Saudi Arabia-based private markets investment platform OORI has secured a license from the Capital Market Authority to conduct Arranging and Advising activities, marking an important regulatory milestone as the company prepares to expand its operations. The authorization provides OORI with a regulated framework to connect qualified investors with selected private market opportunities and offer investment-related advisory services in the Kingdom. The company says the approval supports its broader ambition to develop technology-enabled infrastructure that can improve access to private investments while operating within Saudi Arabia’s evolving financial regulatory environment.
Regulatory Approval and Investment Focus
The CMA license allows OORI to carry out arranging and advisory activities, while other regulated functions such as dealing, custody, asset management, and securities issuance remain outside the scope of the authorization. OORI plans to initially focus on Shariah-compliant opportunities in technology companies across stages ranging from pre-seed and venture capital to growth and pre-IPO investments, with additional alternative asset classes expected to be introduced over time. The company has also developed relationships with venture capital and private equity firms, investment banks, wealth managers, family offices, and independent financial advisors to support its investment offering.
Building OORI’s Private Markets Platform
Founded in 2023 by Elie Nasr and Naif Al Ajmi, OORI is developing a digital platform designed to make private market investments more accessible to qualified investors while addressing some of the structural and cost barriers traditionally associated with the asset class. The company raised a seven-figure US dollar pre-seed funding round in 2024 from investors across Saudi Arabia, the wider GCC, and Europe, with backers including Bunat Ventures and Riyadh-based RZM Investments. That financing supported the development of OORI’s technology infrastructure, regulatory licensing process, and preparations for the commercial launch of its investment platform.
Expanding Access to Alternative Investments
OORI is positioning itself around growing demand for alternative investments among investors who historically had limited access to private market opportunities compared with large institutions and high-net-worth individuals. CEO and co-founder Elie Nasr has highlighted the potential to broaden participation by combining regulated investment services with technology that can simplify access to selected opportunities, while co-founder Naif Al Ajmi has emphasized the company’s commitment to establishing its operations within Saudi Arabia’s regulatory framework. Through this approach, OORI aims to build a more accessible investment experience while maintaining the compliance requirements associated with private market participation.
Technology and Saudi Market Strategy
Beyond its immediate arranging and advisory activities, OORI has outlined longer-term plans involving tokenization, smart contracts, and blockchain-based infrastructure that could support more programmable approaches to private market investing. The company has discussed developing proprietary blockchain infrastructure using Avalanche technology, although these ambitions remain separate from the specific activities authorized under its current CMA license and would require appropriate regulatory treatment before implementation. OORI’s development comes as Saudi Arabia continues modernizing its capital markets and encouraging greater investor participation, creating an environment in which regulated financial technology platforms are seeking new ways to connect capital with investment opportunities.
Securing the CMA license gives OORI the regulatory foundation required to advance from platform development toward offering arranging and advisory services to qualified investors in Saudi Arabia’s private markets. Its strategy combines an initial focus on technology investments and Shariah-compliant structures with partnerships across the investment ecosystem and a longer-term ambition to incorporate digital infrastructure into private market transactions. As the platform moves into its next stage, OORI’s ability to convert regulatory approval, industry relationships, and its technology roadmap into a scalable investment offering will determine its position within Saudi Arabia’s expanding alternative investment landscape.