Welcome back to MENA Startup Digest!

We are bringing you the latest round-up of startup news, updates, and opportunities in the MENA region.

Fundraising Roulette

Arib (KSA/FinTech) raised $23.5M led by Merak Capital to scale its digital lending marketplace

eVoost AI (UAE/PropTech) secured $2M led by First Drop VC to enhance its AI platform and expand demand-driven real estate solutions across the UAE

RSA XB (UAE/LogisticsTech) raised $1.5M Seed led by 21 Ventures to simplify SME cross-border shipping and expand across key trade corridors

Peekabox (UAE/FoodTech) closed $1.5M Seed to scale its surplus food marketplace and expand discounted food access across KSA and the wider GCC

RemotePass (UAE/HRTech) closed $17.4M Series B led by EBRD Venture Capital to expand into Europe and the US

01Gov (UAE/GovTech) secured AED 1.5M credit guarantee from MBRIF to advance its agentic AI platform and strengthen government innovation tools

ARRW (Egypt/Mobility) secured $4M from Tasheed Egypt to grow its driver network and scale its licensed local ride-hailing platform across Egypt

GymNation (UAE) secured $100M in private credit from HPS Investment Partners to expand across the GCC

Crucifer Investments (UAE) invested in Owners ID’s $260K Pre-Seed to back its QR-based lost item recovery platform

More rounds → here

Main Headlines

GrowthLabs (Egypt) acquired Startup Gate in a deal nearing EGP 35M to build a unified startup infrastructure and scale entrepreneurship support across MENA

MGX (UAE) joined Isomorphic Labs’ $2.1B Series B to back AI-first drug discovery, and expand Abu Dhabi’s exposure to healthcare AI

Core42 (UAE) secured $550M in structured trade finance from HSBC to scale AI cloud and compute infrastructure across the US and Europe

Investcorp acquired a $200M+ US industrial portfolio to deepen its exposure to logistics real estate and distribution hubs

Lunate anchored the $70M Manara Ventures Fund to back Jordanian growth-stage startups, provide $750K to $3M tickets

STV secured investment from Saudi Awwal Bank for its Emerging Tech & AI Fund to back AI-native startups,

Dubai announced a second AED 1.5B economic package to support businesses affected by the regional conflict

Qatar Investment Authority backed a $349M Spain-focused fund with COFIDES to support high-growth SMEs

More updates → here

Ecosystem Updates

Hub71 and Khalifa Fund launched the first MZN Hub71 cohort to support 17 Emirati founders from Al Ain

Qatar University and HyperThink Systems honored innovation leaders at the QEA 2026 Awards

ZINC Jordan and Tamatem Games crowned winners of the Prompt & Play Hackathon

Ibtikar Fund and Replit crowned winners of Palestine’s first Build Week Demo Day

The FORGE (Morocco) unveiled its Operations Tech and Automation cohort to support AI-native startups

NQUBATOR (UAE) showcased its latest PropTech startups at Demo Day

Bahrain launched the Cyber Ready Bahrain initiative to train MSMEs and protect startups from growing digital threats

GameForward Accelerator awarded grants and PlayStation partnerships to Emirati gaming studios

SMEDA (Syria) launched its first national startup competition to map Syria’s entrepreneurial ecosystem

Syrian Youth and Entrepreneurs Council launched to support young founders and connect startups with private sector institutions

More updates → here

Startups Highlights

Thndr (Egypt) topped the Financial Times Africa’s Fastest-Growing Companies 2026 list

Noon (UAE) announced plans to launch in Syria to expand its regional marketplace

Fawry (Egypt) lined up $2.4M for potential acquisitions to expand its technology stack

Mal (UAE) received in-principle approval from the Central Bank of the UAE to launch its AI-native Islamic digital bank

Klivvr (Egypt) launched K.ai to bring AI-powered financial assistance to 700,000 users

WSSL and Dilmune Cloud (Bahrain) won the 25th StartUp Bahrain Pitch to showcase laundry POS and cloud management solutions

Mkany (Egypt) won the Rally Egypt semi-finals to advance its AI-powered student housing platform

More highlights → here

Techy Bytes

UAE Government deployed its first AI agents to automate procurement, tax auditing, customer service, and technical support

Dubai Municipality partnered with Keeta Drone to roll out on-demand drone deliveries across public parks and beaches

Dubai launched the Museum of Digital Art in DIFC to fuse technology and culture

G42 (UAE) finalized a landmark deal to build an 8-exaflop AI supercomputer in India

Dubai Holding partnered with Microsoft to deploy enterprise AI across its portfolio

Djezzy (Algeria) launched AventureCloudz with Algeria Venture and Taubyte to support local AI development

Oman rolled out its first AI-powered autonomous asphalt paving system to improve road quality

NYU Abu Dhabi launched ChatSign to provide real-time sign language accessibility

MOZN (KSA) launched its next-generation Real-Time Transaction Screening platform to help financial institutions detect financial crime

Morocco’s DGSN unveiled AI-powered patrol vehicles and locally built drones to modernize public safety

More tech → here

That’s a wrap for this week!

We hope this week’s digest of the latest funding, insights, and ecosystem news helps you stay ahead in the fast-paced MENA region.

Stay tuned for more insights next week

More Topics: AI | Gaming | Fintech | Femtech | Events | Entrepreneurship | Proptech | Arabictech

More regions: KSA | UAE | Qatar | Egypt | Syria | Morocco | Palestine

Connect with us: Website| LinkedIn | Share your story

Welcome back to MENA Startup Digest!

We are bringing you the latest round-up of startup news, updates, and opportunities in the MENA region.

Fundraising Roulette

Metafare (KSA/HealthTech) raised $1M to advance its AI-powered personalization technology, expand its VR wellness content library, and scale across KSA and the Gulf

Madeed (KSA/HealthTech) closed $925K Pre-Seed to develop its AI-powered preventive health platform, grow clinical and laboratory partnerships, and support its public launch in KSA

Siin (Bahrain/Live Commerce) secured new funding, bringing total capital raised to $3M, to scale its live shopping marketplace, grow its seller ecosystem, and expand interactive commerce across the GCC

CredibleX (UAE/FinTech) landed Series A funding led by Mubadala to expand SME working capital financing, grow its embedded finance partner network, and strengthen its lending infrastructure in the UAE

OGold (UAE/FinTech) secured strategic investment from Plug and Play Ventures to scale its Shariah-compliant precious metals Super App, roll out its OGold Mastercard, and support global expansion

Gabster (KSA/AI) closed $500K Pre-Seed to build its AI-powered business communication platform, unify customer channels, and automate customer service, sales, and internal workflows

Oman Investment Authority invested in Neuralink to expand its exposure to next-generation medical technologies

More rounds → here

Featured Opportunity For MENA Startups

WMF 2026 Startup Opportunity | Bologna, Italy

Selected startups can get a free startup desk package at We Make Future 2026, taking place from June 24-26 in Bologna, with access to B2B meetings, side events, Innovation Night, startup competition opportunities, future WMF events in KSA and Milan, and potential soft-landing support in Italy

Interested startups can email Contact@menastartupdigest.com with their startup name, one-liner, sector, and pitch deck

For general attendees, the MENA Startup Digest community can use promo code WMF26MENA to get a Full 3-Day Ticket for €149 instead of €179, valid until May 22

Grab your ticket here

Main Headlines

Saudi PIF raised a record $7B bond sale to support Vision 2030 projects, sustain development spending, and reinforce global investor confidence in the Kingdom’s transformation agenda

Khwarizmi Ventures closed over $70M for Fund II to back Seed to Series A startups across the GCC, write $1M to $5M checks, and double down on KSA’s growing tech ecosystem

Vodafone Qatar acquired MaktApp to strengthen its enterprise digital services, integrate cloud-based business management tools, and expand beyond connectivity

Central Bank of Syria approved partnerships with Visa and Mastercard to modernize digital payments and support e-commerce growth

CERIST (Algeria) launched the Deeptech Innovation Hub to turn national research into startups, support AI and cybersecurity ventures

More updates → here

Ecosystem Updates

Khalifa Fund launched its second Entrepreneurship Competition with over AED 1M in support to back Emirati startups, provide training and funding, and accelerate market-ready ventures in Abu Dhabi

Saudi Munafis Award recognized 68 students in Makkah to promote innovation, future skills, entrepreneurship, and youth talent development in line with Saudi Vision 2030

QISR Foundation (Qatar) appointed its Board of Directors to lead Qatar’s national research agenda, fund innovation programs, and strengthen links between government, academia, and the private sector

Qatar Business Incubation Center unveiled 20 startups for its 2026 Accelerator Program to support AI, logistics, healthtech, sustainability, and digital transformation

Dubai Holding selected 15 global scale-ups for its Innovate For Tomorrow accelerator to advance circular economy solutions

Savvy Games Group partnered with Roblox to grow Saudi game development talent, support local creators, and expand gaming education

Orange Jordan awarded four women-led startups through its Inspiring Change Award to support innovation in healthtech, fintech, edtech, and sustainability

EdVentures (Egypt) won Investor of the Year at the Global Startup Awards to spotlight MENA EdTech

More updates → here

Startups Highlights

Sarwa (UAE) crossed $1B in client assets to mark a major milestone for homegrown fintech, expand retail investing access, and strengthen digital wealth management across MENA

Cashew (UAE) launched Hazel to offer high-value pay-later financing from AED 10,000 to AED 150,000 across healthcare, automotive, education, and lifestyle purchases

Foodics (KSA/) launched Forward Together to support MENA restaurants with flexible payments, free digital ordering tools, and AI-powered predictive analytics for smarter operations

Eddekhar (KSA) secured Sharia certification for its employee savings platform to support payroll-based savings, compliant investment options, and workplace financial well-being in KSA

Snoonu (Qatar) launched in Kuwait to expand its multi-service super app, build local operations, and bring e-commerce, delivery, and home services to a new GCC market

Mndoub (KSA) targeted a potential $1B IPO to fuel its last-mile delivery growth, strengthen its public market ambitions, and support Saudi Arabia’s expanding e-commerce infrastructure

More highlights → here

Techy Bytes

Abu Dhabi’s TII sold advanced cryptographic AI technology to OPAQUE to strengthen post-quantum AI security

Aramco and solutions by stc partnered to deploy a $372.5M supercomputer to boost seismic data processing and improve reservoir modeling

UAE launched a National AI Test and Validation Lab with Cisco to certify AI systems, strengthen security standards, and build trust across government

Inception (UAE) launched InceptionClaw to provide enterprises with a sovereign agentic AI assistant, automate briefs and workflows

Humain (KSA) partnered with AWS to accelerate enterprise AI adoption, support production-ready deployments, and help Saudi businesses build and scale AI applications

UAE and Dell launched a National Cybersecurity Centre to strengthen threat detection and protect critical digital infrastructure across public and private sectors

More tech → here

That’s a wrap for this week!

We hope this week’s digest of the latest funding, insights, and ecosystem news helps you stay ahead in the fast-paced MENA region.

Stay tuned for more insights next week

More Topics: AI | Gaming | Fintech | Femtech | Events | Entrepreneurship | Proptech | Arabictech

More regions: KSA | UAE | Qatar | Egypt | Syria | Morocco | Palestine

Connect with us: Website| LinkedIn | Share your story

Welcome back to MENA Startup Digest!

We are bringing you the latest round-up of startup news, updates, and opportunities in the MENA region.

Fundraising Roulette

Comfi (UAE/FinTech) secured $65M Pre-Series A to scale its B2B embedded finance platform, strengthen AI-driven underwriting, and expand SME working capital access across MENA

Udora (UAE/Gifting Marketplace) secured $10M to expand into KSA, grow its SME-powered gifting marketplace, and enhance AI-driven tools for personalization and customer support

Lola (Bahrain/FoodTech) raised $3M Seed to build a central production facility in Dammam, scale its custom cake platform, and expand its celebration services across the GCC

AngelSpark (UAE) invested in Kubo Care to scale its privacy-first eldercare monitoring platform, advance radar-based health intelligence, and support global senior care expansion

Falak Investment Hub (KSA) backed AI-Skilled to expand its AI-powered digital employees platform for outbound sales, lead generation, and business development automation

Shorooq invested in Chazm (South Korea) $10.3M Series A to expand into the Middle East and bring data-driven auto finance infrastructure to the region

More rounds → here

Featured Opportunity For MENA Startups

Free Startup Desk at We Make Future 2026 | Bologna, Italy

A free startup package for selected startups to join We Make Future from June 24-26, offering a startup area desk, B2B meetings with governments, corporates, and investors, access to side events and Innovation Night, startup competition opportunities, free team tickets for future WMF events in KSA and Milan, and potential access to an Italian government soft-landing program

Interested startups can email Contact@menastartupdigest.com with their startup name, one-liner, sector, and pitch deck

Main Headlines

UAE launched a $1.36M Social Content Fund to support emerging creators, strengthen family-friendly digital media, and accelerate the country’s AI-powered creator economy

Saudi Investment Company backed BRKZ to digitize industrial procurement, expand direct market access for manufacturers, and streamline supply chains across the Kingdom

Sheraa launched a AED 5M Entrepreneurs Resilience Fund to support startups and SMEs in manufacturing, food security, healthcare, and essential supply chains IN uae

Rain Financial (Bahrain) acquired Digital Ma’arefa to expand into financial media, strengthen regional trust, and support regulated crypto education across MENA

Oman established an AI Special Economic Zone in Muscat to attract global AI companies, drive foreign investment, and advance Oman Vision 2040’s digital economy goals

More updates → here

Ecosystem Updates

UAE ranked #1 globally for entrepreneurship for the fifth consecutive year, reinforcing its startup ecosystem strength, founder support infrastructure, and access to funding

Sheraa concluded Agriboost 2026 with five agritech startups pitching solutions for food security, agricultural sustainability, and UAE-focused farm innovation

Orange Jordan named 10 finalists for its Inspiring Change Award to support women-led tech startups, recognize digital innovation, and promote social and environmental impact in Jordan

Qatar University launched Entrepreneurs’ Deal to help students turn academic ideas into viable ventures, build business plans, and access expert mentorship in Qatar

Athar+ (UAE) awarded AED 1M in grants to 15 social enterprises to scale impact-driven solutions, support youth entrepreneurs, and strengthen Abu Dhabi’s social innovation ecosystem

Oman celebrated 32 student-led projects at the Rekaz Entrepreneurship Award to promote youth innovation, entrepreneurship skills, and knowledge-based economy development

More updates → here

Startups Highlights

Talabat Egypt opened MENA’s largest express commerce hub to strengthen logistics infrastructure, improve inventory efficiency, and support grocery delivery across Egypt

Kiwe (Egypt) received final CBE approval to launch its social payments app and card, enabling users to manage, share, and track money more easily

Cashew and Mashreq launched AED 150,000 embedded loans to expand beyond BNPL and finance high-value purchases across healthcare, education, automotive, and home improvement

PRYPCO (UAE) expanded fractional property investment to Iraq to give investors access to Dubai real estate from as little as $137

