# King Abdullah University of Science and Technology

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology is an Endowment / Foundation based in Thuwal, Saudi Arabia.

## Overview

- **Organization type:** Endowment / Foundation
- **Headquarters:** Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
- **Region:** Middle East
- **Address:** 4700 King Abdullah University of Science and Technology Thuwal, Mecca Province, Saudi Arabia, 23955-6900
- **Founded:** 2009
- **Assets under management:** 23.5B (Altss estimate)
- **Website:** kaust.edu.sa
- **LinkedIn:** https://www.linkedin.com/school/kaust/

## Regulatory record

- **Reports private funds:** No

## About

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology opened in 2009 as a graduate research institution on the Red Sea coast. Its endowment supports the campus, faculty, and scholarship programs including the KAUST Fellowship. The university maintains a 36-square-kilometer LEED Platinum campus that includes laboratories, housing, and a marine sanctuary. KAUST IMC manages the endowment across public equities, venture investments, and real assets. Confirmed public positions include Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon, and NVIDIA. Private holdings through the KAUST Innovation Fund include Iyris, Sadeem, Edama, Rize, Flynow, and Intelmatix. The portfolio spans Saudi Arabia and the United States with additional exposure via ETFs. The firm also holds interests in research vessels and the KAUST Research & Technology Park that hosts corporate R&D centers. The endowment size stands at $23.5 billion. KAUST maintains a US office in Arlington, Virginia. Adjacent vehicles include the KAUST Foundation and the KAUST Fellowship that supports over 1,000 graduate students annually. In October 2024 the university sponsored the Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh. It maintains memberships in the World Economic Forum and the Global Federation of Competitiveness Councils. The endowment sits inside a university structure rather than a conventional family office or asset manager. Investment decisions align with institutional research priorities and Saudi Vision 2030. Governance flows through the Board of Trustees that includes the Chairman, the university President, and external members such as Lubna Olayan and Rajeev Misra.

## Sectors

- Education
- AgriTech
- AI/ML
- PropTech
- Mobility & Transportation

## Offices

- Arlington, VA, United States

## People

- HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman — Chairman of the Board of Trustees
- Sir Edward Byrne — President
- Lubna Olayan — Member of the Board of Trustees

## Questions

### Who runs investment decisions at KAUST IMC?

The KAUST Board of Trustees oversees strategy. HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman serves as Chairman. Day-to-day management sits with KAUST Investment Management Company.

### Does KAUST participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?

KAUST IMC holds both public equities and direct venture positions. Confirmed direct holdings include Iyris and Intelmatix through the KAUST Innovation Fund.

### What investment stages does KAUST typically target?

The portfolio includes early-stage venture through the KAUST Innovation Fund and listed equities. Public positions appear in 13F filings for Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon, and NVIDIA.

### How is KAUST related to Saudi Aramco?

Saudi Aramco acted as founder and project manager for the university campus. The two entities maintain a strategic partnership noted in Altss research.

### What is KAUST's known posture on co-investments alongside external GPs?

KAUST IMC collaborates with the Public Investment Fund on national projects. Direct venture activity occurs through the KAUST Innovation Fund alongside other Saudi investors.

## Related profiles

- [Commission de la construction du Québec](https://altss.com/profile/commission-de-la-construction-du-qu-bec)
- [The Fonds de Réserve pour les Retraites](https://altss.com/profile/the-fonds-de-r-serve-pour-les-retraites)

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Last updated: 2026-06-03T20:00:00.000Z

Canonical page: https://altss.com/profile/king-abdullah-university-of-science-and-technology

Maintained by Altss — https://altss.com — methodology: https://altss.com/methodology