Cultural Development Fund

Overview

Established in 2021, the Cultural Development Fund (CDF) is a sovereign wealth fund dedicated to fostering the growth and sustainability of Saudi Arabia's cultural sector. The fund aims to support cultural activities and projects, facilitate investment, and enhance the sector's profitability, aligning with the National Culture Strategy and Saudi Vision 2030. CDF is organizationally linked to the National Development Fund, reflecting its integral role in the Kingdom's economic diversification efforts. CDF's investment strategy encompasses a wide range of asset classes, including private equity, venture capital, real estate, infrastructure, commodities, hedge funds, fixed income, distressed and special situations, ESG and impact investing, crypto, and collectibles & art. The fund targets various stages of investment, from seed and early-stage ventures to growth, late-stage, pre-IPO, buyout, turnaround, and distressed opportunities. Geographically, CDF focuses on both domestic and international markets, with a particular emphasis on Saudi Arabia and key global economies. The fund's industry focus spans technology, healthcare, real estate, financial services, energy, consumer goods, telecommunications, media, entertainment, education, transportation, agriculture, manufacturing, retail, and hospitality. Since its inception, CDF has been actively involved in several significant initiatives. In March 2022, it launched the Film Sector Financing Program with a budget of $233 million to support local and international companies contributing to the Saudi film sector. In September 2025, CDF partnered with the Cultural Assets Group to launch an SAR 850 million investment fund dedicated to the cultural sector, with SAR 200 million in financing from CDF. Additionally, in October 2025, CDF signed an agreement with Merak Capital to establish the Kingdom's first dedicated investment fund in the fashion sector, with a total capital of SAR 300 million. These initiatives underscore CDF's commitment to enriching Saudi Arabia's cultural landscape and driving sustainable economic growth through strategic investments.

Investment Focus

• Valid Saudi commercial registration
• Classification as a micro, small, or medium-sized enterprise according to the definition of 'Monshaat'
• Products within the 16 cultural sectors defined by the National Classification of Economic Activities (ISIC)

Portfolio Companies