Cash Plus (Morocco) launched instant bank transfers to expand its 4M-user mobile app and strengthen its financial services ecosystem across Morocco

NyuktAI (UAE) won Eureka! GCC’s top prize for its agentic AI automation platform, highlighting rising demand for specialized AI startups across the Gulf

Zid (KSA) entered the Syrian market through a strategic partnership with ROVO to build e-commerce infrastructure, digital payments, and logistics tools for local merchants

Nabrah (KSA) outperformed global speech recognition rivals in Arabic STT accuracy, strengthening Saudi-built voice AI for enterprise and government use

Risha.ai (UAE) launched an integrated Arabic AI platform to help creators generate scripts, images, videos, dubbing, and localized content across regional dialects

More highlights → here

Open For Application

Prompt and Play AI Game Development Hackathon | Jordan

A 3-day AI game development hackathon for creators, developers, and innovators, offering cash prizes up to 1,500 JOD, Replit credits, expert workshops, and mentorship

Impact46 Gaming Fund | KSA / MENA

A SAR 150M gaming fund for early-stage gaming startups, offering capital investment, strategic support, ecosystem access, and guidance to scale across KSA and the wider MENA region

Green Growth and Jobs Accelerator Project | Morocco

A green growth accelerator program for established SMEs in Morocco, offering expert support, practical workshops, green community access, and investment matchmaking

Takween Program | West Bank, Palestine

A training, mentorship, and grant program for home-based businesses, SMEs, startups, and cooperatives, offering grants of up to $6,000 and expert business coaching

More Programs and Opportunities → here

Cool Events TO Attend This Week

ReimaginED Networking Meetup | May 10 | Dubai

An exclusive EdTech networking meetup bringing founders, investors, and education leaders together to explore partnerships, future learning trends, and venture opportunities

KAU Angel Investor Program | May 11 | Jeddah

A specialized angel investor program for King Abdulaziz University affiliates, offering investment training, startup deal flow, and access to the Falak Angels network

Ignyte Investor-Exclusive Pitch Day | May 19 | Dubai

A curated investor-exclusive pitch day connecting 15 high-potential tech startups with regional and international investors for rapid pitches, live feedback, and capital access

More events → here

Techy Bytes

UAE renamed its Ministerial Council for AI and Development to embed AI into federal policy, legislation, performance, and government operations

AIJRF (UAE) launched AIML to train 100 Arab executives in Agentic AI, Management 4.0, cybersecurity, and AI-driven digital transformation

MBZUAI (UAE) developed DP-Fusion to prevent live AI models from leaking sensitive data, strengthen enterprise privacy, and protect high-stakes AI deployments

Digital Dubai unveiled an AI Integration Matrix to standardize government AI adoption, reduce project duplication, and coordinate deployment across public services

Algeria launched a national AI training program to equip startup-focused talent, strengthen applied AI skills, and support its growing digital economy

Iraq mapped a national AI strategy to build local AI infrastructure, develop a sovereign Iraq LLM, and advance the country’s digital transformation ambitions

More tech → here

That’s a wrap for this week!

We hope this week’s digest of the latest funding, insights, and ecosystem news helps you stay ahead in the fast-paced MENA region.

Stay tuned for more insights next week

More Topics: AI | Gaming | Fintech | Femtech | Events | Entrepreneurship | Proptech | Arabictech

More regions: KSA | UAE | Qatar | Egypt | Syria | Morocco | Palestine

Connect with us: Website| LinkedIn | Share your story

Welcome back to MENA Startup Digest!

We are bringing you the latest round-up of startup news, updates, and opportunities in the MENA region.

Fundraising Roulette

Signit (KSA/Enterprise AI) secured $15M Series A to expand from digital signatures into AI-powered contract lifecycle management for enterprises and government bodies across KSA

FASCANO (Oman/HospitalityTech) secured $10M to scale its hospitality tech platform, expand business operations, and enter new regional markets

Sinai.ai (Egypt/AI EdTech) raised $1.45M Pre-Seed to scale its AI-powered interactive book platform, strengthen its AI infrastructure, and expand publisher licensing partnerships

HealPort (Oman/HealthTech) raised $1.2M to develop its platform, unify fragmented health data, and support global expansion across governments, health agencies, and medical institutions

Prosperity7 Ventures (KSA) led Creao AI’s $10M round to advance no-code AI app development and support the startup’s cloud platform for building AI applications through natural language

More rounds → here

Main Headlines

iSchool (Egypt/EdTech) acquired Rubikal to strengthen its engineering capabilities, integrate a 21-person software team, and build AI infrastructure for schools across global markets

Saudi Venture Capital (KSA) backed a new $150M to $200M Growth Catalyst Fund to support established mid-market companies and strengthen the Kingdom’s growth-stage investment market

Speedinvest launched its first MEA fund backed by Mubadala, QIA, and EIB Global to invest in early and growth-stage tech startups across fintech, AI, health, climate, and digital infrastructure

Tamwilcom and IFC (Morocco) partnered on a $300M risk-sharing facility to expand SME financing, support women-led and agricultural businesses, and help close Morocco’s credit gap

Falak Holding (KSA) acquired a majority stake in Kernel to deepen its AI capabilities and support AI-driven ventures across KSA, Jordan, and the wider MENA region

Oman deployed over RO 1.3B in SME financing to support startups, expand private sector growth, and advance Oman Vision 2040 diversification goals

More updates → here

Ecosystem Updates

parachute16 (KSA) launched P16 Hub in Riyadh to support startup soft landing, market entry, ecosystem activation, and founder-investor connectivity in KSA

COLABS (KSA/Workspace) launched a 4,000 sqm Riyadh campus to support startups, SMEs, and scaleups with workspace, community programming, and cross-border Saudi-Pakistan ecosystem connectivity

Oman Investment Authority launched Foras to connect local SMEs with procurement opportunities across its portfolio and strengthen Oman’s local supply chains

UAE launched Entrepreneurs from Emirati Families to train 1,000 national entrepreneurs and help turn family skills into sustainable businesses

UAE Hackathon 2026 kicked off with a focus on AI, data, and emerging technologies to build practical solutions for national digital impact

Central Bank of Syria launched a digital foreign exchange and gold platform to regulate trading, unify pricing, and increase financial transparency

Genesis Founders (Morocco) launched a venture studio to co-build Moroccan startups with capital, operational support, and shared services from ideation to growth

More updates → here

Open For Application

Sharaka Capital Seed and Series A Funding | KSA / GCC

A Seed and Series A funding opportunity for startups in KSA and the GCC, generating $500K+ in annual revenue, offering capital investment, strategic partnership, and regional growth support

Leancubator Startup Fundraising Support Services | Algeri

A fundraising advisory service for startups preparing to raise or actively raising funds, offering a free consultation, pitch deck support, investor materials, and legal and financial guidance

Intelak Hub 2026 Incubator and Accelerator Programs | UAE

A 12-week incubator and accelerator program for aviation, travel, and tourism startups, offering mentorship from the Emirates Group and DET, industry access, and support to scale in Dubai

More Programs and Opportunities → here

Startups Highlights

AHOY (UAE) surpassed $100M in ARR and entered talks for a growth-stage round to scale its sovereign edge AI across cities, utilities, and transportation networks

Parkly (UAE) launched a digital parking companion to simplify zone discovery, SMS payments, vehicle location, and parking spend tracking across multiple emirates

MoneyHash (Egypt) inked a multi-year Visa partnership to scale Cybersource access and help merchants simplify payment infrastructure across emerging markets

Snoonu (Qatar) launched Snoonu Cloud to turn its super app ecosystem into a platform-as-a-service for governments and businesses building digital economies

Raspire (Egypt) joined Y Combinator to take its no-code runtime security platform global and protect applications across regulated industries

Arabic.AI (UAE) partnered with HeyBreez to scale enterprise-grade Arabic voice AI for governments and businesses across MENA

Rently (UAE) surpassed $10M in transactions as it expands flexible monthly rent payments for tenants and landlords across the UAE

More highlights → here

Techy Bytes

UAE President explored AI and space opportunities with Elon Musk and Larry Fink, signaling deeper interest in global tech collaboration and advanced investment plays

DIFC (UAE) moved to build the world’s first AI-native financial centre in Dubai, embedding AI into regulation, operations, talent, and smart district infrastructure

Khazna Data Centers (UAE) achieved the world’s first zero-waste data center certification after diverting 99.55% of facility waste from landfill at its Dubai DXB8 facility

Valeo (Egypt) opened a new Cairo AI R&D Centre to advance smart mobility software and strengthen Egypt’s role in its global AI engineering network

Paragon-Adeer and Plug and Play launched a 500-acre AI Campus to anchor Egypt’s tech future and support 100 AI startups by 2030

TokenAI (Egypt) released Horus 1.0-4B, an open-source Arabic-focused LLM that outperforms larger global models on key multilingual and Arabic benchmarks

More tech → here

That’s a wrap for this week!

We hope this week’s digest of the latest funding, insights, and ecosystem news helps you stay ahead in the fast-paced MENA region.

Stay tuned for more insights next week

More Topics: AI | Gaming | Fintech | Femtech | Events | Entrepreneurship | Proptech | Arabictech

More regions: KSA | UAE | Qatar | Egypt | Syria | Morocco | Palestine

Connect with us: Website| LinkedIn | Share your story

Welcome back to MENA Startup Digest!

We are bringing you the latest round-up of startup news, updates, and opportunities in the MENA region.

Fundraising Roulette

Aya (KSA/FashionTech) secured $7M Series A to scale its real-time fashion model and expand its demand-driven production platform across new fashion and lifestyle categories in the GCC

Skipr (UAE/AI Infrastructure) secured $2M Seed to advance sovereign AI infrastructure and deploy its programmable governance layer across national and enterprise projects

Ray (UAE/UrbanTech) secured $1.2M Seed to scale its tap-to-pay powerbank sharing network across the UAE and expand into high-traffic hubs across the GCC

Reme-D (Egypt/BioTech) raised $500K to scale its room-temperature molecular diagnostics and cut testing costs across Africa and the Middle East

Qatar Investment Authority backed Plata’s $405M Series C as the Latin American digital bank reached a $5B valuation and scaled its banking operations across the region

More rounds → here

Main Headlines

Snoonu (Qatar) launched Startup Factory and kicked it off with a $100K Pre-Seed for SUFRA AI to back local founders and strengthen Qatar’s early-stage innovation pipeline

Saudi Public Investment Fund injected another $550M into Lucid to support EV production in the Kingdom and deepen its long-term bet on next-generation mobility

Homegrown Ventures (UAE) closed an oversubscribed $22.8M fund to back early-stage consumer brands and build MENA’s first dedicated VC platform for CPG and FMCG startups

Edafa Venture acquired Egypt’s Cyclex in a six-figure deal to scale waste-to-value operations and deepen its circular economy footprint in the region

Tamatem acquired Playable Factory to build an AI-first gaming and ad tech ecosystem and strengthen monetization, distribution, and user acquisition infrastructure across MENA

CE-Ventures (UAE) scored a major biotech exit through Eli Lilly’s $300M acquisition of CrossBridge Bio, validating its early bet on next-generation cancer therapeutics

Bahrain deployed a $19B support package to shield banks, businesses, and households from regional conflict spillover and preserve financial system stability

More updates → here

Ecosystem Updates

UAE launched the Young UAE Merchants Award to foster youth entrepreneurship and build practical business and financial skills among the next generation

Omantel Accelerator tapped eight startups for its 7th cohort, deepening its focus on AI, FinTech, cybersecurity, and digital health in Oman

Egypt moved to activate its Startup Charter through a new executive program designed to boost startup survival, accelerate growth, and strengthen global competitiveness

Homs University launched an ICT incubator to fuel Syria’s next wave of tech startups and help young founders turn digital ideas into viable businesses

Libya pushed to launch university incubators to back 1,000 new entrepreneurs and connect academic talent with the country’s startup and digital economy ambitions

More updates → here

Startups Highlights

Woliz (Morocco) was crowned FinTech & Blockchain Champion at GITEX Africa 2026 for building digital infrastructure that formalizes and empowers Africa’s micro-retail economy

Raedbots (Egypt) launched as MENA’s first homegrown industrial robotics manufacturer, bringing lower-cost automation and locally built robotic systems to regional factories

Tabby secured a Central Bank license to launch a digital wallet and expand beyond BNPL into spending accounts, cards, and money management tools

AHOY (UAE) surpassed $100M in revenue and initiated talks for a global AI rollout across critical infrastructure, sovereign sites, and transportation networks

Money Fellows (Egypt) entered Morocco through a Wafacash partnership to digitize Daret savings circles and expand regulated community finance tools in the market

Nana (KSA/Q-commerce) entered financial reorganization after its record funding rounds, seeking to restructure operations and continue navigating intense grocery delivery competition

More highlights → here

Techy Bytes

Dubai completed the world’s first air taxi station ahead of Joby Aviation’s commercial launch

QSS AI and Robotics (KSA) targeted 10,000 humanoid robots in a major automation push spanning hospitality, retail, logistics, and infrastructure across the Kingdom

Khalifa University developed a predictive AI brain for future 6G networks, helping operators anticipate failures, reduce congestion, and optimize network performance before issues hit

Nexus launched an AI Factory in Morocco to drive sovereign AI capabilities and build local infrastructure for enterprise and government

Egypt tapped Drone Tech to deploy AI-powered drones for environmental surveillance, pollution tracking, and smarter monitoring across its governorates

Dubai launched an AI training program for 50,000 government staff to build system-wide AI capability and accelerate adoption across the public sector

Algerian students claimed four medals at the African AI Olympiad in Tunisia

More tech → here

That’s a wrap for this week!

We hope this week’s digest of the latest funding, insights, and ecosystem news helps you stay ahead in the fast-paced MENA region.

Stay tuned for more insights next week

More Topics: AI | Gaming | Fintech | Femtech | Events | Entrepreneurship | Proptech | Arabictech

More regions: KSA | UAE | Qatar | Egypt | Syria | Morocco | Palestine

Connect with us: Website| LinkedIn | Share your story

Welcome back to MENA Startup Digest!

We are bringing you the latest round-up of startup news, updates, and opportunities in the MENA region.

