Inovia Capital Announces Opening of Abu Dhabi Office to Deepen Strategic Partnerships in the UAE and Broader GCC Region

• Claire Glossop Irani, Promoted to Head of Strategic Partnerships & Office of the CEO, Relocates to Abu Dhabi to Lead Regional Initiatives

ABU DHABI, UAE, Nov. 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Inovia Capital, Canada's leading full-stack software investor partnering with founders to build global tech companies, today announced the opening of a new office in Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM)—one of the world's most dynamic hubs for innovation and artificial intelligence. This expansion strengthens Inovia's global presence with offices across Canada, the Bay Area, London, and now the UAE.

The opening of the Abu Dhabi office marks an important milestone in deepening strategic partnerships across the Middle East following the Canadian Innovation Delegation in the UAE led by the firm in October, and supports the ambitions outlined in the recent Canada-UAE Memorandum of Understanding on Artificial Intelligence and Digital Infrastructure.

"Canada and the UAE share a strong and growing ambition to advance innovation, talent mobility, and global collaboration," said Chris Arsenault, Partner & CEO  at Inovia Capital. "Our new office builds on the momentum created through relationship-building efforts that began over a year ago, including our October Innovation Delegation in the region, and allows us to contribute meaningfully to building bridges between our two ecosystems."

As part of this expansion, Claire Glossop Irani, recently promoted to Head of Strategic  Partnerships and Office of the CEO, has relocated to Abu Dhabi to lead Inovia's efforts across the Middle East. In addition to continuing to oversee Inovia's Global Investor Relations function, her mandate will include supporting portfolio companies by generating new commercial and financial partnerships, especially in the UAE and KSA.

Claire's professional experience in the Gulf, when she was previously based in Dubai, combined with her investor relations, investment and ecosystem-building expertise, positions her uniquely to accelerate Inovia's regional ambitions.

"It is an opportune moment to accelerate strengthened ties between the Canadian and Middle East tech ecosystems," said Claire Glossop Irani. "Being based in Abu Dhabi will allow us to better support our portfolio by deepening our relationships with entities committed to building the next generation of global technology companies."

While Inovia's core investment mandate remains firmly rooted in Canada, the opening of the Abu Dhabi office—and extended activities across the Middle East—represents a significant milestone in the firm's commitment to building ties with the region and supports its mission to back founders as they build global, sustainable technology companies.

About Inovia Capital

Inovia Capital is Canada's leading full-stack software investor, partnering with founders to build impactful and enduring global companies. With three investment strategies—Discovery, Venture, and Growth—the team leverages an operator-led mindset to provide founders with multi-stage support, mentorship, and access to a worldwide network. Inovia manages over US$2.5B with operations in Montreal, Toronto, Waterloo, Calgary, the Bay Area, London and Abu Dhabi. For more information, visit inovia.vc.