Knollwood Investment Advisory

Knollwood Investment Advisory, founded in 2015 and based in Hunt Valley, Maryland, is a venture capital firm specializing in financing early-stage companies within the internet security sector. As a Registered Investment Adviser, the firm is committed to supporting innovative businesses that address the growing challenges of cybersecurity. Knollwood Investment Advisory aims to identify and nurture promising ventures that contribute to advancements in internet security, helping to enhance safety and efficiency in the digital landscape.

Kevin Irwin Jr.

President and Chief Investment Officer

Past deals in Arab Countries

NymCard Payment Services

Series B in 2025
NymCard is a payment processing platform founded in 2016, operating from Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, with a focus on enhancing the digital payment landscape in Africa and the Middle East. The company specializes in providing an issuer processor solution that allows banks and financial institutions to offer innovative digital payment products, including plastic, virtual, and tokenized cards. NymCard's advanced infrastructure and user-friendly mobile wallet solutions facilitate quick account setup and immediate access to smart payment cards, promoting efficient and secure online transactions. By leveraging open APIs and mobile SDKs, NymCard aims to address the low penetration of payment cards in these regions, thereby driving greater participation in the digital economy.

Baraka

Series A in 2022
Baraka is an investment application based in the UAE that aims to democratize access to stock markets for all individuals. The platform provides users with educational resources, market news, and comprehensive stock analysis to enhance their investment knowledge and confidence. Baraka enables commission-free investing in a wide range of stocks and exchange-traded funds, allowing users to explore diverse investment opportunities. By focusing on accessibility and empowerment, Baraka seeks to cultivate a new generation of informed investors.

Invygo

Series A in 2022
Invygo is the first and largest car subscription service in the MENA region, established in 2018 by Eslam Hussein and Pulkit Ganjoo in Dubai, UAE. The company offers consumers a seamless app-based platform that provides access to passenger cars through an all-inclusive monthly subscription model, allowing users to customize their subscriptions on a month-to-month basis without the financial burdens typically associated with car ownership. Invygo's service enables customers to easily subscribe to and return vehicles, with payments covering insurance, maintenance, breakdown support, and concierge assistance. Additionally, the platform offers dealers an innovative business model to generate revenue while minimizing depreciation and operational costs.

VUZ

Series B in 2022
VUZ is a prominent immersive social application that specializes in delivering XR and Metaverse digital experiences, enhancing the realism of virtual interactions. Launched in 2017, the company operates from offices in Los Angeles, Dubai, and Riyadh. VUZ offers the world's largest premium library of exclusive immersive content, featuring over 20,000 hours of material that spans entertainment, creators, and sports, along with XR, VR, and AR experiences accessible from virtually anywhere. The platform's primary goal is to foster connections among users by providing authentic immersive experiences, effectively eliminating barriers related to travel, time, and access for billions globally. By streaming live events such as sports, talk shows, and music, VUZ enables users to engage with these experiences in a uniquely immersive manner, leveraging advanced technologies for an enriched social interaction.

NymCard Payment Services

Series A in 2022
NymCard is a payment processing platform founded in 2016, operating from Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, with a focus on enhancing the digital payment landscape in Africa and the Middle East. The company specializes in providing an issuer processor solution that allows banks and financial institutions to offer innovative digital payment products, including plastic, virtual, and tokenized cards. NymCard's advanced infrastructure and user-friendly mobile wallet solutions facilitate quick account setup and immediate access to smart payment cards, promoting efficient and secure online transactions. By leveraging open APIs and mobile SDKs, NymCard aims to address the low penetration of payment cards in these regions, thereby driving greater participation in the digital economy.

Invygo

Seed Round in 2021
Invygo is the first and largest car subscription service in the MENA region, established in 2018 by Eslam Hussein and Pulkit Ganjoo in Dubai, UAE. The company offers consumers a seamless app-based platform that provides access to passenger cars through an all-inclusive monthly subscription model, allowing users to customize their subscriptions on a month-to-month basis without the financial burdens typically associated with car ownership. Invygo's service enables customers to easily subscribe to and return vehicles, with payments covering insurance, maintenance, breakdown support, and concierge assistance. Additionally, the platform offers dealers an innovative business model to generate revenue while minimizing depreciation and operational costs.

VUZ

Series A in 2021
VUZ is a prominent immersive social application that specializes in delivering XR and Metaverse digital experiences, enhancing the realism of virtual interactions. Launched in 2017, the company operates from offices in Los Angeles, Dubai, and Riyadh. VUZ offers the world's largest premium library of exclusive immersive content, featuring over 20,000 hours of material that spans entertainment, creators, and sports, along with XR, VR, and AR experiences accessible from virtually anywhere. The platform's primary goal is to foster connections among users by providing authentic immersive experiences, effectively eliminating barriers related to travel, time, and access for billions globally. By streaming live events such as sports, talk shows, and music, VUZ enables users to engage with these experiences in a uniquely immersive manner, leveraging advanced technologies for an enriched social interaction.

VUZ

Series A in 2020
VUZ is a prominent immersive social application that specializes in delivering XR and Metaverse digital experiences, enhancing the realism of virtual interactions. Launched in 2017, the company operates from offices in Los Angeles, Dubai, and Riyadh. VUZ offers the world's largest premium library of exclusive immersive content, featuring over 20,000 hours of material that spans entertainment, creators, and sports, along with XR, VR, and AR experiences accessible from virtually anywhere. The platform's primary goal is to foster connections among users by providing authentic immersive experiences, effectively eliminating barriers related to travel, time, and access for billions globally. By streaming live events such as sports, talk shows, and music, VUZ enables users to engage with these experiences in a uniquely immersive manner, leveraging advanced technologies for an enriched social interaction.

Kitopi

Series B in 2019
Kitopi is a Kitchen as a Service (KaaS) platform that provides restaurants with the essential infrastructure and software needed to establish delivery-only locations efficiently and cost-effectively. Founded in 2018 by Mohamad Ballout, Saman Darkan, Bader Ataya, and Andy Arenas, the company operates a network of over 60 cloud kitchens across the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Bahrain. Kitopi's offerings include kitchen infrastructure, management services, call assistance, delivery management, trained staff, and industry-specific technology, allowing restaurateurs to focus on their culinary creations while minimizing capital expenditure and time. Although Kitopi expanded into the United States in 2019, it exited the market following the onset of the pandemic.
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