Startup funding in Oman

How startup funding works in Oman

The Oman Investment Authority (OIA), Oman's sovereign wealth fund, makes LP and strategic investments, but is not a direct funder. Its Future Fund Oman takes applications from Oman-based ventures on an investee portal; the venture capital track invests OMR 4,000–40,000 (ideation) and OMR 20,000–100,000 (pre-seed and seed) per opportunity. Cyfr Capital is the Fund's official startup-investment manager, and the Fund anchors Tanmia Small-Cap Fund, a later-stage growth private equity fund. In ICT, ITHCA Group invests directly from idea stage to mature company, and OTF Scale, the ideation-stage fund of the Oman Future Fund, writes first cheques of up to OMR 40,000 for a minority equity stake. Phaze Ventures invests $200K–$2M, pre-seed to Series A.

Non-dilutive money: Riyada — ASMED, the SME authority, gives Omani citizens grants and loans whose amount depends on the project. Oman Development Bank makes concessional loans to productive-sector projects and SMEs (amount not published). Sharakah (Fund for Development of Youth Projects) lends OMR 10,000–350,000 and offers invoice factoring up to OMR 500,000, and Future Fund Oman lends OMR 100K–500K without collateral to SME-card holders. MTCIT's Sas for Excellence selects five high-growth Omani tech companies for up to OMR 1M in non-dilutive financing support and wage support for up to 40 Omani employees. Zubair Enterprises Development Centre (Zubair EDC) gives a financial grant to the ten yearly winners of its Direct Support Programme (amount not published).

Terminal 11, an Oman Investment Authority initiative, offers programmes and workspace without equity; its programmes list marks all three current programmes closed (SI Venture Studio, Riyada Venture Studio and a France accelerator for growth-stage Omani startups), although a banner on the same page still says applications are open; partners named on the site include Station F and HEC Paris. Oman Startup Hub, under MTCIT, runs accelerator-incubator programmes and the Numo Microsoft for Startups programme with cloud credits, also equity-free. The OQ Accelerator Programme (OQX) takes 15% equity, per its F6S page; energy startups beyond MVP that reach key milestones may qualify for a grant of up to $50,000 and follow-on investment of up to $450,000. Omantel Innovation Labs offers programme support plus potential investment.

Setting up: Knowledge Oasis Muscat is a tech free zone with 100% foreign ownership, tax exemptions, tech company licensing and incubation space. Duqm Free Zone, a logistics and industrial free zone with a deep sea port and an airport, offers 100% foreign ownership and a 30-year tax holiday; its own site says foreign investors can establish projects without a local partner. Central Bank of Oman — FinTech runs a regulatory sandbox where fintech, payments and digital banking startups test products live, with no funding; a foreign company not based in Oman must obtain a Commercial Registration to apply. Madayn's six-month Industrial Business Accelerator (Industrial Innovation Academy) at Knowledge Oasis Muscat offers fully serviced office space and use of Madayn industrial estates.

In numbers: 25 programmes in Oman, 17 taking applications; 4 state on their own websites that they take companies from abroad (November 2026).

Facts from each programme’s own website, checked October – November 2026. Amounts in the currency the programme publishes.

Next published deadlines in Oman

• Omantel Innovation Labs9 Jan 2027

Every other programme in Oman on the map takes applications on a rolling basis or reopens in calls. Add the deadlines to your calendar.

Questions founders ask about funding in Oman