Fundraising Roulette

Lucky (Egypt/FinTech) raised $23M Series B to scale its consumer credit platform and expand into select North African markets

Jozo (KSA/PropTech) raised SAR 8.3M in Seed funding to expand its real estate tokenization platform and unlock fractional property ownership in the Kingdom

ZSystems (Morocco/RetailTech) raised $1.65M Seed to digitize Morocco’s $40B retail supply chain and scale its marketplace connecting brands, wholesalers, and retailers

Maison Safqa (KSA/FashionTech) landed $620K Pre-Seed to help premium and luxury brands clear overstock across the GCC without diluting brand equity

ElGoat (KSA/SportsTech) scored $266K Seed to build its skill-based football prediction platform and grow across the MENA sports gaming market

AVA (KSA/FinTech) secured strategic investment from Plug and Play Middle East to scale its IoT-enabled payment infrastructure for unattended retail and mobility sectors

WAYA Media (Egypt) secured strategic investment from Foras.ai to expand bilingual business journalism and scale its editorial, data, and video capabilities across MENA

Prosperity7 Ventures (KSA) backed NeuBird AI’s $19.3M round to support AI-powered IT operations and digital infrastructure tooling

More rounds → here

Main Headlines

Falak Startups (Egypt) exited Delta Oil at 25.5x in a milestone return that highlights the value of hands-on venture building and signals growing ecosystem maturity in Egypt

Tamwilcom (Morocco) rolled out a $69M+ startup program to back 800 ventures, expand venture-building support, and strengthen Morocco’s early-stage innovation pipeline

EnerVenue targeting the Saudi market after a $300M funding round to launch pilot projects, scale long-duration energy storage, and deepen its Middle East commercial footprint

Abu Dhabi Investment Authority backed Blackstone and TPG’s private takeover of Hologic to deepen its exposure to global health tech and women’s medical innovation

Aramco Ventures (KSA) backed Via Separations’ $36M round to scale energy-efficient industrial filtration and advance heavy industry decarbonization

Dubai unveiled a $272M stimulus package to ease business costs, boost workforce flexibility, and support growth across key sectors

Qatar scrapped the physical store requirement for e-commerce licenses, lowering entry barriers for startups and formalizing online retail under a new regulatory framework

More updates → here

Ecosystem Updates

Propeller brought five deep-tech startups from Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, and Tunisia to Silicon Valley through its inaugural Kernel Camp residency

Saudi Arabia launched a regulatory sandbox to fast-track proptech and urban innovation and give startups a real-world testbed for municipal and housing solutions

EFG Hermes unlocked institutional funds for retail investors on its ONE app, expanding access to professionally managed products across gold, equities, and fixed income

Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park launched BASE39 to unite the UAE’s creative sector and build a stronger platform for collaboration, talent, and innovation in Sharjah

Orange Egypt launched the Orange Social Venture Prize with €70K to support early-stage startups and advance top Egyptian winners to regional competition across Africa and the Middle East

DIFC rolled out a support package to help businesses manage short-term economic pressures through payment flexibility, fee relief, and temporary regulatory support

Jordan launched AgriTech Jordan to support startups tackling food security, climate resilience, and sustainable agricultural innovation

Orange Maroc and Technopark partnered to grow AI startups in Morocco through the new AI Garden program, focused on data, cloud, and digital transformation support

More updates → here

Startups Highlights

Manhat (UAE/ClimateTech) was named among the Change 100 as a top global impact startup to watch in 2026 for its sustainable water distillation technology

Snoonu (Qatar/Q-commerce) inked a deal with NAMA to give local entrepreneurs access to its platform, logistics infrastructure, and growth support services

Chari (Morocco/FinTech) powered a new digital business account for SMEs with Visa and Zazu, bringing faster onboarding and modern financial tools to Moroccan businesses

Ora Technologies (Morocco/FinTech) partnered with Mastercard and Lana Cash to launch the first international payment card issued by a Moroccan startup

ValU (Egypt/FinTech) partnered with the Egyptian government to offer instalment payments for mobile phone customs fees and reduce friction around handset compliance

Labayh (KSA/HealthTech) surpassed 3M users as it scaled mental health support across consumer, corporate, and education segments in the Kingdom

ItsRaw.ai (UAE/MarTech) launched an AI-powered PR platform to help UAE restaurants generate media coverage and tap into the country’s $1B F&B marketing market

More highlights → here

Open For Application

Scale-Beyond Growth Program | Jordan-based
A 9-month growth program for Jordan-based tech startups, offering tailored mentorship, investment readiness support, and market access to the GCC, EU, and US
Deadline: May 3

Orange Corners Sudan Cohort 9 | Sudan
A 6-month incubation program for Sudanese founders, offering one-on-one coaching, coworking access, and up to €5K in financial support
Deadline: April 30

Wiki StartUp 2026 Incubation Program | Tunisia
A tailored incubation program for entrepreneurs and startups at all stages, offering mentoring, training, coworking access, and strategic support through customized service packs
Deadline: April 30

Exel Gaming Accelerator Cohort 3 | KSA
A 16-week gaming accelerator for early-stage startups, offering up to $300K in funding, AI-focused mentorship, and direct access to investors and publishers
Deadline: May 21

TikTok x Blossom SME Empowerment Program | KSA
A hackathon and accelerator program for AI-native startups in KSA, offering funding access, expert mentorship, and TikTok-powered visibility for ambitious founders

More Programs and Opportunities → here

Techy Bytes

Dubai launched 100 autonomous taxis across Jumeirah and Umm Suqeim, advancing its driverless mobility strategy and expanding real-world urban AV deployment

Khalifa University unveiled RF-GPT, a breakthrough AI model that translates radio signals into plain language and opens new possibilities for spectrum intelligence and AI-native wireless networks

MBZUAI launched PaperCircle, an open-source AI system to help researchers manage literature overload through automated discovery, analysis, and multi-agent paper review

Egypt tapped Microsoft for an AI overhaul of its national food subsidy system to modernize public service delivery through data and digital infrastructure

Qatar University tapped Huawei to launch AI-powered smart classrooms and build a more interactive, data-driven hybrid learning model

Saudi Ministry of Justice bet on AI to overhaul the national judiciary, aiming to improve procedural efficiency, support decision-making, and upgrade judicial services under a new institutional framework

More tech → here

That’s a wrap for this week!

We hope this week’s digest of the latest funding, insights, and ecosystem news helps you stay ahead in the fast-paced MENA region.

Stay tuned for more insights next week

More Topics: AI | Gaming | Fintech | Femtech | Events | Entrepreneurship | Proptech | Arabictech

More regions: KSA | UAE | Qatar | Egypt | Syria | Morocco | Palestine

Connect with us: Website| LinkedIn | Share your story

Welcome back to MENA Startup Digest!

We are bringing you the latest round-up of startup news, updates, and opportunities in the MENA region.

Fundraising Roulette

GAGA (KSA/EdTech) secured $2.5M Pre-Series A to scale AI-powered live learning for Arabic-speaking students across the Kingdom

MovitOn (UAE/Logistics) secured $2M in pre-sale funding to roll out its decentralized logistics infrastructure and cut cross-border shipping costs through AI and blockchain

HiT (UAE/CollectiblesTech) landed strategic backing to scale its collectibles authentication infrastructure

zypl.ai (UAE/FinTech AI) raised $5.5M bridge round at an $80M valuation to expand its synthetic data platform and enter new international markets

ADGT (UAE/FinTech) secured $250M from Blackstone to build a regulated payments infrastructure and expand globally from Abu Dhabi

GoSwap (Morocco/MobilityTech) secured Seed funding to expand its EV battery-swapping network and accelerate electric mobility adoption across North Africa

ALTÉRRA (UAE) invested in Wireless Logic to scale IoT-enabled decarbonization and accelerate emissions reduction across energy-intensive sectors

Sheikh Hamad joined Neura Robotics’ $1.2B mega-round alongside Amazon and Tether

Prosperity7 Ventures (KSA) backed Gimlet Labs Series A to advance next-generation AI infrastructure

Crescent Enterprises (UAE) co-led $30M Series C in XCath to accelerate surgical robotics R&D

Silicon Badia invested in Scalvy (USA) to address critical energy bottlenecks in compute infrastructure

More rounds → here

Main Headlines

Saudi Public Investment Fund preparing a new 5-year strategy to mobilize global private capital, scale co-investment models, and accelerate international partnerships across key sectors

Phoenix Venture Partners (UAE) completed the third close of PVPIF backed by global investors, to expand early-stage tech investments in MENA

Adenia Partners (Africa) closed a $180M fund to back African SMEs, scale founder-led businesses, and drive institutional growth across the continent

Attijariwafa Bank (Morocco) exploring a strategic stake in Mistral AI to secure access to sovereign AI infrastructure and expand its role in global tech ownership

Solutions by STC (KSA) secured a $372M supercomputing deal with Aramco to deploy high-performance computing systems and accelerate AI-driven upstream operations

More updates → here

Ecosystem Updates

Sheraa awarded AED 500K to 12 women founders as the first Sharjah Women Impact Fellowship concluded in Sharjah

Egypt’s Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research launched Technology Valleys to commercialize academic research and back university-born startups

Damascus Chamber of Commerce unveiled a new economic empowerment strategy for Syrian women to expand access to funding, incubators, and mentorship

Female Fusion crowned the top UAE women entrepreneurs at its inaugural 2025 awards

Orange launched the 16th Social Ventures Prize to support impact startups across MENA and Africa

Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park processed 7,500+ licensing transactions in early 2026

More updates → here

Startups Highlights

Mezza (UAE/FoodTech FinTech) launched a debt-free restaurant funding platform to provide upfront capital in exchange for dining credits, helping F&B operators scale without loans or equity dilution

Alaan (UAE/FinTech) launched an AED 3M SME relief initiative to cover utility and telecom bills, reduce operational costs, and support businesses with free access to its corporate spend platform

Ninja (KSA/Q-commerce) advanced its Tadawul IPO plans as a unicorn, expanding across the GCC and engaging global investors ahead of a potential public listing

Navid (KSA/AI) launched a human-rated Arabic text-to-speech leaderboard to benchmark voice models through native speaker evaluation and improve Arabic AI voice quality through open community testing

Prop-AI (UAE/PropTech) launched the Dubai Deal Index to track real estate market data, surface pricing shifts, and help investors navigate the property market with real-time intelligence

Sham Cash (Syria/FinTech) denied a security breach amid controversy over its state adoption, defending its infrastructure as scrutiny grows around Syria’s digital payments rollout

Peekapak (EdTech) grants free access to its wellbeing platform for GCC schools, supporting student mental health and aligning with the UAE’s Year of the Family 2026

XCath (HealthTech) completed the world’s first telerobotic stroke surgery, enabling remote neurovascular procedures and advancing global access to critical care

More highlights → here

Open For Application

Zaka Agentic AI Bootcamp | Online
An 8-week AI bootcamp focused on building real-world AI agents, offering hands-on projects, certification, and practical automation skills for professionals and entrepreneurs.
Deadline: April 1

Misk Challenge for Change Program | Hybrid, KSA
A 7-week accelerator and grant program for non-profits and social enterprises, offering mentorship, bootcamps, and up to SAR 1M in funding per track.
Deadline: April 4

Aqaba Sword-Fish Fund (ASFF) | Aqaba, Jordan
An investment readiness and accelerator program for Jordanian startups, providing mentorship, business model development, and direct access to investors and strategic partners

TechnoPark AI Research Award 2026 | Birzeit, Palestine
A research competition and innovation award for Palestinian researchers, offering cash prizes, incubation opportunities, and global exposure during AI Week 2026.
Deadline: April 10

Agentic AI Challenge 2026 | Birzeit, Palestine
An AI hackathon and innovation challenge for developers, researchers, and low-code builders, offering technical mentorship, cash prizes, and exposure during Palestine AI Week.
Deadline: April 1

Social Innovation Lab 2026 | Hybrid, Yemen
A social innovation lab and incubation program for Yemeni entrepreneurs tackling Blue Economy challenges, offering a $5K equity-free grant, 3 months of incubation, and investor access.
Deadline: April 10

LaunchX Expansion Support Program | Morocco / Africa
A market entry and execution support program for corporates and investors expanding into Morocco and Africa, offering de-risking, local partner access, and hands-on growth support.

More Programs and Opportunities → here

Techy Bytes

Morocco joined WIPO’s global AI infrastructure initiative to protect digital IP rights

NYU Abu Dhabi mapped the Sun’s hidden magnetic waves in a breakthrough discovery, enabling better space weather prediction and advancing global astrophysics research

HUMAIN (KSA/AI) partnered with Turing to launch an enterprise AI agent marketplace, enabling businesses to deploy and monetize autonomous AI workflows across functions

Louvre Abu Dhabi launched a museum curriculum portal to digitize UAE school learning, map global artworks to subjects, and integrate cultural assets into classrooms

Saudia integrated Google Find Hub to enhance baggage recovery, enabling real-time item tracking and improving airline operational efficiency

OpenAI shut down the Sora social app after six months, as user retention dropped and moderation challenges exposed limits of AI-first consumer platforms

Meta launched Meta Small Business to drive AI adoption among SMEs,

WhatsApp rolled out AI-generated chat responses and media tools to automate messaging and enhance content creation

More tech → here

That’s a wrap for this week!

We hope this week’s digest of the latest funding, insights, and ecosystem news helps you stay ahead in the fast-paced MENA region.

Stay tuned for more insights next week

More Topics: AI | Gaming | Fintech | Femtech

More regions: KSA | UAE | Egypt | Syria | Morocco

Connect with us: Website | LinkedIn | Share your story

Welcome back to MENA Startup Digest!

We are bringing you the latest round-up of startup news, updates, and opportunities in the MENA region.

