Fahad AlSharekh

The JEDI Fund leverages its partnerships with Kamco Invest and AI experts to identify opportunities and strategically invest in Silicon Valley to tap into transformative start-ups and innovation.

Given the economic reset and the material changes in the investment landscape since early 2022, how is the JEDI Fund adjusting its investment strategies to navigate the current market volatility and capitalize on the opportunities in capital-efficient start-ups?

The JEDI Fund is adjusting its investment strategies in response to the economic reset and market volatility by doubling down on its hybrid investment approach. This involves anchoring the best emerging managers, mining their portfolio data, and directly investing in their top-performing companies. The focus is on capital-efficient start-ups that demonstrate resilience and growth potential despite economic uncertainties. By emphasizing early-stage to growth-stage companies, particularly in tech hubs like San Francisco Bay Area/Silicon Valley, the JEDI aims to capitalize on lower valuations and the higher growth potential of these start-ups during market downturns.

With the significant corrections in various asset classes, including real estate and cryptocurrencies, what is your current outlook on these markets? And how does the JEDI Fund view the potential of early-stage venture capital as an uncorrelated asset class in this environment?

The JEDI’s primary focus on venture capital and the strategy of investing in emerging managers and high-performing start-ups demonstrates a clear interest in leveraging technology and innovation as a growth driver. This approach implicitly positions early-stage venture capital as a potentially uncorrelated asset class, offering a hedge against the volatilities observed in real estate and cryptocurrencies by targeting capital efficient, fundamentally innovative, and growth-oriented tech ventures.

JEDI Fund, in collaboration with Kamco Invest, recently hosted a specialized gathering focused on the role of AI in investment strategies. Could you elaborate on how these partnerships enhance the investment process and decision-making in AI-focused ventures? What criteria do you use to select these partnerships, and how do they contribute to the fund’s success?

By inviting and hosting specialized experts on AI and AI driven investment strategies, the JEDI seeks to leverage AI and machine learning experts to identify investment opportunities, conduct due diligence, and assist in making informed decisions. Criteria for selecting these partnerships include technological expertise, strategic alignment with the Fund’s investment thesis, and the potential to contribute to the Fund’s success through exclusive access and insights into emerging trends AI trends.

At a recent event hosted by Kamco Invest, discussions highlighted the evolving dynamics of venture capital and the potential for value creation in the current devalued technology sector. How do these insights influence the JEDI Fund’s approach to venture capital investments, particularly in the context of selecting viable companies and navigating the challenges of market devaluations?

Insights on the value creation potential, in the devalued technology sector, is the most reliable method to find the target opportunity early. That is exactly what differentiates the JEDI’s strategic approach to investments. The Fund works on identifying undervalued companies with strong fundamentals, innovative products, and scalable business models. Navigating market devaluations requires a discerning investment strategy that prioritizes companies poised for recovery and growth, leveraging the Fund’s network, expertise, and the emerging managers’ insight to make strategic investments.

With Silicon Valley being a major hub for innovation and venture capital, how does the JEDI Fund leverage its network and expertise in this ecosystem to identify and invest in transformative start-ups?

The General Partner’s strategic vision for the JEDI Fund extends to maximizing the inherent advantages of Silicon Valley’s vibrant ecosystem. The fund’s commitment to investing in emerging VCs and directly in standout start-ups is designed to tap into the region’s unparalleled innovation and networking effects. Through selective investments in emerging managers like Yuri Sagalov and platforms like Powerset, the JEDI Fund positions itself at the forefront of technological innovation, seeking to transform the venture capital landscape by connecting Middle Eastern capital allocators with Silicon Valley’s dynamism.