Critics in Middle Eastern tech circle censure Shaun Maguire for allegedly offensive remarks on Mamdani and his perceived 'Islamist agenda'
In a move that has sparked widespread controversy, a group of start-up founders and tech leaders have penned an open letter to Sequoia Capital, demanding action against partner Shaun Maguire. The letter, which has garnered over 520 digital signatures as of Monday afternoon, calls for a public apology, an investigation into Maguire's conduct, a zero-tolerance policy on hate speech, and a hotline for founders to report discrimination or hate speech by Sequoia employees.
At the helm of two Saudi FinTech start-ups, Hosam Arab of Tabby and Hisham Al Falih of Lean Technologies, are among the signatories. Other notable names include Mudassir Sheikha, co-founder and CEO of the Uber-owned Middle Eastern ride-hailing company Careem, Omar Almajdouie, founding partner of Saudi investment firm Raed Ventures, Zaheer Mohiuddin, CEO of Cupertino-based start-up Levels.fyi, and Eslam Hussein, co-founder and CEO of Dubai-based start-up Invygo.
The letter was prompted by a controversial post made by Maguire on X, referring to New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani as an "Islamist." Many view these comments as hate speech and bigotry. Maguire, known for his investments in SpaceX and xAI, has since posted a 28-minute video defending his remarks, stating his criticism was political, not religious or racial. However, his comments have further intensified the controversy by criticizing Mamdani’s father, Mahmood Mamdani, a Columbia University professor.
Sequoia Capital, as of July 8, 2025, has declined to comment on the matter and has not yet publicly responded to the letter, which sets a deadline of July 14 for a formal response. Ahmed Sabbah, co-founder of Egyptian payments company Telda, which raised funding from Sequoia in 2021, is also among the signatories of the letter.
The signatories of the letter include start-up executives, employees, venture capitalists, and entrepreneurs from around the world. Some of these signatories, such as Hosam Arab and Hisham Al Falih, have raised funding from Sequoia Capital. Hisham Al-Falih found Maguire's comments over the holiday weekend "appalling" and stated that they were a "sweeping and harmful generalization of Muslims." He also mentioned that Maguire's comments were part of a broader pattern of Islamophobic rhetoric that has no place in the industry.
Last year, Maguire revealed that he had donated $300,000 to Donald Trump's presidential campaign, but clarified that his views did not reflect those of his employer. In the disputed X post, Maguire claimed that Mamdani "comes from a culture that lies about everything" and is willing to lie "if it advances his Islamist agenda."
The deadline for a formal response to these demands is fast approaching, and the tech community eagerly awaits Sequoia Capital's response.
- The controversy surrounds an open letter written by a group of start-up founders and tech leaders, including Hosam Arab and Hisham Al Falih, addressing Sequoia Capital, asking for action against partner Shaun Maguire.
- The letter, signed by over 520 individuals as of Monday afternoon, requires a public apology, an investigation into Maguire's conduct, a zero-tolerance policy on hate speech, and a hotline for founders to report discrimination or hate speech by Sequoia employees.
- Maguire's controversy stemmed from a controversial post on X, where he referred to New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani as an "Islamist," a remark many view as hate speech and bigotry.
- Ahmed Sabbah, co-founder of Egyptian payments company Telda, which raised funding from Sequoia in 2021, is also among the signatories of the letter, as well as Mudassir Sheikha, Omar Almajdouie, Zaheer Mohiuddin, Eslam Hussein, and others from various countries and industries.
- Sequoia Capital has thus far declined to comment on the matter, and the deadline for a formal response, set for July 14, is fast approaching, with the tech community closely following developments.