Fundraising Roulette

Property Finder (UAE/PropTech) secured $170M led by Mubadala to accelerate regional expansion, deepen data and AI capabilities, and strengthen its position

Kitopi (UAE/FoodTech) raised $50M strategic debt to fuel regional expansion, scale its franchise model, and accelerate international growth without equity dilution

Yakeey (Morocco/PropTech) secured $15M Series A to digitize real estate transactions, modernize brokerage, and expand its proptech platform across MENA

Vennre (KSA/WealthTech) closed $9.6M Pre-Series to expand Shariah-compliant access to private markets and scale its wealth platform

SkipCash (Qatar/FinTech) secured $4M Series A led by Qatar Development Bank to scale its Tap-to-Phone payment infrastructure, and expand digital payments across the GCC

Enakl (Morocco/MobilityTech) raised $2.3M Seed to scale intelligent shared transport systems and expand public and enterprise mobility deployments

Mantas (UAE/InsurTech) raised $1.77M Pre-Seed to launch parametric insurance for cloud downtime, enable automated payouts during outages, and protect from unpriced infrastructure risk

Yozo (UAE/E-commerce) raised $1.7M to build an AI-powered revenue engine that optimizes pricing, demand forecasting, and growth performance for global e-commerce brands

Declic (KSA/AI Social) secured $1M Seed to scale its AI-driven social platform, enhance creator monetization tools, and expand user engagement across regional markets

Juthor (KSA/E-commerce) secured $500K Pre-Seed to streamline multi-channel commerce operations, unify inventory, and scale its AI-driven analytics platform across KSA

Rkiza (KSA/SaaS) raised $133K Pre-Seed to accelerate early product development, expand its digital solutions portfolio, and support local businesses

Receiptable (UAE/RetailTech) secured Seed funding to digitize retail receipts, unlock post-purchase data for merchants, and modernize customer engagement across MENA

More rounds → here

Main Headlines

CedarBridge Capital (UAE) launched a $150M third fund to scale platform businesses across the GCC, with selective expansion into the UK and Europe

NowPay (Egypt/FinTech) entered the Saudi market through a $20M NowAccess joint venture to scale payroll-linked financial wellness solutions

Abwaab (Jordan) acquired Egypt’s Apex Education to expand end-to-end student services spanning tutoring, test prep, and elite global university admissions

Zahid Group (KSA) completed a $1.3B acquisition of South Africa’s Barloworld to expand its industrial footprint across Africa

Glamera (KSA) acquired Booker Group to consolidate booking, payments, and AI-powered operations across GCC

Qoyod (KSA) acquired POS platform Flavours to enter the F&B sector and integrate accounting, payments, and operations

Seventh Decimal (UAE) acquired by Ipsos to scale OOH audience measurement technology across global media and research markets

Merit Incentives (KSA) acquired Australia’s Synchro Marketing to expand globally, deepen enterprise capabilities, and accelerate Asia-Pacific growth

More updates → here

Ecosystem Updates

Paragon, Adeer and B-Maistro launched the $5M PropteX Accelerator to support proptech startups across Egypt, KSA, and GCC

Moroccan Government announced national AI hackathons and new digital regulations to mobilize local talent

Startup Grind Doha honoured Qatar’s top founders, startups, and ecosystem leaders at the 2025 Tech Startup Community Awards

JoPACC celebrated the graduation of JOIN Fincubator’s third cohort through a six-month incubation journey and Demo Day in Amman

UNDP, Flat6Labs, and New Silk Roads welcomed the fourth GGJAP cohort in Egypt, selecting 26 sustainability-focused SMEs

Qatar Development Bank launched the Reyada Portal to centralize advisory and training services, connect entrepreneurs with service providers, and expand SME support

AUC Venture Lab concluded its Fall 25 Demo Day, graduating 17 startups across AI, fintech, sustainability, and industrial innovation

Tasmu Accelerator graduated its third cohort in Qatar, showcasing 10 startups and generating QAR 330M+ in local sales opportunities

Flow Ventures launched Flow Angels to activate up to $2M in 2026 angel capital for Palestinian Pre-Seed and Seed startups

Leancubator ranked Algeria’s #1 incubator for 2025 after a national evaluation across 192 incubators

More updates → here

Startups Highlights

MoneyHash (UAE) partnered with Spare to enable Pay By Bank for merchants

Madak (KSA) launched a fractional ownership real estate platform under a regulatory sandbox

iSchool (Egypt) partnered with the Financial Regulatory Authority to deliver AI and technology education to employees’ children

Careem Pay (UAE) expanded its global remittance service to Egypt, Lebanon, and the Philippines

Qadi (UAE) partnered with Core42 to power the region’s first sovereign AI RegTech platform

Universal (UAE) secured Central Bank approval to launch USDU, the UAE’s first regulated USD-backed stablecoin

More highlights → here

Open For Application

Sanabil Accelerator by 500 Global (Batch 11) | MENA
A 12-week accelerator for MENA-based tech startups with early traction, offering growth-focused mentorship, market expansion support. Deadline: March

SCALE7 Pre-Acceleration and Acceleration Programs | Hybrid
A seven-week hybrid program with two tailored tracks for creative and cultural startups, offering mentorship, ecosystem access, in-kind support, and funding of up to USD 100K. Deadline: Feb 18

Digital Incubation Center Program | Doha
A 6-month incubation program for tech and ICT startups, starting with a mandatory 4-week Idea Camp, offering mentorship, office space, and legal support

Yasmeen AI Virtual Incubator Program | Remote
A fully virtual pre-seed incubation program for Syrian founders, combining AI-powered technical support, structured training, mentorship, and cash prizes. Deadline: Feb 10

Wathba Business Accelerator | Yemen
A women-focused business accelerator supporting Yemeni female founders building digital startups, offering business development, market readiness, and sustainability training

More Programs and Opportunities → here

Techy Bytes

Mowasalat (Karwa) completed a successful public robotaxi trial in Doha

Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence released K2 Think V2, a new open-source reasoning model with full transparency

Government of Algeria mandated a new public-sector cybersecurity framework requiring independent security units across agencies

Arabic AI and Stanford unveiled HELM Arabic, a transparent benchmarking framework to rigorously evaluate Arabic language models across open and commercial LLMs

Dar al-Ifta al-Misriyyah issued a landmark fatwa banning AI tools from Quranic interpretation

Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre launched a 38,000+ title Arabic digital library on Amazon

Notion launched full Arabic language support across its platform

Anthropic upgraded Claude with deep workplace integrations, including Slack, Canva, Figma, and Asana

Elon Musk weighed early merger scenarios that could combine SpaceX, Tesla, and xAI into a single tech platform

More tech → here

That’s a wrap for this week!

We hope this week’s digest of the latest funding, insights, and ecosystem news helps you stay ahead in the fast-paced MENA region.

Stay tuned for more insights next week

More Topics: AI | Gaming | Fintech | Femtech | BIBAN

More regions: KSA | UAE | Egypt | Syria | Morocco

Connect with us: Website | LinkedIn | Share your story

Welcome back to MENA Startup Digest!

We are bringing you the latest round-up of startup news, updates, and opportunities in the MENA region.

Fundraising Roulette

Rain (Bahrain/FinTech) secured $250M, pushing its valuation to $1.95B, to scale stablecoin-based payments, card issuance, and instant settlement infrastructure across new markets

Mal (UAE/FinTech) secured $230M Seed to build an AI-native Islamic digital bank, advance regulatory licensing, and prepare for a phased UAE launch ahead of global expansion

Flooss (Bahrain/FinTech) secured $22M credit facility to expand Sharia-compliant digital consumer financing, scale its loan book, and strengthen AI-driven underwriting

Governata (KSA/Enterprise SaaS) closed $4M Seed to advance AI-ready data governance, align enterprise data with national regulations, and expand across KSA and MENA

Oasys Health (Egypt/HealthTech) raised $4.6M total funding to scale its AI-powered mental health operating system, automate clinical workflows, and integrate real-time biometric data into care delivery

Khosouf Studio (UAE/Gaming) secured SAR 2.2M Seed led by Merak Capital to relocate operations to KSA, scale original game IPs, and strengthen the Kingdom’s growing gaming ecosystem

Resquad AI (KSA/HRTech) raised $1.5M Seed to scale its AI-powered tech recruitment marketplace, accelerate GCC expansion, and prepare for global launch

Madeed (KSA/HealthTech) raised $400K Pre-Seed to launch a preventive health and longevity platform built on advanced biomarker testing and personalized care plans

Nutra-GreeniX (Syria/Agritech) closed $200K to expand sustainable livestock nutrition solutions, scale production capacity, and strengthen food security through clean energy-driven processes

Yamm (KSA/E-commerce) closed a seed round to automate returns, refunds, and exchanges for merchants while reducing operational friction in post-purchase workflows

Prosperity7 Ventures (KSA) backed Horizon3.ai (Global) to fortify AI datacenters and critical infrastructure using autonomous offensive security and real-world attack simulation

More rounds → here

Main Headlines

eFlow (UAE/EdTech) acquired by EDT&Partners to scale AI-powered conversational learning and expand workforce and institutional training across MENA and global markets

Jadwa Investment (KSA) launched a $200M private credit fund to expand non-bank financing, support mid-market companies, and deepen private debt markets across the GCC

Creators HQ and Alfan launched an AED 5M Social Content Fund to finance family-focused digital creators and strengthen the UAE’s purpose-driven content ecosystem

Hashgraph Ventures (UAE) pledged $1M to back African Web3 and AI startups through the Hedera Africa Hackathon

Moroccan Government unveiled its AI Made in Morocco strategy targeting $10B GDP impact, 50,000 jobs, and 200,000 AI-trained graduates by 2030

Syrian Government unveiled a new investment law aimed at attracting foreign capital, easing entry for investors, and mobilizing private sector funding for national reconstruction

Abu Dhabi Government launched L’imad, its fourth sovereign investment platform, to diversify revenues and deploy capital across strategic global sectors

Public Investment Fund consolidated its $12B gaming portfolio under Savvy Games Group to centralize ownership of global gaming assets

More updates → here

Ecosystem Updates

makesense MENA supported 10 Lebanese social enterprises with grants of up to $20K each through the Nabad Program

Fikra Ventures and Hub71 partnered to build and scale AI-native startups from Abu Dhabi through venture creation

Creators HQ and Amazon launched the Amazon Creators Foundry to help UAE-based creators build, launch, and scale consumer brands

Zain Kuwait concluded an immersive Silicon Valley tour for 11 MENA startups, connecting founders with global tech leaders and investors

Flow Accelerator launched Flow Ventures to bridge early-stage funding gaps and strengthen deal flow for Palestinian startups

Flat6Labs concluded the sixth Riyadh Seed Program cycle, deploying $17M+ across 60 startups and unlocking significant follow-on funding within KSA’s ecosystem

Creators HQ and 500 Global concluded the Creators Ventures Accelerator, graduating 21 creator-led startups collectively valued at $130M+

QSTP and Merck launched a FemTech Accelerator to support up to 30 deep-tech startups advancing women’s health innovation across Qatar and MENA

Risin Ventures concluded the AIX Summit and Hackathon in Doha, bringing together 300+ innovators to build enterprise-ready AI solutions for fintech, investment, and industry

More updates → here

Startups Highlights

KARTY (Qatar) secured a Payment Service Provider license from the Qatar Central Bank to expand regulated digital payments and e-money services

Botim Money (UAE) partnered with Mastercard to enable global remittances to 150+ countries

Thawani (Oman) partnered with Monak to advance embedded finance across public and private platforms

Arabic.AI partnered with Replit to launch free, fully localized Arabic coding courses

HyveGeo won the UAE FoodTech Challenge 2026 with its AI-powered tree monitoring solution supporting climate-smart food production

Syspos secured first place at the Ignyte du Business Challenge held at the Museum of the Future

Jade Autis won the Zayed Sustainability Prize for Health, recognizing its AI-powered platform for early detection and support of neurodivergent children

Granite (Egypt) secured an FRA fintech license to launch Egypt’s first fully digital money market account, enabling liquid cash management with daily returns and no lock-ins

Jisr (KSA) surpassed 700,000 users as Saudi businesses accelerate HR digitization amid strong hiring growth and expanding enterprise adoption

More highlights → here

Open For Application

SCALE7 Pre-Acceleration and Acceleration Programs Wave 6 | Hybrid/Doha
A seven-week hybrid program with two tailored tracks for creative and cultural startups, offering mentorship, ecosystem access, in-kind support, and funding of up to USD 100K

Sheraa x NAC Agriboost Incubation Program | Sharjah
A six-week agri tech incubation program for early and seed stage startups, offering AED 15K participation support, free co-working space, expert mentorship, and market access

Jada30 Jadathon Challenge | KSA
A four-day challenge at Forsati Forum supporting idea holders to build MVPs across FinTech, logistics tech, cybersecurity, real estate, and business outsourcing

Pitch Afloat by Startup Grind Doha | Doha
An invite-only pitching experience on a traditional Qatari dhow, selecting five funded growth stage startups to pitch directly to VCs and angels in a highly curated networking setting

Hult Prize Student Startup Challenge | Global
The world’s largest student startup competition offering $1M in funding, mentorship, and global networking

Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub | Global
An open-access startup support platform offering up to $150K in Azure credits, free GitHub and Microsoft 365 tools, OpenAI credits, and expert mentorship

More Programs and Opportunities → here

Techy Bytes

Dubai RTA granted Baidu Apollo Go the emirate’s first permit for fully driverless vehicle trials on public roads

Sama X secured a national license to deliver Starlink satellite internet across Bahrain

Technology Innovation Institute (UAE) released 15 Tiny Falcon open source models designed to power specialized AI use cases with high efficiency and minimal compute

Zoho launched its first UAE data centers in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, strengthening data sovereignty, local compliance, and cloud performance

OpenAI acquired health records startup Torch, signed a $10B compute agreement with Cerebras, and introduced targeted ads on ChatGPT’s free tiers to fund large-scale AI deployment

Nvidia and Eli Lilly announced a $1B AI co-innovation lab to compress drug discovery timelines

Wikimedia Foundation signed paid data partnerships with Big Tech and leading AI labs to license Wikipedia content for model training

Elon Musk seeking up to $134B in damages from OpenAI and Microsoft

More tech → here

That’s a wrap for this week!

We hope this week’s digest of the latest funding, insights, and ecosystem news helps you stay ahead in the fast-paced MENA region.

Stay tuned for more insights next week

More Topics: AI | Gaming | Fintech | Femtech | BIBAN

More regions: KSA | UAE | Egypt | Syria | Morocco

Connect with us: Website | LinkedIn | Share your story

Welcome back to MENA Startup Digest!

We are bringing you the latest round-up of startup news, updates, and opportunities in the MENA region.

Fundraising Roulette

eMushrif (Oman/Smart Mobility) secured $7.5M to expand smart school transport safety across KSA and the UAE using AI and IoT

Aamar (KSA/PropTech) closed $4M+ Seed round to automate rental operations and scale AI-powered leasing

MilkStraw AI (UAE/CloudTech) raised $2M Seed funding to scale AI-driven cloud cost optimization for high-growth startups and enterprises

FitXpert (Egypt/SportsTech) closed a strategic investment to accelerate product development and expand its vertical SaaS platform for fitness and nutrition

Business For Teens (Egypt/EdTech) secured a six-figure Pre-Seed to expand entrepreneurship and financial literacy programs for teens and scale school partnerships

Doushesh (Syria/Classifieds) closed Pre Seed to scale a safer, more trusted classifieds marketplace, strengthen infrastructure, and expand into high-value verticals like real estate and automotive

Qatar Investment Authority joined xAI’s $20B Series E alongside a global syndicate to back Grok’s scale-up, expand data center capacity, and accelerate next-generation AI model development

More rounds → here

Main Headlines

Red Sea Global partnered with Bunat Ventures to launch a new AI-focused venture fund targeting 25 startups

Ethmar International Holding partnered with Guggenheim Brothers Media to launch a multi-million dollar creative fund in Abu Dhabi

NEOM backed five Saudi gaming studios through its largest Level Up accelerator cohort to scale local game development

Moroccan Government approved MAD 1.28B in funding for 89 SME investment projects expected to generate around 5,000 jobs nationwide

Badir Fund (Kuwait) backed MEVP’s Fund IV to channel growth capital into technology startups and accelerate digital transformation across MENA

Omani Government approved the launch of the Oman Global Financial Centre to attract foreign capital and accelerate financial sector-driven economic diversification

UAE Ministry of Economy unveiled major company law reforms, allowing multi-class shares for LLCs and seamless movement between free zones

Syrian Ministry of Economy and Foreign Trade raised minimum capital requirements for new businesses as part of a broader effort to restructure and regulate the private sector

More updates → here

Ecosystem Updates

EGBANK welcomed 18 startups into the 14th cycle of its zero equity MINT Incubator, supporting founders with product validation, tailored tracks, and funding readiness

Start Smart Competition (KSA) selected 40 AI-focused ideas from 1,000 applicants to join an intensive two-month bootcamp

Field Ready unveiled an Innovation and Digital Manufacturing Lab at the University of Aleppo to enable prototyping, digital fabrication, and hands-on engineering education

