About
Omar Darwazah is Managing Director and General Partner of AAF Management Ltd., an early-stage venture capital firm he co-founded in 2016 that manages approximately $250 million in assets and invests in pre-Seed, Seed, and Series A technology companies across North America and emerging markets. Through AAF and his family office, he has deployed over $80 million across 138 venture-backed startups in the United States, 39 emerging managers globally, and more than 30 companies in Africa and the MENA region, with fund performance consistently ranked in the top decile by DPI and TVPI metrics. Prior to founding AAF, Darwazah spent a decade at OCI N.V. focusing on investor relations and corporate finance, and earlier held positions at Deloitte Tax LLP and Deutsche Bank's Leveraged Finance team; he holds a BA in Economics and Political Science from the University of Chicago and an MBA from the Wharton School.
Experience
- AAF Management Ltd.Managing Director & General Partnercurrent2017 — presentNew York, NY
- AAF Management Ltd.Foundercurrent2017 — presentNew York, NY
- Kauffman FellowsKauffman Fellow | Class 25current2020 — presentPalo Alto, California, United States
- Darwazah CapitalManaging Partnercurrent2017 — presentWashington, DC
- The Digital EconomistSenior Executive Fellowcurrent2026 — presentNew York, New York, United States
- AndelaInvestorcurrent2016 — presentNew York, NY
- ThndrSeed Investorcurrent2020 — presentCairo, Egypt
- ZiinaSeed Investorcurrent2021 — presentDubai, United Arab Emirates
- RootSeed Investorcurrent2025 — presentSan Francisco, California, United States
- Taxo (YC S24)Seed Investorcurrent2024 — presentSan Francisco, California, United States
- Munify (YC S25)Seed Investorcurrent2025 — presentSan Francisco, California, United States
- ClearGridSeed Investorcurrent2025 — presentDubai, UAE
- MNT-HalanInvestorcurrent2019 — presentCairo, Egypt
- MoneyHashSeed Investorcurrent2023 — presentNew York, New York, United States
- PemoSeed Investorcurrent2022 — presentDubai, United Arab Emirates
- Genies, Inc.Seed Investorcurrent2015 — presentSan Francisco, CA
- blnkSeed Investorcurrent2021 — presentCairo, Egypt
- FiscalNoteInvestorcurrent2016 — presentWashington, DC
- CartonaInvestorcurrent2022 — presentCairo, Egypt
- OraanSeed Investorcurrent2021 — presentKarāchi, Sindh, Pakistan
Education
- The Wharton SchoolMaster of Business Administration (MBA), Finance and Management2013 — 2015
- University of ChicagoAB, Economics2001 — 2005
- The University of Chicago Booth School of BusinessAccelerated Development Program (ADP), Business Administration and Management2011 — 2012
- Columbia UniversityClasses, French Literature2003
Skills & more
Corporate Finance99Business Strategy85Private Equity60Start-ups24Venture Capital13Financial Analysis32Financial Modeling30Management20Investments17Valuation15Strategic Planning11Entrepreneurship12
+12 more
Investor RelationsLeadershipStrategyAnalysisPublic RelationsBusiness DevelopmentFinanceCapital MarketsBusiness PlanningRisk ManagementEmerging MarketsMarket ResearchLanguages Arabic · English · French · Portuguese · Spanish
- PADI Rescue Scuba Diver — PADI
From Omar's professional profile.
Same school
Also attended The Wharton School1,323
Fred WilsonCo-founder & Partner at Union Square VenturesJosh KopelmanFounder and Partner at First Round CapitalAydin SenkutFounder & Managing Partner at FelicisKatie RiesterPartner, Head of Investor Relations at Felicis VenturesTrevor OelschigInvestment Team at General CatalystRebecca JamesInvestor at Index Ventures
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+ 1,317 more
Also attended University of Chicago242
Mark SusterManaging Partner at Upfront VenturesShardul ShahInvestor at Index VenturesSam BlackmanEntrepreneur in Residence at GV (Google Ventures)Clay FisherInvestor at Spark CapitalJonas CiplickasPrincipal at Scale Venture PartnersJulia Gonzalez SandersPartner and General Counsel at Crosslink Capital
+ 236 more
Also attended The University of Chicago Booth School of Business431
Prashant ShahPartner at Monta Vista CapitalNoorPartner at Clear VenturesTinaInvestments & Portfolio Services Team Member at Clear VenturesBill PescatelloInvestor at LightbankGlebFounder and Managing Partner at iTech CapitalRavi RajamonyVice President at March Capital Partners
+ 425 more
Also attended Columbia University498
Ben HorowitzCo-founder & General Partner at Andreessen HorowitzDoug LeonePartner at Sequoia Capital; former Global Managing PartnerChris DixonFounder & Managing Partner of a16z crypto at Andreessen HorowitzGabriella GiglioHR & Executive Talent at General CatalystScott BillerInvestor at GV (Google Ventures)Erica VanInvestment Director at Intel Capital
+ 492 more
Shared employers
Also worked at Kauffman Fellows360
Jenny LeeSenior Managing Partner at Granite AsiaTobi CokerDeal Partner at Felicis VenturesRoi Bar-KatManaging Director at Intel CapitalAvi BharadwajInvestment Director at Intel CapitalNick WashburnSenior Managing Director, Intel Capital (North America)Vinnie LauriaFounding Partner at Golden Gate Ventures
+ 354 more
Also worked at ClearGrid1
Also worked at Blockstack PBC12
Albert WengerHeading towards the knowledge agePatrick ChangFounder and Managing Partner at Dispersion CapitalWei JiangFounder & Managing Partner at CatchLight Capital PartnersDmitry AlimovFounding Partner at Frontier VenturesMo El-BibanyGeneral Partner at Page One VenturesYacine GhalimPartner at Heartcore Capital
+ 6 more
Colleagues at Taram Capital
Adolfo Gana
Director de Compras Dimerc at Taram Capital
Alex Harasic
Senior Investor Manager AWS at Taram Capital
Alfonso Cuadra
Founder & CEO Rindegastos at Taram Capital
Andres Cargill
Gerente General Soluciones Orión at Taram Capital
Angélica Opazo
Principal of Operations at Taram Capital
Camila Gonzalez
Strategic Growth Senior Director NotCo at Taram Capital
Carlos Murillo
Presidente Pfizer España at Taram Capital
Carlos Pedevila
Global Strategy & Growth Executive @3M at Taram Capital