Venture Capital Bank (VCBank) – Pioneering Islamic Investment Banking

VC Bank Logo

Venture Capital Bank is an Islamic investment bank that operates in the Middle East, North Africa, and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Known as the first of its kind in the region, VCBank offers venture capital investment opportunities that drive business growth and risk-adjusted ROI. The bank is mainly active in four investment areas: venture capital, real estate, private equity, and financial advisory services. 

Overview of Venture Capital Bank

Brief History

In November 2005, VCBank announced that it would be the first to incorporate venture capital investment activities in a Shari’ah-compliant investment format. This added an unprecedented new dimension to the global Islamic banking industry. The company vision is to be the foremost organization of its kind and to support the social and economic development of the region by driving business growth. By 2008, VCBank posted a net profit of USD 47 million and achieved an ROI of 27%. 

Geographically

VCBank operates under an Islamic banking license that was provided by the Central Bank of Bahrain. The bank benefits from the financial backing of a prominent group of regional shareholders and offers a comprehensive range of services and investment opportunities to clients around the United States, the United Kingdom, Turkey, the Middle East, North Africa, and GCC countries, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arad Emirates, Oman and Bahrain. VCBank’s headquarters are located in Bahrain.

Significant Investments

VCBank was the principal backer of a London real estate investment project by HFF Real Estate in 2018. The project involved an investment of over USD 450 million in a 76-unit real estate development in a high-end suburb of London. Earlier that year, VCBank acquired a 69% stake in the development of the Royal Hospital for Women in Riffa, Bahrain. After the development was completed, VCBank announced its exit and sold its shares to Amanat Holdings for USD 39 million. 
Other major investments made by VCBank include:

• The Lounge – A venture capital investment in service offices in Bahrain.
• SVCIC – A private equity investment in a financial company in Saudi Arabia.
• Challenger Limited – A private equity investment in the Libyan oil and gas industry.
• Al Khobar Specialist Hospital – A venture capital investment Saudi Arabia’s healthcare industry.
• MENA SHIPCO – A private equity investment in the Greek shipping industry.
• The World – A real estate investment in the UAE.
• OBA Makarna – A private equity investment in the food and beverage industry in Turkey.

VCBank in the News

In November 2018, the Associated Press featured a press release about a massive real estate investment made possible by VCBank. It was announced that HFF Real Estate received financing of over USD 450 million for Regent’s Crescent, a residential project in the Marylebone section of London. VCBank was named as a principal lender in the deal. In 2010, Trade Arabia reported that VCBank’s net profit for a nine-month period surged to USD 15 million, a massive incline from the previous year’s loss of USD 10.3 million and the start of an upward trajectory in the bank’s success that continues until today. 

More Companies in Asia and Oceania

Shandong Ruyi Technology Group

Shandong Ruyi Technology Group Co. Ltd

Shandong Ruyi Technology Group Co. Ltd. is a Chinese textile and clothing manufacturing giant with a significant interest in Europe.
Read More
Pitango Venture Capital - Israel’s Largest VC Fund

Pitango Venture Capital

Sequoia Capital India is a venture capital company located in Delhi, India. Find out about the company's investments.
Read More
Sequoia Capital Logo

Sequoia Capital India

Sequoia Capital India is a venture capital company located in Delhi, India. Find out about the company's investments.
Read More
Mizuho Capital​ logo

Mizuho Capital

Mizuho Capital is a Japan-based venture capital firm focused on making technology and biotechnology investments.
Read More
Pix Vine Capital

Pix Vine Capital

Pix Vine Capital, an investment firm located in Singapore with interests in the technology field. Find out about its ventures in Asia and plans to ...
Read More
Far East Ventures

Far East Ventures

Far East Ventures is an all-stage, all-sector venture capital firm based in the Asian Pacific. The company has a keen interest in investing in disruptive ...
Read More
dmg mori

DMG Mori Seiki Co.

Nagoya, DMG Mori Seiki Co. is a Japanese machine tool manufacturing and sales company. The company, led by President Masahiko Mori, employs more than 4,000 ...
Read More
cyberagent ventures logo

CyberAgent Ventures

CyberAgent Ventures invests in countries around the Asia-Pacific region. The top countries invested in are Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam. CyberAgent Ventures selects technology-focused companies that ...
Read More
Kickstart Ventures

Kickstart Ventures

Kickstart Ventures, a venture capital company located in the Philippines. Find out more about its history and discover its significant investments.
Read More

Investors with Interest in Asia and Oceania

Darren Wang

Darren Wang

Darren Wang, a Taiwanese angel investor who founded the blockchain company OwlTing.
Read More
paul-fang

Paul Fang

Paul Fang is a Chinese business executive who is the chairman and president of the Midea Group, a Fortune 500 company.
Read More
Abhishek Bhatewara

Abhishek Bhatewara

Abhishek Bhatewara is an Indian real estate developer, angel investor, and the Director at Clique Solar. Key investment sectors include clean tech, real estate, AI ...
Read More
Dale W Wood

Dale W Wood

Dale W Wood is the founder and investor behind Dale Ventures—venture capital an investment holding company headquartered in Dubai.
Read More
Raghav Bahl

Raghav Bahl

Raghav Bahl – Media Entrepreneur and Investor Raghav Bahl is ...
Read More
Lev Binzumovich Leviev,

Lev Binzumovich Leviev

Lev Binzumovich Leviev is an Israeli/Russian investor and entrepreneur with a net worth of over US$200 million. Read about Leviev’s early life and career and ...
Read More
Meir Shamir

Meir Shamir

One of Europe’s shrewdest early-stage technology investors, Errol Damelin is regarded a discreet and successful serial investor and founder
Read More
Mazen Al-Sawwaf

Mazen Al Sawwaf

Mazen Al-Sawwaf is a Saudi Arabian businessman with investments throughout Europe and Africa, and developing interests in the United States.
Read More
Yuri Milner

Yuri Milner

Yuri Milner is an investor who holds a degree in Theoretical Physics, with investments in a range of companies and a strong interest in scientific ...
Read More