Forbes Middle East featured six Moroccan leaders on its 100 Most Powerful Arab Businesswomen list across finance, industry, and retail

Parachute16 concluded the Ghiras Accelerator Demo Day, showcasing sustainability-focused startups including iRama, Logihub, c mass, VEGO Group, and DROP ROOT

Aram Lab defined 2025 as a critical inflection point for Syria’s startup ecosystem, highlighting 200+ active ventures, rising diaspora engagement, and persistent bottlenecks in legal, payments, and infrastructure

SRTI Park launched the Base 39 Creative Accelerator in Sharjah to scale product-led ventures across design-driven industries, starting with furniture and collectible design

Orange Jordan and JoPACC united to accelerate fintech innovation and talent development through applied training, joint projects, and education

More updates → here

Startups Highlights

Pay10 and Commercial Bank of Dubai launched a landmark open finance initiative to enable secure data sharing and accelerate next-generation financial services in the UAE

Abhi (UAE) partnered with LuLu Exchange to expand earned wage access and improve employee salary liquidity across the GCC

Saal.ai and Nutanix (UAE) unveiled SovereignGPT to deliver secure, compliant, and regionally hosted generative AI for governments and regulated enterprises

valU (Egypt) secured final regulatory approval to launch in Jordan

Keeta launched its on-demand delivery platform in Bahrain, marking the latest step in Meituan-backed regional expansion across the GCC

Maalexi (UAE) announced plans to launch the world’s first agricultural asset token exchange, enabling tokenized trade of real-world food commodities on blockchain infrastructure

Ziina (UAE) launched Ziina Violet, a lifestyle membership bundling everyday perks and zero FX fees

Cassbana (Egypt) partnered with Orbii to integrate AI-driven credit intelligence and expand data-powered SME lending infrastructure across MENA

More highlights → here

Open For Application

Coffee With a Mentor by Startup Grind Doha | Qatar
A weekly in-person mentorship series connecting founders with experienced mentors and investors for focused 1 on 1 feedback, networking, and guidance over coffee
Dates: Saturdays in January 2026

Orange Corners Baghdad Cohort 12 | Iraq
A fully funded six-month incubation program for early-stage Iraqi startups offering training, mentorship, co-working space, and access to investment opportunities
Deadline: February 15, 2026

Morocco Accelerator Batch 2 by Technopark & Plug and Play | Morocco
An equity-free three-month accelerator for Pre-Seed to Series A Moroccan and diaspora startups, offering global network access, 1 on 1 mentorship, office space, and IT perks to scale from local traction to international markets
Deadline: February 17, 2026

AngelSpark $100K+ Investment Cycle | Global
An angel investment opportunity for Pre Seed and Seed stage startups, offering $100K+ funding, access to 50+ angels, and a fast 24-hour decision after a live pitch

Flow Accelerator x Gaza Sky Geeks Blockchain Bootcamp | Online
An intensive online blockchain bootcamp for students, developers, and founders focused on smart contracts, dApps, mentorship, and hands-on ideation
Deadline: January 15, 2026

Oraseya Capital Zero to One Startup Pitch Competition | Dubai, UAE
A high-profile pitch competition for early-stage tech startups with UAE ties, offering an AED 100K equity-free grant and direct access to regional VCs during DUNE Venture Days
Deadline: January 31, 2026

More Programs and Opportunities → here

Techy Bytes

Technology Innovation Institute (UAE) launched Falcon-H1 Arabic models using a hybrid Mamba Transformer architecture to push Arabic LLM performance while cutting compute needs

UAE Ministry of Education embedded AI as a formal subject from kindergarten to Grade 12 starting the 2025 to 2026 academic year

Qatar Council of Ministers Secretariat General and MCIT launched the Smart Legislative Advisor to accelerate drafting, comparison, and review of laws using AI-powered legal analysis tools

Nvidia launched Alpamayo, an open source stack of reasoning VLA models, simulation tools, and driving datasets to help teams train for rare edge case scenarios and accelerate Level 4 autonomy

OpenAI launched ChatGPT Health to help users securely manage medical records and wellness data with privacy isolated from core model training

Google unveiled major AI upgrades for Gmail, including a personalized AI Inbox, conversational search, and built-in proofreading tools

More tech → here

That’s a wrap for this week!

We hope this week’s digest of the latest funding, insights, and ecosystem news helps you stay ahead in the fast-paced MENA region.

Stay tuned for more insights next week

More Topics: AI | Gaming | Fintech | Femtech | BIBAN

More regions: KSA | UAE | Egypt | Syria | Morocco

Connect with us: Website | LinkedIn | Share your story

Welcome back to MENA Startup Digest!

We are bringing you the latest round-up of startup news, updates, and opportunities in the MENA region.

Fundraising Roulette

VBooking (UAE/TravelTech) raised $5M to expand its AI-powered travel ecosystem, launch an AI concierge, and develop TUSD for commission-free cross-border payments

Lucid Capital (UAE/FinTech) closed $2.5M Seed round to scale AI-driven quantitative trading, alongside $200M in capital commitments for proprietary strategies

Oumla (KSA/FinTech) extended its seed round with participation from Wa’ed Ventures, Sanabil 500, KAUST Innovation Ventures, and Plus VC to scale sovereign digital asset infrastructure

Newera.ai (KSA/AI) closed $2.1M Pre Seed to scale enterprise-focused generative AI solutions aligned with Vision 2030

BookaHospi (KSA/HealthTech) secured strategic angel investment from Falak Angels Network to digitize cross-border healthcare recruitment and workforce management

Promamec (Morocco/HealthTech) secured $8.5M commitment from AfricInvest’s Transform Health Fund to strengthen Morocco’s national medical supply chain and expand working capital

Woliz (Morocco/CommerceTech) raised $2.2M Pre Seed from Sanlam Morocco to modernize proximity commerce and drive financial inclusion across local retail networks

LAB7 (KSA) invested in Halide Energy (Finland) to advance copper-based grid-scale battery storage technology

More rounds → here

Main Headlines

Public Investment Fund sealed a landmark $55B acquisition of Electronic Arts to strengthen Saudi Arabia’s position in the global gaming industry

Paragon, Adeer, and B maistro launched $5M PropteX fund to accelerate PropTech startups across Egypt, KSA, and the wider MENA region

TECOM Group invested $167M into Phase 4 of Dubai Internet City’s Innovation Hub to expand Grade A office capacity and support Dubai’s digital economy agenda

Edafa Venture Capital acquired Boutique to accelerate startup scale-up and drive regional expansion into the UAE and Egypt

International Holding Company (UAE) acquired a 70% majority stake in payments technology firm Peko Holdings to strengthen its digital services and fintech portfolio

More updates → here

Ecosystem Updates

General Entertainment Authority (KSA) concluded its inaugural Entertainment Innovations Challenge, awarding SAR 300K in prizes and over $1M in in in-kind support

Flat6Labs concluded the three-year StartMashreq program after supporting 4,500+ entrepreneurs and enabling $28M in startup funding across the Levant

Flow Accelerator secured over $2.3M in funding for 107 Palestinian startups in 2025 through its end-to-end incubation, acceleration, and expansion programs

Orange Corners Sudan and 249Startups secured over 500M SDG in growth funding for eight startups across agriculture, healthcare, and renewable energy

Jordanian Ministry of Digital Economy and Rainmaking launched the JoGlobal program to prepare high-potential Jordanian startups for international expansion and growth capital

Syrian Society for Startups and Research (SySSR) crowned three winning teams at the Innovative Entrepreneurship Factory finale and connected participants to incubation pathways

More updates → here

Startups Highlights

SpeakUp (UAE/EventTech/) landed a landmark investment live on The Final Pitch Dubai, becoming the only startup to sign a deal on air this season

MNT-Halan (Egypt) launched a fully digital real estate investment fund with Azimut Egypt to democratize access to property assets under FRA regulation

Anghami and Samsung (MENA) launched I Am The Scene, a regional initiative to support emerging MENA artists through mobile-first music creation and mentorship

Fin-Game (Egypt/FinTech) claimed first place at ElevateLab Demo Day for its gamified financial literacy platform targeting Gen Z users

valU (Egypt/FinTech) partnered with Tactful AI to unify customer experience across WhatsApp, web, app, and social channels using AI-driven engagement tools

More highlights → here

Open For Application

Flow Accelerator Formation & Development Cycle 5 | Palestine
A pre-incubation and incubation program for early-stage founders from idea to MVP, offering structured validation, product development support, and expert mentorship
Deadline: January 8, 2026

SEF x 1TANK Pitch Competition | Sharjah
A high-impact pitch competition for market-ready startups at Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival, offering an AED200K equity-free grant pool, investor exposure, and mentorship
Deadline: January 8, 202

Egypt AI & IoT Challenge – 10th Edition | Egypt
A nationwide innovation challenge for startups, senior university students, and STEM students building AI and IoT solutions across smart cities, healthcare, mobility, agriculture, and commerce

Hitachi eMobility Startup Challenge 2026 | Global
A corporate innovation and PoC program for eMobility startups and scaleups, offering PoC funding, executive access to Hitachi leadership, mentorship, and global visibility
Deadline: January 15, 2026

More Programs and Opportunities → here

Techy Bytes

Presight (UAE) secured a $118.5M multi-year deal to build Albania’s nationwide AI-powered smart nation infrastructure

Elon Musk discussed AI strategy and future ventures with UAE leadership amid growing Gulf investment and SpaceX IPO speculation

Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies unveiled the DALLA open source framework to cut Arabic AI training and inference costs by up to 75%

MCIT and Microsoft partnered to accelerate SME digital transformation through the SMEs Go Digital program, aligned with Qatar’s Digital Agenda 2030

Syrian Association for AI and Entrepreneurship launched as the country’s first official AI body to drive practical AI skills, training, and tech entrepreneurship

Dubai Charitable Activities Department greenlit cryptocurrency donations for all registered charities, modernising philanthropy and expanding digital giving channels

Sama X secured regulatory approval to roll out Starlink satellite internet across Jordan, extending high-speed connectivity to remote and underserved areas

BioEnergy Arabia (KSA) unveiled a scalable waste-to-energy technology at KFUPM to convert used cooking oil into biofuel, advancing circular economy solutions

More tech → here

That’s a wrap for this week!

We hope this week’s digest of the latest funding, insights, and ecosystem news helps you stay ahead in the fast-paced MENA region.

Stay tuned for more insights next week

More Topics: AI | Gaming | Fintech | Femtech | BIBAN

More regions: KSA | UAE | Egypt | Syria | Morocco

Connect with us: Website | LinkedIn | Share your story

Welcome back to MENA Startup Digest!

We are bringing you the latest round-up of startup news, updates, and opportunities in the MENA region.

Fundraising Roulette

Noon secured $500M backed by PIF to strengthen its regional platform, scale logistics, and advance plans for a potential IPO

Premialab (UAE/Analytics) secured $220M in growth funding led by KKR to accelerate global expansion

Planys Technologies (UAE/Robotics) secured $12M to expand its underwater robotics and AI-powered inspection solutions across the Middle East

VOLZ (Algeria/TravelTech) closed a record 600M DZD, approximately $5M, to expand across Africa

iVoiceUp (Egypt/AI/SaaS) secured funding from A15 to scale its AI-powered compliance and whistleblowing platform across MENA

Relik (UAE/AI) secured seed funding from regional investors, including KBW Ventures, to scale its AI-driven authentication platform

Orion (KSA/FinTech) closed a pre-seed round to accelerate its AI-driven algorithmic trading platform

Nawah Scientific (Egypt/DeepTech L) raised $23M to expand its scientific research infrastructure across Egypt, KSA, and Africa

Falak Angels Network (KSA) invested in Ballurh to support the scale-up of its AI-powered restaurant SaaS platform

QPioneers (KSA/AI/SaaS) secured its first funding round from Q Fund to build an AI-powered operating system for startups

Croptimus (Egypt/AgriTech) secured an investment from VentureX to scale its regenerative agriculture platform

Rasmal Ventures (Qatar) led a $12M Series A investment in Roamless to back the scale-up of its borderless eSIM infrastructure

More rounds → here

Main Headlines

MGX (UAE) joined Oracle and Silver Lake in a landmark deal to acquire TikTok’s US operations

Moroccan Government launched a 1.3B dirham strategy to support 3,000 startups by 2030 through venture building, VC funding, and Technopark expansion

MSMEDA and Reefy partnered on a $6.3M financing program to support 3,000 micro enterprises across Egypt

Tunisian Government launched the €5M Watani initiative to support early-stage startups, strengthen regional ecosystems, and mobilise diaspora talent

Two Point Zero Group (UAE) acquired full ownership of Maseera to accelerate product integration across its consumer fintech ecosystem

Miral launched the Miral Impact Fund in partnership with Ma’an to drive measurable social and environmental impact in UAE

Global Alliance committed $120M through a UAE-based feeder fund to back startups in India’s Kerala ecosystem

More updates → here

Ecosystem Updates

ITHCA Group launched a cross-border accelerator and venture investment partnership to help Omani startups enter the Saudi market, offering up to $100K per startup

UAE Government issued the country’s first license for online gaming and sports wagering through the GCGRA

Palestine joined the €1M EU-backed YIELD project to support youth-led deep tech startups in the blue, green, and circular economy

Khalifa Fund and Hub71 partnered to launch the MZN Hub71 Programme in Al Ain, supporting 10 to 15 Emirati-founded startups

Qatar FinTech Hub unveiled a new funding and Lab Model at its 7th Demo Day, introducing grants of up to QAR 1.5M, increased early-stage investments, and a hands-on pathway to regulatory sandbox

Mohammed Bin Rashid Innovation Fund unveiled its 10th cohort of AI-driven startups spanning legal tech, healthcare, consumer platforms, and media

Jusoor and Startup Syria launched the LAUNCHPAD investment readiness residency to prepare early-stage Syrian startups for regional funding

Saudi Ministry of Interior and Tuwaiq Academy concluded the world’s largest hackathon with a SAR 1M prize pool

United Entrepreneurs of Algeria launched BusinessMatchAI, an AI-powered platform designed to connect founders, investors, and experts

Orange Corners Palestine graduated its eighth pre-acceleration cohort of 12 startups through Flow Accelerator

More updates → here

Startups Highlights

Breadfast (Egypt) eyes up to $13M in potential IFC investment to accelerate nationwide expansion

Qashio (UAE) launched its European headquarters in Dublin to drive international expansion

Nero (KSA) was honored by the Saudi Minister of Transport for its autonomous last-mile delivery technology

AmalXR, Ecobees, and Pixii Motors (Tunisia ) advanced to the finals of Qualcomm’s Made in Africa program

valU (Egypt) secured EGP 1.1B through its 20th securitised bond issuance under a new EGP 10B program to support portfolio growth

EnviBrick (Oman) unveiled engineered bricks designed to cut building energy consumption

MoneyHash (UAE) partnered with Mastercard to streamline merchant payments across MENA through a single API

Property Finder (UAE) introduced an AI-powered home valuation tool with six-month price forecasts

