The Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) has announced that Founders Circle Capital (FCC), a San Francisco-based growth-stage venture firm, has joined its $1 billion Fund of Funds program. This strategic partnership marks a significant milestone in Qatar’s push to become a global innovation hub, as FCC will establish its first international office in Doha to serve as its regional headquarters for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).
A Digital Bridge Between Doha and Silicon Valley
As the seventh venture capital firm to join the QIA’s program, Founders Circle Capital is set to play a pivotal role in connecting Qatar’s local ecosystem with the global tech landscape. The new Doha office will be initially led by FCC Co-Founder and Partner Ken Loveless, signaling a high-level commitment to the region.
The partnership is designed to create a “digital bridge” between Doha and Silicon Valley. Through this initiative, FCC will facilitate exchange opportunities, allowing executives from Qatar-based companies to visit San Francisco. This cross-border flow of talent and knowledge aims to accelerate the growth of local companies by exposing them to world-class operational practices and networks.
Empowering Founders with “The Circle”
Beyond capital investment, the collaboration introduces FCC’s signature private leadership community, “The Circle,” to the region. The Circle is a network of over 400 CEOs and CFOs from high-performing, growth-stage companies.
By bringing this community to Doha, FCC aims to support the “human side” of company building. The program will connect local founders, investors, and corporate partners with curated content and peer-to-peer programming. This initiative focuses on helping executives “scale themselves” so they can successfully navigate the complexities of scaling their companies from product-market fit to hyper-growth.
Strengthening Qatar’s Venture Ecosystem
The addition of Founders Circle Capital underscores the rapid momentum of QIA’s Fund of Funds program, which was launched in February 2024 to plug funding gaps and attract top-tier global investors. FCC joins an impressive roster of international and regional partners, including B Capital, Builders VC, Deerfield, Human Capital, Rasmal Ventures, and Utopia Capital Management.
Since its inception, the program has deployed over half of its $1 billion allocation. By attracting firms like FCC—which manages approximately $1.5 billion in assets and has backed unicorns like DoorDash, Robinhood, and DocuSign—QIA is effectively importing deep sector expertise in software, cloud infrastructure, and fintech to catalyze Qatar’s economic diversification.
About Founders Circle Capital
Founders Circle Capital is a growth-stage venture firm founded in 2012 that “invests in people” leading the world’s fastest-growing companies. Managing approximately $1.5 billion in assets, the firm offers flexible capital solutions and access to “The Circle,” a private leadership community for CEOs and CFOs. FCC’s portfolio includes over 125 high-performing startups, such as Confluent, GitLab, and UiPath.
Source: Qatar Investment Authority
