How Aramco Ventures Is Pumping $7.5 Billion Into Strategic Tech

MoneyMarketsHow Aramco Ventures Is Pumping $7.5 Billion Into Strategic TechByGaurav Sharma,Senior Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Gaurav Sharma is a London-based analyst who covers energy & ESG.Follow AuthorApr 26, 2026, 09:53am EDTApr 26, 2026, 10:43am EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.(Photo / Illustration: Dominika Zarzycka)NurPhoto via Getty ImagesThe venture capital funding arm of Saudi Arabia’s majority state-owned integrated energy and chemicals giant Aramco (TADAWUL: 2222) is strategically and patiently focusing much of its efforts on artificial intelligence and sustainability, according to its boss. The outfit currently has $7.5 billion in assets under management focused on deep technology startups grounded in what it deems as “solid science and engineering wherever they may be in the world”, Mahdi Aladel, chief executive officer of Aramco Ventures, said in an interview. "The icing on the cake is to bringing some of these startups and technologies back to Saudi Arabia to solve local problems and processes whether in the wider Kingdom or within Aramco, ranging from how we run our upstream operations to information or operational cybersecurity solutions.“People may say that we have a bias for a localization angle and we’d love that to happen. But, the first and foremost filter criteria for investment is technology that has a large enough total addressable market with a product demand that may materialize either today or holds future potential.” Three Core Focus Areas Led By AIThe Aramco Ventures portfolio can largely be split into three segments, according to its CEO. "The largest of these investments are in the AI and digital space. Of course, the noticeable caveat here is that not all digital solutions are AI solutions even though the market is pivoting that way. MORE FOR YOU“Our humanoid robotics investment...