Dubai-based serial entrepreneur and venture capitalist Alexander Rugaev has launched AR Ventures, a new advisory firm designed to help growth-stage technology startups navigate the public markets. The firm specializes in guiding founders through small-cap IPOs, micro-cap IPOs, and direct listings, offe
ing a strategic alternative to traditional late-stage venture capital funding that often requires significant equity dilution.
AR Ventures focuses on revenue-generating startups in high-growth sectors such as AI, robotics, FinTech, and SaaS that are ready for global expansion but may be too small for mega-VC funds or unwilling to concede control. The new service aims to reposition an IPO not as a distant exit, but as a viable, early-stage financing option for ambitious founders.
A New Path Beyond Venture Capital
The advisory was founded to address a common challenge for successful startups: the funding gap between early-stage and late-stage venture capital. Many companies with strong revenue and proven products struggle to raise growth capital, finding themselves too advanced for seed funds but not large enough for multi-billion dollar VCs. AR Ventures targets this underserved segment, providing a path to liquidity and growth without the stringent governance and dilution that often accompany later-stage private funding rounds.
“Founders are told the only way is repeated VC rounds and a far-off exit. That idea is obsolete,” said Alexander Rugaev, founder of AR Ventures. “In many cases, a small-cap or micro-cap IPO can deliver more capital, a better valuation, and real liquidity, all while the founder retains full control of the company.”
Comprehensive IPO Advisory Services
AR Ventures provides end-to-end guidance for startups considering a public listing. The firm translates complex Wall Street processes into actionable strategies for founders, ensuring they can make informed decisions rather than defaulting to the conventional VC route.
The firm’s services include:
- IPO vs. VC Diagnostics: An independent assessment to determine if a small-cap IPO, direct listing, or another structure creates more value than a traditional equity round.
- Corporate & Cap Table Structuring: Optimizing jurisdiction, share classes, and voting structures to allow founders to raise capital while potentially retaining 60-80% of voting control.
- Listing & Trading Strategy: Evaluating SME boards, minimum requirements, auditor criteria, and realistic valuation ranges on exchanges like the NYSE American and similar global markets.
- Investor Narrative Development: Crafting the IPO story, investor deck, and financial model to resonate with public market investors.
- Deal Team Coordination: Working alongside underwriters, legal counsel, auditors, and investor relations partners throughout the listing process.
- Post-IPO Support: Assisting founders with the transition to operating as a public company, including disclosure discipline and using listed stock for M&A.
A Founder-First Philosophy
The core principle behind AR Ventures is that founder control is a competitive advantage. The firm’s approach is designed to empower founders with a third option beyond bootstrapping or venture capital, allowing them to raise significant capital and go public while maintaining control over their mission and vision.
“I’ve seen too many great companies lose their original vision because control was diluted away over multiple funding rounds,” Rugaev added. “Our goal with small- and micro-cap IPO advisory is to give founders another choice: raise major capital, become a public company, and keep control of your mission.”
While based in Dubai, AR Ventures works with founders across the MENA region, Europe, and Asia, supporting cross-border listings and dual-jurisdiction strategies where applicable.
About AR Ventures
AR Ventures is a Dubai-based advisory firm specializing in IPO advisory, capital markets strategy, and growth consulting for technology companies. The firm focuses on helping startups in AI, robotics, FinTech, and SaaS access global capital markets through small- and mid-cap IPOs, direct listings, and innovative financing structures. AR Ventures acts as a founder’s advisor, collaborating with leading law firms, auditors, underwriters, and investor relations partners to design and execute effective public offering strategies.
Source: ACCESS Newswire
