Waleed Al Ballaa

General Partner at Sukna Ventures

Speaker

Waleed Alballaa is a seasoned technologist with extensive experience in engineering, business development, and ecosystem building across the US and local markets. His expertise spans Semiconductors, Wireless & Mobile, and eGov sectors.

As the Founding General Partner at Sukna Ventures, a MENA-focused VC fund, Waleed invests in early-stage tech-driven startups. Previously, he co-founded STV, and laid the foundations for Elm’s Corporate VC arm.He also had helped a few notable names in the startup world to raise from large investors.

Waleed’s career in tech includes high-tech development roles in the USA at Cadence Design, Conexant, Skyworks Solutions, and Microsoft. He holds a Master’s degree in Computer Science from Oregon Health & Science University and a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from King Saud University.

An active angel investor and founding board member of Riyadh Angel Investors, Waleed co-hosted Thmanyah’s Assouq podcast on Venture Capital news and serves in various advisory and mentorship roles. He is also a founding member of the Saudi VC and PE Association and the Business Analysis Association Group, where he serves as Vice Chairman.

Waleed remains a technology optimist, dedicated to the advancement of innovation and startup ecosystems across MENA