MNZL (Egypt) became the first fintech in Egypt to obtain dual digital lending licences, enabling fully online mortgage and consumer finance

PRYPCO (UAE) secured Sharia certification for its fractional ownership platforms

More highlights → here

Open For Application

Presight Global AI Accelerator | Abu Dhabi
A six-month global accelerator for market-ready AI startups, providing enterprise access, advanced AI infrastructure, mentorship from global experts, and potential strategic investment opportunities

Google for Startups Accelerator 2026 | MENA
A ten-week equity-free accelerator for Seed and Series A startups offering Google mentorship, AI and cloud product access, technical support, and global network exposure to scale high-growth ventures

Propeller Kernel Camp | San Francisco
An 8-week deep tech residency for MENA-based technical founders in AI and deep software, offering sponsored housing, stipends, mentorship, and direct exposure to Silicon Valley’s startup and VC ecosystem

Utopia Studio Co Build Fellowship | Doha
A co-founding venture builder program for domain experts to launch AI native companies with up to $1M in staged funding, technical co-founders, founder stipends, and Qatar-based setup support

AUC Venture Lab Cycle 26 Accelerator | Cairo
A three-month equity-free accelerator for early-stage Egyptian startups, offering investment readiness support, expert mentorship, and access to AUC’s founder and investor network

FinTech Development Grant | Qatar

A milestone-linked grant program by QDB and Qatar FinTech Hub, supporting Qatar-based FinTech startups with regulatory guidance, product development support, and co-funding to accelerate market deployment

Techy Bytes

Qatar Investment Authority and Qai launched a national AI initiative backed by $526B in sovereign capital and a $20B JV with Brookfield to build a large-scale AI data center capacity

UAE Government established the National Media Authority to centralise media regulation, unify national messaging, and extend oversight across digital platforms

stc and Humain launched a joint venture to build next-generation data centres with up to 1 gigawatt capacity in Saudi Arabia

G42 (UAE) unveiled the NANDA 87B open model to serve India’s AI ecosystem, advancing large-scale bilingual language AI

PureHealth (UAE) unveiled an AI-powered national reference laboratory capable of processing over 30 million tests annually

MBZUAI and AWS forged a multi-year alliance to accelerate AI research, cloud skills, and startup incubation

Libyan Ministry of Youth launched the country’s first AI Youth Club to equip young talent with skills in AI, programming, and robotics

Coursera and Udemy agreed to merge in a $2.5B all-stock deal, creating a global edtech powerhouse

Amazon entered talks to invest up to $10B in OpenAI, potentially valuing the company above $500B

More tech → here

That’s a wrap for this week!

We hope this week’s digest of the latest funding, insights, and ecosystem news helps you stay ahead in the fast-paced MENA region.

Stay tuned for more insights next week

More Topics: AI | Gaming | Fintech | Femtech | BIBAN

More regions: KSA | UAE | Egypt | Syria | Morocco

Connect with us: Website | LinkedIn | Share your story

Welcome back to MENA Startup Digest!

We are bringing you the latest round-up of startup news, updates, and opportunities in the MENA region.

Fundraising Roulette

Nabta Health (UAE/FemTech) raised 2M USD in a Pre Series A round to expand its AI-powered hybrid care model across MEA

ٍٍٍٍٍSecure.com (UAE/Cybersecurity) secured $4.5M to roll out its AI-powered Digital Security Teammates and help lean security teams automate alert investigation

Kingpin (UAE/AI/Retail) closed a $3.5M seed round to scale its AI-driven B2B retail distribution platform, unifying product discovery, pricing, and sales for over 300 brands

STAMP (KSA/RegTech) secured $2M in pre-seed funding to build an AI-powered compliance platform that unifies licensing, registrations, HR workflows, and governance tasks

Takadao (KSA/Web3/FinTech) secured $1.5M in seed funding to scale its Shariah-compliant DeFi ecosystem

SahmAlgo (KSA/FinTech) secured 1M USD to accelerate its AI-driven financial intelligence platform

Shatib (KSA/ConTech) raised 750K USD in pre-seed funding to scale its group buying marketplace for construction materials

KitchenomiKs (Oman/FoodTech) secured $3.2M to expand its satellite kitchen network across Oman and new regional markets

bluworks (Egypt/HR Tech) raised $1M to digitise blue-collar workforce management for SMEs, streamlining scheduling, attendance, payroll, and compliance

More rounds → here

Main Headlines

Humain (KSA) led a landmark $900M Series C round for US-based Luma AI, tying Saudi Arabia’s upcoming 2 gigawatt AI supercluster to frontier multimodal world models

Saudi Arabia and the United States announced plans to lift Saudi investment commitments in the US to nearly $1T, deepening strategic cooperation around advanced tech, AI, defense, and energy

Qewam Holding (KSA) acquired Iwan Ventures to launch Q Fund, a SAR 50M founder-first investment arm that combines capital, AI infrastructure, and venture building

FAST Ventures (MENA) launched FAST Foundry, a $3M venture studio fund backing early-stage AdTech, retail, creator economy, and AI

Taiz Chamber of Commerce announced a 10B Yemeni Rial fund to finance youth-led ventures across Taiz

Egypt and Alibaba Group entered advanced talks to establish a regional e-commerce and logistics hub serving African markets

More updates → here

Ecosystem Updates

Exel by Merak (KSA) launched its second gaming cohort with 19 startups, offering a $300K investment package and a 16-week hybrid program in Riyadh

Hub71 (UAE) opened a direct pathway for smart and autonomous mobility startups, giving founders access to regulatory sandboxes and industry partners

Qatar FinTech Hub unveiled the Wave 7 pre-acceleration cohort of 13 startups focused on open banking, crowdfunding, and insurtech

Egypt Entrepreneurship Awards celebrated its fifth anniversary at the Grand Egyptian Museum, honoring 15 winning startups across sectors from AI and fintech to sustainability and culture

Seedstars and SANAD (MENA) launched the SANAD Elevate Her Programme to empower 40 female-led startups with acceleration, mentoring, investor access, and post-program support

Takween Accelerator (Iraq) secured dual grants from GIZ and MEPI to expand its pre-accelerator, investor readiness, and digital transformation programs

Hadhramaut University (Yemen) debuted its first Entrepreneurship and Innovation Hackathon alongside a new startup support center in Mukalla

More updates → here

Startups Highlights

MNT Halan and Azimut (Egypt) launched a fintech-powered real estate fund, opening digital access to Egypt’s property market

Madak (KSA) partnered with the Real Estate Registry to launch regulated fractional property ownership, integrating directly with national systems to automate real estate registration

Jusoor Labs (Jordan) won the GESS Award for Best Game-Based Learning Platform

Rology (Egypt) secured the 100000 grand prize at Meta’s AMET AI Accelerator for its AI-powered teleradiology platform that automates X-ray reporting

Flash (Egypt) received a Central Bank license to roll out electronic payment services, enabling wider adoption of its QR and card-based payment solutions

More highlights → here

Open For Application

Scale Up MENA Growth Program | Cairo

A three-day intensive growth simulation by Falak Startups and Strategy Tools for founders in food, energy, and water

West Bank Tech Boost Innovation Cohort | Palestine

A six-month residency-based acceleration program at Palestine Techno Park for tech and tech-enabled startups

MENA InsurTech Accelerator 2026 | MENA

A six-month hybrid accelerator for growth-stage InsurTech and tech ventures with validated products, providing direct access to leading insurers and expert regulatory guidance

Startup Syria Awards | Global

An awards program celebrating Syrian founders, startups, and support organizations worldwide, offering regional visibility, ecosystem recognition, and networking with investors and partners

Binance Academy Hackathon | Global

A global virtual hackathon powered by BNB Chain and Ignyte for developers, startups, and builders creating next-generation Web3 solutions in AI, DeFi, RWAs, and payments

More Programs and Opportunities → here

Techy Bytes

UAE Researchers released a global benchmark called UAVBench to test AI in autonomous drones

Qatar completed its first autonomous air taxi trial, demonstrating a self-piloted eVTOL passenger flight between Old Doha Port and Katara

TII (UAE) advanced its quantum computing programme by integrating Qibo with NVIDIA’s CUDA Q platform, enabling hybrid quantum classical workflows

Adobe agreed to acquire Semrush for $1.9B in cash, making a strategic bet on generative engine optimization

PIF × SITE × Microsoft signed an MoU to explore a Saudi sovereign cloud, localising sensitive data while enabling advanced cloud and AI services

Al Khaboura College Team (Oman) created a prototype that turns fish waste into biodegradable bioplastics

Google unveiled Gemini 3 as its most powerful AI model yet

More tech → here

That’s a wrap for this week!

We hope this week’s digest of the latest funding, insights, and ecosystem news helps you stay ahead in the fast-paced MENA region.

Stay tuned for more insights next week

More Topics: AI | Gaming | Fintech | Femtech | BIBAN

More regions: KSA | UAE | Egypt | Syria | Morocco

Connect with us: Website | LinkedIn | Share your story

Welcome back to MENA Startup Digest!

We are bringing you the latest round-up of startup news, updates, and opportunities in the MENA region.

Fundraising Roulette

Ghanem (KSA/PropTech) secured $7.1M to scale its fractional real estate ownership platform across the kingdom

GARBALISER (Lebanon/AgriTech) secured $436K from IM Fndng and Shark Tank Dubai to scale its organic waste to liquid fertilizer technology

TJDEED Technology (Jordan/Tech) secured a strategic investment from SME Fund Jo to scale its AI, automation, and cybersecurity solutions globally

Falak Investment Hub (KSA) backed Technology Synapse to accelerate its AI and cloud portfolio

Quintas Capital (UAE) invested $18 million in Petal Group to drive the international expansion of its portfolio of floral e-commerce brands

QIA Invested in AI Infrastructure Firm D-Matrix, lifting its valuation to $2B, and advancing its AI inference hardware platform

Biban Investors Arena facilitated SAR 3.8M in investment pledges for eight fintech startups during its 2025 forum in Riyadh

More rounds → here

Main Headlines

Qewam Holding (KSA) acquired Iwan Ventures to launch Q Fund, a new SAR 50M investment arm supporting founders with capital, AI-driven infrastructure, and a founder-first venture-building ecosystem

Takamol Holding (KSA) backed Saqr Fund II to expand early-stage tech investment in Saudi Arabia, supporting high-growth sectors such as FinTech, SaaS, cybersecurity, and AI

Tarmeez Capital and Monsha’at unveiled a $1B financing portfolio for SMEs built on Sharia-compliant Sukuk instruments, expanding access to capital for entrepreneurs

DataCamp acquired Optima (UAE), marking its first major expansion into the Middle East, while integrating adaptive AI learning technology to accelerate national upskilling efforts

Binbar Investment and Jawa Capital (KSA) launched a SAR 500M fund that leverages digitized rental agreements to unlock liquidity for Saudi companies

Crescent Enterprises (UAE) announced plans to deploy AED 1B over three years through CE-Invests, targeting mid-market companies across the GCC, India, and Southeast Asia

More updates → here

Ecosystem Updates

ADCB Egypt launched the third ClimaTech Accelerator to support startups advancing Egypt’s plastic circular economy through biomaterials, recycling tech, and digital waste solutions

Arab National Bank graduated 16 fintech startups from its first anb Innovate cohort, run with Monsha’at and Plug and Play

GIZ Egypt and Plug and Play launched the Egypt Climate Invest Programme to connect financial institutions with climate tech startups

Kick-Start Algeria launched its national incubation journey, supporting innovative project holders through a 12-month program focused on market validation and business readiness

Clyntech Accelerator kicked off its fourth cohort in Lebanon, welcoming 13 cleantech startups to a multi-month program combining design thinking, product development, and market strategy support

Oman’s AI Hackathon awarded eight startups for AI-driven solutions after a four-day program by Omantel Innovation Labs and the Rising Omani Startups Program

More updates → here

Startups Highlights

Talabat (MENA) reported strong Q3 2025 results with GMV up 27 percent to $2.4B and revenue up 32 percent to $1B

Tabby (KSA) secured an official BNPL license from SAMA, cementing its status as a regulated fintech player in Saudi Arabia

PayLater (Qatar) teamed up with QIIG to launch Sharia-compliant insurance installments, allowing customers to split premiums into four interest-free payments

Property Finder (UAE) partnered with Keyper to introduce monthly rent payments, integrating rent now pay later functionality directly into its platform to modernize the UAE rental market

Valu (Egypt) partnered with El Kasrawy Group to expand flexible car financing through Valu Shift, enabling rapid approvals and installment plans for new and used vehicles across Egypt

Tanami (Bahrain) debuted the world’s first private markets robo advisor, SmartMatch, offering algorithm-driven portfolio building with no minimums to democratize access to alternative investments

CoinMENA (UAE) partnered with Botim to simplify funding for digital asset accounts, integrating Botim Pay to expand secure crypto accessibility across the region

SmartCrowd (UAE) expanded into Abu Dhabi with the capital’s first crowdfunded property on Yas Island, opening regulated fractional access to premium real estate

More highlights → here

Open For Application

ADIB Cybersecurity Innovation Challenge | UAE
An opportunity for CyberTech startups to partner with Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, strengthen digital resilience and advance secure, Shariah-aligned technology adoption in UAE

In5 Tech Investor Readiness Bootcamp | Dubai
A three-day investor readiness bootcamp, helping founders sharpen their pitch, understand their metrics, and prepare for upcoming fundraising rounds

Tech X Green Hackathon | Jordan and Egypt
An online idea-stage competition inviting young entrepreneurs to develop green-economy solutions, offering training, mentorship, and cash prizes

HEYA Innovation Program | Jordan
An EU-funded program supporting women founders and home-based entrepreneurs across Jordan, offering training, mentorship, and financial assistance

More Programs and Opportunities → here

Techy Bytes

Digital Dirham completed its first government transaction, marking a major milestone and strengthening UAE’s push toward an integrated digital economy

Dubai Municipality deployed AI-powered drones to monitor 52 million square metres of green space, shifting the city toward predictive urban management and smarter sustainability planning

Ooredoo Kuwait launched the country’s first sovereign AI data centre with NVIDIA, unlocking domestic generative AI capacity

Saudi Arabia trained over one million citizens in AI through the national SAMAI program, marking a major step in building nationwide AI literacy

SenseTime MEA × King Saud University launched a joint AI Innovation Hub in Riyadh to drive advanced research, sector use cases, and talent development

More tech → here

That’s a wrap for this week!

We hope this week’s digest of the latest funding, insights, and ecosystem news helps you stay ahead in the fast-paced MENA region.

Stay tuned for more insights next week

More Topics: AI | Gaming | Fintech | Femtech | BIBAN

More regions: KSA | UAE | Egypt | Syria | Morocco

Connect with us: Website | LinkedIn | Share your story

Welcome back to MENA Startup Digest!

We are bringing you the latest round-up of startup news, updates, and opportunities in the MENA region.

