Saudi event-tech startup INVE has secured USD 300,000 in pre-seed funding from Outliers Venture Capital, marking a pivotal shift from wedding-focused tools to broader business event management.
The Riyadh-based company launched its original consumer product after founder Abdulrahman Alabdulkarim built a solution for his sister’s wedding in 2024. That platform has since supported 250 events spanning more than 60 cities across Saudi Arabia and the GCC, dispatching over 35,000 invitations with an 88% RSVP response rate.
Now the startup aims to tackle a fragmented corporate events landscape, where guest registrations, attendee data, and communications typically operate across disconnected systems. INVE’s business platform, which went live in August 2026, targets companies using events to connect with clients, partners, and stakeholders.
The enterprise offering enables hosts to manage guest information, customize invitations, and process registrations through branded pages and digital entry passes. Crucially, the system stores guest preferences and attendance history for future gatherings, positioning itself at the intersection of event management and customer relationship tools.
Outliers Venture Capital did more than write a check. Before committing capital, the firm became INVE’s first paying business design partner. Outliers used the platform under its own brand to handle invitations and guest communications for its upcoming Builder Summit.
“We’re building INVE to bring the entire hosting experience together, making it easier to host at any scale while building on the relationships that matter,” Alabdulkarim said. “Our vision is for INVE to become the infrastructure behind how people and businesses host across the Gulf.”
The fresh capital will fund team expansion, brand development, and customer acquisition efforts. Saudi Arabia and the wider GCC remain immediate priorities. Meanwhile, INVE has longer-term ambitions to establish business customers in North Africa, other African markets, and Europe.
The key question now: can the startup translate its consumer traction into sustained enterprise adoption? Its ability to attract recurring business clients and convince hosts to manage multiple events through one platform will determine whether INVE expands beyond its initial regional footprint.
