Wa'ed Ventures co-leads $19 million Investment in Graphiant
Graphiant, founded in 2020 by Khalid Raza, delivers a next-generation Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) platform that enables secure, high-performance enterprise connectivity across hybrid and multi-cloud environments.
As part of the agreement, Graphiant will establish its regional headquarters in Riyadh, supporting Saudi Arabia's vision to become a global hub for emerging technologies.
Press release:
Graphiant, a leading US-based Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) provider, announces closing its $19 million extension round co-led by Wa'ed Ventures, the $500 million VC fund wholly owned by Aramco, and Tali Ventures, the corporate venture capital arm of stc Group. This strategic investment is an extension of Graphiant's $102 million Series B round, which included participation from Sequoia Capital, Two Bear Capital, and IAG Capital Partners.
Graphiant is redefining connectivity by delivering a next-generation, cloud-native platform that transforms data networks for AI to meet security challenges while providing improved reliability. With over 13 patents, the company has already deployed its platform with global enterprises including Sony Pictures and Valmont.
As part of the investment agreement, Graphiant will establish a regional headquarters in Riyadh, further strengthening the Kingdom's position as a hub for emerging technology. The move aligns with Wa'ed's strategy for localising global technology pioneers and reflects the fund's commitment to supporting advanced digital infrastructure and AI technologies with a strong potential for localisation and scalability in the Kingdom.
"By enabling enterprises to deploy secure, high-performance connectivity across multi-cloud and hybrid environments, Graphiant is solving foundational challenges for digital transformation. We are excited to back their expansion into the Kingdom as a strategic partner and look forward to supporting Khalid on his journey to bring world-class digital infrastructure closer to Saudi businesses," said Anas Algahtani, Acting Chief Executive Officer at Wa'ed Ventures.
Founded by Khalid Raza, a recognised pioneer in network innovation, Graphiant delivers a cutting-edge approach to building resilient, secure, scalable, and high-performance enterprise networks. Prior to Graphiant, Raza founded Viptela, the first software-defined WAN networking, which was acquired by CISCO in 2017.
'Saudi Arabia is rapidly becoming a global epicentre for innovation,' said Khalid Raza, CEO of Graphiant. 'The strategic partnership with Tali Ventures, Wa'ed Ventures, and the broader support of stc Group marks a defining chapter in our journey. Together, we are committed to building the foundation of next-generation digital economies — starting here in the Kingdom.'
'At stc Group, we are committed to driving digital transformation across the region by investing in global innovation and emerging technologies,' said Motaz Alangari, Group Chief Investment Officer, stc. 'Graphiant's groundbreaking approach to enterprise connectivity aligns with our strategic goals to localise advanced digital capabilities, foster technology transfer, and create scalable solutions for the Kingdom's public and private sectors. We are excited to welcome Graphiant to Saudi Arabia and support their journey to redefine how modern networks are built.'
The Network-as-a-Service market is expected to reach $92 billion globally by 2030, fueled by surging demand for flexible, AI-ready connectivity solutions Graphiant's platform positions it at the forefront of this transformation.
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