Saudi Investment Firm SIC Acquires Undisclosed Stake In KSA-Based Contech Startup BRKZ

Saudi Arabia-based private equity firm SIDF Investment Company (SIC) has acquired an undisclosed stake in KSA-headquartered construction technology platform BRKZ, with the move aimed at improving procurement efficiency and strengthening direct market access for manufacturers across industrial supply chains. 

Founded by Ibrahim Manna in KSA in 2023, BRKZ offers a marketplace designed to eliminate inefficiences within the construction supply chain. By integrating sourcing, logistics, and payments into a single ecosystem, the platform provides contractors and factories with seamless access to an extensive catalog of building materials via a nationwide network of suppliers. The platform streamlines the procurement process by connecting manufacturers directly with buyers, ensuring quality, pricing consistency, and reliable delivery.

Meanwhile, SIC, which is wholly owned by the Saudi Industrial Development Fund, aims to advance the Kingdom’s industrial sector and strengthen its position as a global industrial hub through strategic partnerships and investment solutions. SIC thus partners with local and international businesses to provide capital and strategic expertise that support growth, innovation, and economic diversification in Saudi Arabia. 

In an interview with Inc. Arabia, Manna said that SIC's acquisition of a stake in BRKZ comes as it enters a new phase of growth, following a period focused on validating its operating model and expanding its customer base. “SIC came in at a very relevant time for BRKZ," Manna said. "We had moved beyond proving the model and were starting to scale more strategically. At the same time, our factory customer base had grown to represent more than 40 percent of our customers, and we had started actively developing artificial intelligence (AI) agents to further digitize procurement, credit, pricing, and operations across the supply chain. Beyond funding, SIC brings deep alignment with the industrial sector and strong credibility with factories, suppliers, and the broader Saudi industrial system. Their presence can help us build stronger factory partnerships and support our role in making industrial supply chains more efficient, transparent, and data-driven. The funding gives us more room to invest in technology, AI-enabled operations, and disciplined growth, while continuing to support contractors and factories with better access to materials and embedded trade credit.” 

This transaction also arrives at a time of regional uncertainty, with many businesses shifting their focus toward more robust risk management. As BRKZ navigates these evolving supply chain dynamics, Manna highlighted how the company is turning market pressures into opportunities for value creation. “Despite regional supply chain pressures, we continue to see strong resilience in the Saudi market," he said. "The Kingdom’s construction, infrastructure, housing, and industrial pipeline remains active, and this gives businesses confidence in the long-term direction of the market. What we are seeing is not a slowdown in ambition, but a shift toward more disciplined procurement. Customers are more focused on price visibility, availability, lead times, and working capital efficiency. They want partners who can help them secure materials reliably and navigate market volatility with speed and transparency. At BRKZ, we see this as an opportunity to add more value. We are widening our supplier base, working more closely with factories, improving sourcing optionality, and using data and AI to make procurement, pricing, and credit decisions faster and more disciplined. Saudi Arabia’s market fundamentals remain strong, and our role is to help make the supply chain more efficient and resilient.” 

According to Manna, such fundamentals are increasingly driving a transformation in the sector, where financial integration and digital fluency become the standard for all transactions. “We expect industrial supply chains to become more digital, more data-driven, and more connected to financing," Manna predicted. "Procurement is still highly manual and fragmented in many areas, but customers increasingly expect faster quoting, reliable fulfillment, better visibility, and flexible payment options. BRKZ’s near-term role is to build the operating layer between contractors, factories, and suppliers. We want to help contractors procure more efficiently, help factories reach more demand, and use AI and data to improve pricing, credit, delivery, and customer experience.”  

This forward-looking strategy is backed by the company’s track record of four successful fundraising rounds over the past two years, with Manna’s experience during this rapid expansion serving as a blueprint of sorts for other founders navigating the Saudi venture landscape. “The biggest lesson is that fundraising should follow business momentum, not replace it," Manna said. "Investors respond to real proof points: repeat customers, revenue growth, operational discipline, and a clear path for scaling. The second lesson is to choose investors for more than capital. The right partners bring credibility, sector knowledge, access, and long-term alignment. SIC is a good example of that for us. My advice to founders is to be clear on why they are raising, what the capital will unlock, and what proof points they need to reach next. Fundraising is not only about closing a round. It is about bringing the right partners into the company’s journey.” 

Pictured in the lead image is BRKZ founder Ibrahim Manna. Image courtesy BRKZ.