Fundraising Roulette

BRKZ (KSA/ConTech) secured $30M debt facility from Stride Ventures to expand its B2B construction marketplace, scale embedded financing, and support Saudi’s giga-project boom

Logexa (KSA/LogiTech) secured $2M pre-Series A to scale its on-demand warehousing platform, digitizing supply chains and enabling flexible logistics solutions across the Kingdom

Velents (KSA/AI) raised $1.5M from angel investors to deploy Agent.sa, the first autonomous Arabic-speaking AI employee built for regional businesses

Rmz.ai (KSA/GenAI) secured $100K pre-seed to develop creative AI agents for content production, including its first launch, the AI Product Photographer for instant professional visuals

WTDcare (KSA/HealthTech) raised a pre-seed round to expand its digital platform for medical transport and home healthcare, enhancing nationwide accessibility

MidLyr (Egypt/FinTech) raised $2.5M pre-seedto redefine AI infrastructure for banks and fintechs, expanding its compliant automation tools and building new partnerships across MENA

More rounds → here

Main Headlines

Algeria launched a $1B fund to finance African startups and innovators, aiming to bridge the continent’s funding gap and foster cross-border collaboration

Goldtrack Ventures launched a $250M industrial biotechnology fund to scale biotech ventures across Saudi Arabia and MENA

The Lab Ventures closed its AED 124M Fund II to accelerate B2B innovation across MENA and Europe, focusing on PropTech, HealthTech, and AI-enabled enterprise solutions

Jahez (KSA) finalized the acquisition of Qatar’s Snoonu, securing a 76.56% stake to strengthen its regional expansion and solidify its presence in the Qatari delivery market

Qaws.ai (KSA) acquired Samas Gamify to launch an AI-powered recruitment platform, integrating gamified behavioral assessments and smart matching tools to transform hiring in Saudi Arabia

Aramco announced plans to acquire a minority stake in PIF’s HUMAIN, consolidating Saudi Arabia’s AI infrastructure to build a national AI champion

Beltone VC (Egypt/VC) exited from Moroccan logistics startup Cathedis, achieving a 100% IRR, marking its first regional exit

Capital Bank of Jordan secured $25M from the Arab Fund to boost SME financing and climate lending

More updates → here

Ecosystem Updates

The Final Pitch Dubai unveiled 16 founders for its inaugural season, filmed at Expo City Dubai, bringing together entrepreneurs and investors to showcase regional innovation and startup talent

Sheraa selected 21 startups for the new Startup Studio (S3) cohort in Sharja, tackling key sectors in sustainability, EdTech, and creative industries

Oman established the Oman Entrepreneurship Association to strengthen SME growth, foster innovation, and build a central platform for entrepreneurs across the Sultanate

Palestine rallied ecosystem leaders at the Green Forward Conference to advance a green and circular economy, uniting public, private, and startup sectors around sustainable innovation

Bader Accelerator selected five tech startups for its third cohort, offering SAR 300K in funding, mentorship, and a three-month program to scale early-stage ventures across Saudi Arabia

Riyadh Valley Company concluded its Qafila University Tour, engaging 16,000 participants to promote entrepreneurship and bridge academia with industry

ALX Morocco × Technopark Maroc forged a strategic partnership to develop tech talent and startups, connecting training programs with innovation hubs

More updates → here

Startups Highlights

Tabby (KSA) reached a $4.5B valuation following a secondary share sale to HSG and Boyu Capital

Fawry (Egypt) secured a $5.2M loan from the EBRD to finance youth-led MSMEs, expanding financial inclusion and supporting entrepreneurship

HUMAIN (KSA) unveiled Humain One, a voice-driven AI operating system that enables users to control computers through speech

Thawani Pay became the first Omani fintech licensed by Visa to issue credit cards, marking a major milestone in the Sultanate’s digital payments evolution

Dubizzle Group (UAE) paused its landmark IPO on the DFM, despite reporting 75% revenue growth and strong profitability across regional operations

Cash Plus (Morocco) secured approval for a $75M IPO on the Casablanca Stock Exchange

More highlights → here

Open For Application

Aurora Tech Award | Global
A global competition for women-led tech startups from emerging markets, offering a $100K prize fund, mentorship, and VC exposure

Social Entrepreneurship Accelerator | Saudi Arabia
A 6-month program providing seed funding, mentorship, and networking for social startups in the housing and municipal sectors

Scale Now Cycle 3 | Qatar
A growth program for scaling tech companies, offering mentorship, expansion support, and market access

SANAD ElevateHer Program | MENA
A women-focused accelerator providing mentorship, investor access, and visibility for gender-inclusive startups

VentureX Online Pitching Sessions | Remote
An online pitching platform connecting founders with the VentureX Angel Network, offering capital, mentorship, and networking opportunities

More Programs and Opportunities → here

Techy Bytes

TII (UAE) achieved a milestone with 70 patents across AI, robotics, and quantum tech

du entered the cryptocurrency sector with its new Cloud Miner service, offering regulated, hardware-free Bitcoin mining through a subscription-based model in UAE

Qatar launched an AI-powered system to issue building permits in just 120 minutes, cutting approval times from 30 days and setting a global benchmark in GovTech efficiency

Presight (UAE) opened its first Central Asia AI R&D Lab in Kazakhstan, advancing sovereign AI development

ADX (UAE) launched a Market Intelligence Lab at Liwa University to advance financial literacy, offering students real-time trading access and hands-on market training

HUMAIN × Replit partnered to build a Nation of AI Coders across the GCC, empowering students and developers to create software using natural language and AI tools

Snap Inc. expanded its MENA footprint with a new office in Doha, launching the region’s first AR Academy

More tech → here

That’s a wrap for this week!

We hope this week’s digest of the latest funding, insights, and ecosystem news helps you stay ahead in the fast-paced MENA region.

Stay tuned for more insights next week

More Topics: AI | Gaming | Fintech | Femtech | GITEX

More regions: KSA | UAE | Egypt | Syria | Morocco

Connect with us: Website | LinkedIn | Share your story

Welcome back to MENA Startup Digest!

We are bringing you the latest round-up of startup news, updates, and opportunities in the MENA region.

Fundraising Roulette

Property Finder (UAE/PropTech) secured $250M to accelerate growth, expand market presence, and invest in product innovation across the MENA real estate ecosystem

Cercli (UAE/HRTech) raised $12M Series A to scale its AI-native HR platform, enhancing workforce management and streamlining recruitment for enterprises across the region

TachyHealth (UAE/HealthTech) raised $5M Series A to scale its AI-driven healthcare solutions, bridging the gap between providers and payers and driving efficiency across medical operations

TabSense (KSA/Fintech) raised $5M to scale its AI Agentic Point-of-Sale platform, integrating autonomous agents to help retailers optimize transactions, inventory, and customer experience

Squadio (KSA/HRTech) secured $3M pre-Series A to fuel its regional and global expansion and strengthen its platform for remote tech talent hiring

Najeeb.ai (KSA/InsurTech) raised a pre-seed round to advance its AI-powered insurance solutions, streamline medical and vehicle claim processing

KitchenomiKs (Oman/FoodTech) raised $3.2M to scale its AI-driven cloud kitchen platform, expand its satellite network across Oman and GCC

Yakeey (Morocco/PropTech) secured up to $7M to expand its real estate platform that simplifies property transactions and financing across MENA

Hypeo AI (Morocco/MarTech) secured $200K pre-seed to scale its AI-powered influencer marketing platform, automating brand-creator collaborations, campaign tracking, and payments across MENA

Anavid (Tunisia/RetailTech) raised $200K pre-seed to advance its AI-driven video analytics platform, helping retailers enhance store performance, reduce losses, and analyze customer behavior

More rounds → here

Main Headlines

PIF (KSA) invested over $1B in US-based Magic Leap to drive augmented and mixed reality innovation

Qashio (UAE) acquired Sanad Cash (KSA) to accelerate its expansion in Saudi Arabia, combining spend management technology with local expertise to power the Kingdom’s digital economy

BasharSoft (Egypt) acquired iCareer, creating Egypt’s largest integrated employment and career services group

Prosperity7 Ventures (KSA) participated in Uniphore’s $260M Series F round, joining NVIDIA, AMD, Snowflake, and Databricks

Beta Lab (KSA) backed French precision fermentation startup Nutropy in a €7M seed round, supporting its mission to produce animal-free dairy proteins

Wa’ed Ventures (KSA) led a $10M Pre-Series A for US-based Kure Cells to localize advanced cancer therapy manufacturing in the Kingdom

Mubadala Capital (UAE) backed US-based Electra Therapeutics in a $183M Series C round to advance precision immunology and cancer therapies

Uni-Ventures (KSA) announced a 225x return on its exit from Salla, marking one of the largest venture returns in Saudi Arabia

CE-Ventures (UAE) exited its stake in Transcorp, achieving a 7.6x return through a strategic sale to Elite Co

More updates → here

Ecosystem Updates

Hub71 (UAE) launched Hub71+ Life Sciences, a new specialist ecosystem for BioTech, MedTech, and digital health startups, and unveiled a new Venture Building Program, offering startups up to AED 750K in incentives

Misk Foundation graduated the third cohort of the Misk 500 Accelerator, featuring 16 MENA startups that completed a fully virtual 14-week program

Zain Group selected 13 startups from six MENA countries to join its Zain Great Idea Global Acceleration Program in Silicon Valley

Ma’an launched Athar+, a new hub in Abu Dhabi dedicated to accelerating social entrepreneurship

Bahrain FinTech Bay partnered with Tether, advancing digital asset education and stablecoin adoption

Saudi Tourism Development Fund graduated 17 startups from the second Tourism Growth Accelerator, showcasing innovative travel, hospitality, and tech solutions

StartUp Bahrain Pitch crowned Dona’s Wonders and You’re Nuts as winners of its 20th edition

Orange Jordan wrapped up the fourth Orange Summer Challenge, showcasing youth-led innovations in safety tech, smart cities, and accessibility

MBZUAI (UAE) unveiled Build It Demo Day, a new AI innovation showcase offering builders over $200K in tech credits

More updates → here

Startups Highlights

Shgardi (KSA) shut down after six years of operation, citing fierce competition and price wars in KSA’s delivery market

Tamara (KSA) gained a restricted finance license from the UAE Central Bank, paving the way toward a customer-centric financial super-app

Tabby (KSA) × MoneyHash (UAE) partnered to enable BNPL via a single API for merchants across KSA and UAE

Money Fellows (Egypt) surpassed $1.5B in transactions, serving 8M+ users, completing 2M+ savings circles, and achieving profitability

Bokra (Egypt) launched a Sharia-compliant savings and investment app, offering multi-asset halal options including real estate, metals, Sukuk, VC, and working-capital finance

Valu (Egypt) renewed its strategic partnership with Amazon Egypt, expanding financing options and flexible payment plans for online shoppers

SmartBricks (UAE) secured a spot in TechCrunch’s Startup Battlefield 200, becoming the first MENA PropTech startup to join the global cohort

Nsr (KSA) was recognized among the top 5 startups in the Tourism Development Fund Accelerator, standing out from 500+ ventures

Dhahaby (UAE) won the Financial Inclusion and Digital Payments Challenge by Ignyte, earning a $10K prize for its gold-backed lending platform

Whish Money (Lebanon) secured financial licenses in Canada, marking its first international approval

Bionl.ai and Syntonym (Qatar) won top honors at Qatar’s Digital Business Awards 2025

More highlights → here

Open For Application

Scale·Forward Investor Readiness Program | Jordan

A 12-month investor-readiness track for post-MVP tech startups offering 1:1 mentorship, EU–GCC–US investor matchmaking, and growth support

Jahez Investment Readiness Program | Jordan

A national program for early-stage tech startups with grants up to $10K, training, and mentorship

Emirati Accelerator Program 2025 | UAE

For Emirati-founded post-revenue startups and SMEs, offering mentorship, market access, funding pathways, and workspace in Dubai

NBB Innovation Programme 2025 | Bahrain

A three-week hybrid program offering Fintech startups mentorship, workshops, $10K prize money, and 3-month incubation

MINT x CREATIVA Tech Hackathon | Egypt

A nationwide hackathon across four cities to solve real-world challenges and turn ideas into scalable ventures

More Programs and Opportunities → here

Techy Bytes

Dubai launched a new AI Task Force and Unicorn 30 Programme, uniting 27 government entities under a shared AI adoption framework

KAUST (KSA) opened a 1,000 m² Robotics Bay, a state-of-the-art R&D hub for autonomous systems, multi-robot swarms, and marine robotics

Morocco rolled out a nationwide AI education program for children to build a digitally fluent generation through AI literacy

QSS AI & Robotics (KSA) partnered with UK-based Humanoid to deploy 10,000 humanoid robots in Saudi Arabia

OpenAI launched ChatGPT Atlas, an AI-powered browser that lets users chat with search results, automate online tasks, and personalize browsing

Sam Altman launched Merge Labs, a new neurotech startup developing non-invasive brain–computer interfaces that use sound waves and magnetic fields to link the human brain with computers

More tech → here

That’s a wrap for this week!

We hope this week’s digest of the latest funding, insights, and ecosystem news helps you stay ahead in the fast-paced MENA region.

Stay tuned for more insights next week

More Topics: AI | Gaming | Fintech | Femtech | GITEX

More regions: KSA | UAE | Egypt | Syria | Morocco

Connect with us: Website | LinkedIn | Share your story

Welcome back to MENA Startup Digest!

We are bringing you the latest round-up of startup news, updates, and opportunities in the MENA region.

Fundraising Roulette

Astra Nova (KSA/Web3 & AI) secured $48.3M to scale its AI-powered Web3 entertainment ecosystem, empower creators and accelerate global expansion across Europe and Asia

KLIQ (KSA/MarTech) secured $2.25M in Seed funding to scale its AI-driven influencer marketing platform connecting brands and creators across Saudi Arabia

CADO (UAE/E-Commerce) raised $4.5M in pre-seed funding to digitalize and globalize corporate gifting, expanding operations across KSA, Kuwait, and the US

MNT-Halan (Egypt/Fintech) raised $71.4M through its seventh bond issuance, continuing its EGP 8B ($168M) securitization program to expand digital lending operations

SehaTech (Egypt/InsurTech) raised $1.1M in Seed funding to expand its AI-powered insurance automation platform improving healthcare access and reducing fraud across emerging markets

Nanovate (Egypt/AI) secured $2M pre-seed to scale its Arabic-first AI platform across the MENA region, enabling businesses to build custom voice and chat agents via its no-code AI dashboard, with upcoming expansion into KSA and UAE

Chari (Morocco/Fintech) secured $12M Series A to scale its operations, launch a merchant super app, and develop a Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS) platform

Docline (Morocco/HealthTech) raised an undisclosed round to scale its B2B virtual care platform for insurers and corporates, expanding telemedicine access and AI-driven health services across Morocco and Africa

PAYDAY (Tunisia/Fintech) raised $3M pre-seed to expand its ethical earned wage access platform offering interest-free and credit-free salary advances and group insurance solutions across Tunisia

Alchemist Doha invested in Bionl.ai, a US-based AI-powered bioinformatics platform, as part of its strategy to back frontier technologies

Comml (KSA) invested $1.38M in US-based Kure Cells, supporting Kure’s CAR-T therapy innovations and oncology research

More rounds → here

Main Headlines

Saudi Arabia launched IB Ventures, a $50M investment platform to back startups in life sciences, establish incubator and accelerator programs, and open offices in Switzerland and the US

Crescent Enterprises (UAE) pledged $68M to expand its venture-building platform CE-Creates, backing high-growth, impact-driven startups from the UAE to global markets

University of Dubai launched Dubai TechX, a AED 100M ($27M) fund to commercialize university research and drive innovation across energy, health, education, and smart cities sectors

Investcorp (Bahrain) closed its $750M Golden Horizon Cooperation Fund to target high-growth companies in consumer, healthcare, logistics, and business services

Ithaka Group (Oman) led a $40M round for US-based 5G and satellite communications firm Movandi to collaborate with universities and launch AI-driven connectivity pilots in Oman

GWC (Qatar) acquired a stake in Austria’s Quivo to integrate digital logistics gateways across its facilities in Qatar, KSA, and the UAE

M2 Capital (UAE) invested $21M in Nasdaq-listed AVAX One, the native token of Avalanche

Multiply Group (UAE) announced a mega-merger with 2PointZero and Ghitha, creating a new $32.6B investment powerhouse in Abu Dhabi

Rasmala Investment Holdings (UAE) exited its Poseidon Fund with an 8x return, marking one of its largest exits in recent years.

