Andreessen Horowitz Funds UAE AI Gaming Startup to Empower 250 Million Creators
Ras Al Khaimah, Thursday, 21 May 2026.
Silicon Valley’s Andreessen Horowitz has invested $8.5 million in SPARQ, a UAE-based AI game engine designed to unlock game development for 250 million creators worldwide.
The Democratization of Game Development
Today, May 21, 2026, SPARQ officially opened its $8.5 million seed funding round, drawing participation from the scout fund of prominent Silicon Valley venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) [1]. Headquartered in Innovation City in Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates, the AI-native game engine was developed over two years utilizing $2.5 million of the founders’ own capital [1]. With the new $8.5 million seed round, the founders’ initial investment represents 22.727 percent of the startup’s total $11 million disclosed funding pool [1]. Prior to accepting external venture funding, the company amassed a waitlist of 6,000 creators eager to access the platform [1].
Engineering a Ground-Up AI Architecture
Unlike legacy systems that bolt on artificial intelligence as an afterthought, SPARQ was engineered specifically for an AI-driven workflow. A team of more than 20 senior engineers developed the underlying C++ engine, which boasts AAA-grade rendering capabilities [1]. Andreessen Horowitz’s early investment was reportedly secured following a live demonstration that showcased the robust output of 3 million lines of code [1].
The Middle East’s Strategic Shift Toward Tech
The establishment of SPARQ’s headquarters in Ras Al Khaimah highlights a broader economic strategy within the Middle East to diversify beyond oil and build robust technology sectors [GPT]. Paul Dawalibi, CEO of Innovation City, views the startup as a foundational element of this vision, operating with the early involvement of Sheikh Ali Al Qasimi [1]. Dawalibi noted that the city was built to be a launchpad for world-defining companies, adding that with a16z’s backing, “SPARQ proves that Ras Al Khaimah is not just participating in the future. We are building it first” [1].