EvolutionX Debt Capital, a growth-stage debt platform established by Singapore’s Temasek and DBS Bank (Southeast Asia’s largest bank by assets), has announced its entry into the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. This strategic expansion is part of EvolutionX’s broader mission to provide non-dilutive, flexible capital solutions to high-growth, technology-enabled companies across emerging innovation hubs.
With a proven model in markets such as India and Southeast Asia, EvolutionX is now turning its attention to the GCC’s increasingly sophisticated and rapidly evolving tech and innovation landscape. The fund will target high-growth companies across sectors including technology, consumer, healthcare, electric mobility, and digital infrastructure. These companies are generally in the growth to pre-IPO stage, and EvolutionX’s debt solutions are specifically tailored to meet their evolving capital needs.
Commenting on the firm’s expansion into the GCC region, Rahul Shah, Partner, EvolutionX said, “We view the GCC as a timely and attractive market, driven by ambitious national transformation programs, strong sovereign backing for future-focused sectors, and an accelerating pipeline of IPO-ready companies. At a time when global venture capital markets are moderating and founders are becoming more discerning about capital sources, EvolutionX offers an alternative model for funding scale, organic as well as inorganic growth, and expansion without immediate equity dilution.”
Since its launch in 2021, EvolutionX has deployed over US$300 million across multiple category-leading companies across India and SEA, establishing it as a trusted partner of choice for these companies. With its expansion into the GCC market with a focus on UAE and KSA, the fund aims to reach cumulative deployment of over US$500 million by 2026. Guided by a long-term investment horizon, the private credit fund expects to allocate a meaningful proportion of its fund to the GCC region over the next several years.
EvolutionX typically offers term loans with flexible repayment schedules that may also include warrants or convertible instruments, giving founders the ability to raise capital at an appropriate time and terms while bridging funding rounds, financing M&A activity, or preparing for IPOs and other strategic milestones. This model complements traditional equity financing by enabling capital-efficient companies to scale without premature dilution.
“The GCC is entering a transformative decade, with a growing wave of companies reaching meaningful scale in areas like consumer technology, healthcare, fintech, and digital infrastructure. Yet as equity markets tighten and late-stage capital becomes more selective, founders are increasingly looking for strategic capital that gives them flexibility to extend their runway, pursue acquisitions, or prepare for public listing, while preserving ownership. That’s where EvolutionX plays a crucial role. We are engaging extensively with leading companies across UAE and KSA, and hope to announce our first investment in the region in next few weeks,” further commented Rahul Shah.
EvolutionX’s entry into the region is a strong signal that international institutional capital is increasingly viewing the Middle East not only as a source of capital but as a destination for scalable innovation and high-growth enterprises. As part of its expansion, the firm is actively engaging with regional founders, venture capital firms, and sovereign investment partners to identify opportunities that align with its mandate to back transformative companies on the path to global scale.
