According to CoinMeta, due to the slowdown in equity financing caused by conflicts in the Middle East, Saudi startups are increasingly turning to debt financing and actively seeking new sources of capital. Stride Ventures is one of the first international venture debt investment institutions to enter the Saudi market and is currently taking advantage of this trend. Partner Farida Ansari stated, "As equity investors become more selective and founders are more inclined to protect their equity structures, we observe that companies are incorporating debt financing alongside new rounds of equity financing, rather than treating it merely as a backup option." While the demand for debt financing among Saudi startups is growing, the country's overall venture capital market is facing a slowdown. Data from the platform Magnitt shows that in the first nine months of 2026, Saudi venture capital fundraising decreased by nearly a third to $1 billion. This stands in sharp contrast to the United Arab Emirates, where venture capital funding increased by nearly 20% to over $1.6 billion.