Mohammed Almeshekah

Mohammed Almeshekah is a Saudi technologist-turned-investor and the founder of Outliers Venture Capital, which he established in 2019 to back founders in fintech, digital commerce, and cybersecurity. He holds a PhD in Computer Science from Purdue University (focused on cybersecurity and cognitive psychology), an MSc in Information Security from the University of London, and a BSc in Computer Science from King Saud University — a background spanning three continents. He is a Kauffman Fellow (Class 25).

Before venture capital, Almeshekah built a career as a security engineer and operator. He held engineering roles at Google and Mozilla, where he contributed to security features now used by billions of users, and he founded and exited a cybersecurity company (reported as Trusted Security Inc.). He has also worked in senior government and policy roles in Saudi Arabia, helping shape multi-billion-dollar technology strategies and national digital-transformation efforts, and continues to serve on advisory boards including the Saudi Ministry of Municipalities and Housing and the Saudi Research, Development and Innovation Authority (RDIA).

As founder and general partner of Outliers VC, he positions the firm as "operator-led," partnering with founders side-by-side and offering deep technical insight. He sits on the boards of Penny Software and ALHOKAMA Eye Center and is a board observer at Lean Technologies. In 2024, Forbes Middle East ranked him #1 on its list of The Middle East's Top Venture Capitalists.

He is an active public voice on the region's venture ecosystem, speaking at events such as SuperReturn Saudi Arabia and Black Hat MEA on institutional capital, cybersecurity, and the growth of Saudi Arabia's startup market.

• Backs "outliers" early and with "quiet conviction." In the firm's words, Outliers partners with founders "who see what others overlook, embrace bold challenges, and shape early insight into enduring, category-defining companies."
• First-check, pre-seed/seed investor — willing to partner "early, often before a company exists."
• US–MENA corridor strategy: aims to be "the first backer of founders in the B2B and Cybersecurity/Privacy markets across the US & MENA," building a bridge between the two regions.
• Core sectors: future of finance (fintech), future of commerce (digital/social commerce), cybersecurity & privacy, plus AI and selective deeptech (energy, education).
• Check size: roughly $250K–$1M, sweet spot ~$500K (aggregator-reported).
• Operator-led edge: leans on Almeshekah's technical and operating background (Google, Mozilla, founding/exiting a cybersecurity firm) to help founders navigate complex market dynamics.