more than 2.5 billion US dollars and typically backs business-to-business and consumer software and marketplace companies across sectors such as the future of work, digital commerce, security and digital health. Its team, led by partner and CEO Chris Arsenault, operates from Montreal, Toronto, Waterloo, Calgary, the Bay Area, London and now Abu Dhabi.
While its core investment mandate remains anchored in Canada, Inovia sees stronger ties to the Middle East as a natural extension of its mission to support globally ambitious founders. The Abu Dhabi office gives the firm a front-row seat in a rapidly evolving technology market that is deploying significant capital into AI and digital infrastructure. With a senior leader on the ground and an expanded network across the Gulf, Inovia is positioning itself to turn that momentum into tangible outcomes for its portfolio companies and investors.