Central Bank of Egypt launched the Banking Reform and Development Fund to modernize Egypt’s financial sector and accelerate fintech innovation

CI Capital (Egypt) launched an EGP 1B ($21M) turnaround fund to revive distressed industrial companies

Egypt’s Ministry of Planning unveiled a new economic strategy to foster private sector participation, attract investment, and position Egypt as a regional hub for startups

More news → here

Ecosystem Updates

Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy launched Launchpad Dubai, a one-stop platform to simplify market entry for global startups

500 Global × ITIDA graduated 22 startups from the sixth Egypt Seed Bootcamp, providing founders with investor access, growth frameworks, and over 90 one-on-one VC meetings

Creativa Innovation Hubs launched the Creativa AI Lab, a new national program to support AI and Generative AI startups from ideation to market entry

Egypt’s Ministry of Communications introduced a new digital investor platform connecting entrepreneurs with global investors

Central Bank of Egypt graduated 38 fintech startups through its FinTekrs Initiative, marking a major step in building Egypt’s financial innovation pipeline

Omantel Innovation Labs unveiled eight startups for its sixth accelerator cohort, covering AI, fintech, agritech, and deep tech sectors.

AUC Venture Lab × Standard Chartered × Village Capital launched the Futuremakers Women in Tech Accelerator, unveiling the first cohort of 11 women-led startups

Iraq designated March 4th as the National Day for Entrepreneurship

More updates → here

Startups Highlights

Foodics (KSA) signed a $10M strategic agreement with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to enhance its AI-powered restaurant management platform

Dubizzle (UAE) confirmed plans for a landmark IPO on the Dubai Financial Market, offering 1.24B shares in a deal that could value the company near $2B

Crypto.com (UAE) secured In-Principle Approval from the UAE Central Bank for a digital payments license, allowing customers to pay Dubai Government fees using digital assets converted to dirhams

Wise secured Central Bank approval to launch its low-cost money transfer and management services in the country

Holo (UAE) launched a mobile-first AI platform that serves as its internal command center to streamline client management and mortgage submissions

Tawqi3i (Jordan) won the DiSiFi Challenge 2025 for its secure eSignature solution for financial institutions

AIM Intelligence (Korea) won the $100K Supernova Challenge 2.0 at Expand North Star, recognized for solutions that secure generative AI models and embodied AI systems

Sahl (KSA) won the TiE Women MENA 2025 competition, earning an AED 70K equity-free grant to scale its compliance automation platform, with TarKeys named runner-up

PayTabs × Valu (Egypt) launched a merchant app that transforms in-store payments through QR-powered, smartphone-based transactions

WideBot (Egypt) launched MENA’s first Arabic AI Voice Agent for WhatsApp Business calls, enabling real-time, multi-dialect voice automation for enterprises and governments

More highlights → here

Open For Application

Attliq Accelerator Program | Saudi Arabia

Startups House Investment Company invites early-stage tech founders to join the fifth edition of the Attliq Accelerator, providing up to SAR 375K in funding, mentorship, and investor access

Qatar FinTech Hub Accelerator (Wave 7) | Qatar

QFTH has opened applications for its 7th Acceleration Program, welcoming FinTech startups with live products to scale in Qatar and the wider MENA region. Offers market access, regulatory guidance, investor readiness, and mentorship

CleanTech Hackathon | Egypt

Entlaq Holding invites researchers and early-stage CleanTech startups to join a five-day in-person hackathon designed to turn prototypes into scalable climate innovations

IMPACTNASS Program | Morocco

A six-month free support program for Moroccan associations working with vulnerable communities. Offers training, coaching, and networking to strengthen inclusive entrepreneurship

FinTech 525 National Directory | Saudi Arabia

FinTech 525 invites Saudi FinTech startups and companies to join its new national directory, a community-driven hub to connect startups, investors, and regulators shaping the Kingdom’s FinTech ecosystem

More Programs and Opportunities → here

Cool Events

Orange Corners Masterclass with Luma Fawaz | Oct 21 | Online

A live masterclass on fundraising and investment readiness, teaching founders how to negotiate term sheets, target investors, and prepare for due diligence

Robotics and Automation Workshop by Robotna | Oct 21–22 | Amman

A free two-day workshop for youth to gain hands-on experience in industrial robotics, automation, and smart manufacturing

Investment Meetup by Entrepreneurship Vision | Oct 25 | Riyadh

A curated evening bringing together entrepreneurs, investors, and decision-makers to foster partnerships and unlock new opportunities in Saudi Arabia

AI for (X) by ITIDA – EME Innovation Labs | Nov 1 | Giza

A one-day event at Creativa Hub bringing together innovators, students, and startups to explore the latest AI trends and applications shaping Egypt’s tech ecosystem

Rowad Conference 2025 | Nov 17–19 | Doha

Qatar’s flagship entrepreneurship and investment event, featuring workshops, networking sessions, and the Pitching Arena connecting startups with regional and global investors

Techy Bytes

Core42 launched an on-demand sovereign AI Cloud platform in the UAE, offering instant access to NVIDIA-accelerated computing

G42 × OpenAI unveiled a landmark partnership during GITEX, announcing the Stargate project, the first OpenAI data infrastructure hub outside the US

Deloitte teamed up with Dell and NVIDIA to launch an advanced AI platform in the Middle East

Kuwait launched Kuwait AI, a national initiative to accelerate the country’s digital transformation through free AI training, global partnerships, and nationwide upskilling programs

Abu Dhabi Government introduced a no-code AI-in-a-box platform to empower public employees to build and deploy AI tools without coding skills

Abu Dhabi launched a global online marriage service through its TAMM super app, allowing couples worldwide to legally marry remotely via a fully digitalized process

Presight × Khazna partnered to deploy an AI-powered facility management system across 30 data centers in the UAE

e& × AWS introduced AI Nation, a nationwide upskilling initiative to train 30,000 individuals in AI and ML to strengthen the UAE’s knowledge-based economy

Google introduced AI Mode in Arabic, bringing its generative search experience to millions across the MENA region

More tech → here

That’s a wrap for this week!

We hope this week’s digest of the latest funding, insights, and ecosystem news helps you stay ahead in the fast-paced MENA region.

Stay tuned for more insights next week

More Topics: AI | Gaming | Fintech | Femtech | GITEX

More regions: KSA | UAE | Egypt | Syria | Morocco

Connect with us: Website | LinkedIn | Share your story

Welcome back to MENA Startup Digest!

We are bringing you the latest round-up of startup news, updates, and opportunities in the MENA region.

Fundraising Roulette

Tachyhealth (UAE/Healthtech) raised $5M Series A round to scale its AI-driven healthcare solutions across the GCC region

Oqood (UAE/LegalTech) raised $1M in a seed round to expand its AI-driven legal solutions and accelerate digital transformation across law firms in the Gulf

Engagesoft (KSA/HRTech) raised $3.5M in a Pre-Series A led by Silicon Badia to enhance its AI-driven employee engagement and organizational effectiveness platform

Nuxera AI (KSA/HealthTech) secured $2.5M in pre-seed funding from Sanabil Venture Studio to advance its Arabic-first AI platform for hospitals

EMMA Systems (Qatar/Aviation) secured an undisclosed seed round from Plus VC to expand its AI-powered SaaS platform, unifying real-time operational data for airports and airlines

Tagaddod (Egypt/Cleantech) raised $26.3M in a Series A to scale its renewable feedstock platform, digitizing waste-to-biofuel supply chains across Africa, Asia, and Europe

Amplify Growth Partnership (KSA-UAE) invested $5M in Turkish fashion brand Touché Privé to drive GCC expansion

More rounds → here

Main Headlines

MGX (UAE) acquired a stake in OpenAI as part of a global secondary share sale, aligning Abu Dhabi’s tech investment strategy

Thabet Investment (KSA) launched Everbridge Capital, a $100M Riyadh-based FinTech venture focused on bridging Saudi’s SR300B SME financing gap

UAE Ministry of Economy launched a national Entrepreneurship Program to train 10,000 citizens in startup and innovation skills

Emirates Development Bank launched an AED 500M financing package to support founders through co-lending programs, fintech partnerships, and non-financial mentorship

Janus Henderson secured $125.5M in the first close of its MENA Private Credit Fund IV, anchored by Abu Dhabi Catalyst Partners, and SVC, to provide Sharia-compliant financing and bridge the region’s $250B SME funding gap

JCIF (Jordan) acquired a 27% stake in leading health insurance administrator NatHealth, supporting AI-driven claim management and regional expansion across Jordan, Palestine, and Iraq

M2 Group (UAE) invested $10M to accelerate Falcon’s synthetic dollar protocol and DeFi infrastructure, bridging tokenized Treasuries with on-chain liquidity

Bybit secured the UAE’s first full Virtual Asset Platform Operator License, authorizing it to offer trading, custody, brokerage, and fiat conversion services across the Emirates

VARA fined 19 firms in a major crackdown on unlicensed virtual asset operations in UAE

More news → here

Ecosystem Updates

Dubai Founders HQ launched under the patronage of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed to build a hybrid hub-and-digital platform supporting founders with mentorship, funding, and global expansion

Emerge FZCO (UAE) debuted as a founder-first ecosystem enabler, offering global startups licensing support, setup services, and investor access

Federal Youth Authority introduced a national initiative to empower Emirati founders through incubators, mentorship, and the new Made by Youth certification

Careem introduced its first Careem Food Awards, recognizing 180 restaurants across 30 categories in Dubai and Abu Dhabi through public voting

Spring (Bahrain) rebranded as a unified venture and ecosystem platform, merging its venture studio and innovation services to scale startups and national programs across MENA

National Bank of Oman concluded its 2025 Fintech Hackathon, awarding top prizes to teams Card Shield, Payce, and Kanzie for innovative banking solutions

Bahrain Fintech Bay × Ripple partnered to accelerate blockchain and digital asset adoption, launching proofs of concept, talent programs, and pilot projects

Thiqah (KSA) unveiled the Sharakah Program, an open innovation platform connecting startups with government and private stakeholders to scale solutions across key sectors

Orange Jordan × ICON launched the second phase of their Startup Growth Acceleration Program in Al-Karak and Aqaba

Tahfiz Niswa Program (Morocco) launched to boost female social entrepreneurship, aiming to create 5,000 jobs and support 400 women-led cooperatives by 2028

TIEC (Egypt) welcomed 33 new startups into the third cohort of its Creativa Incubation Program, supporting pre-seed ventures across EdTech, energy, e-commerce, and smart cities

Shark Tank Egypt launched its fourth season, following EGP 874M in previous investments and 817M digital views

More updates → here

Startups Highlights

Huru (UAE) launched with Central Bank of the UAE licensing, providing unbanked and low-income workers with zero-balance IBAN accounts, remittance, and savings tools

Fasset (UAE) secured regulatory approval in Malaysia to pilot a stablecoin-based Islamic bank under the Labuan FSA

Space42 (UAE) shipped three domestically integrated SAR satellites to the US, marking the UAE’s first locally tested advanced platforms

Metric × Nabta (UAE) launched a $12M partnership to deploy financial intelligence across 1,000 clinics in MEA

Takalam × Inception (UAE) introduced Sanad, the region’s first bilingual AI assistant for therapists

Strataphy (KSA) won the Enersol Energy Challenge 2025 at ADGM for its geothermal Cooling-as-a-Service model

QSalary × Jisr (KSA) partnered to enable on-demand salary access for over 500K employees across 4,500 companies

Amwal Tech (KSA) secured a US patent for its biometric authentication system

Compare360 (Lebanon) relaunched its digital insurance aggregator under Chedid Capital to offer car, health, travel, and pet insurance

Valu (Egypt) closed its EGP 1.09B bond issuance, the second under its EGP 10B securitization program with EFG Hermes

Taskedin (Egypt) offered free access to 1,000 entrepreneurs at Techne Summit

More highlights → here

Open For Application

Smart Retail Challenge | UAE

Competition by Ignyte and du for startups to build AI-powered retail solutions that improve demand forecasting and inventory for SMEs, with a $10,000 prize for the winning project

TON × Ignyte: Chain the Future Challenge | Global

Global hackathon inviting students, startups, and scale-ups to build Web3 products for payments, business, and tokenization on TON blockchain within Telegram

MENA Angel Investors Summit 2025 | Bahrain

Apply to showcase your startup at the 10th MENA Angel Investors Summit hosted by Tenmou, connecting founders with 300+ investors and VCs from across the region

Innovate For Tomorrow Accelerator | UAE

Dubai Holding, in partnership with in5, invites global scale-ups to join its circular economy accelerator, offering an AED 850K prize pool, mentorship, and a funded pilot project

More Programs and Opportunities → here

Interesting Picks

Professor Omar Yaghi made history as the first Saudi Nobel laureate in Chemistry, recognized for pioneering reticular chemistry and developing MOFs and COFs

Revolut Co-Founder Nik Storonsky relocated to the UAE, joining a wave of high-profile founders leaving the UK after tax reforms

SRMG CEO Jomana Al-Rashed made history as the first Saudi named to the TIME100 Next list, recognized for transforming the Middle East’s media landscape

Saudi Arabia granted citizenship to Uber co-founder Travis Kalanick and Red Sea Global CEO John Pagano, aligning with Vision 2030 to attract global talent

More picks → Here

Techy Bytes

TII fired the UAE’s first liquid rocket engine, marking a breakthrough in sovereign space tech and advancing the nation’s ambitions for Moon and Mars missions

KAUST × Deloitte teamed up to accelerate AI innovation in Saudi Arabia, linking research and industry to drive Vision 2030 goals and build national AI talent

Qatar launched the region’s first AI knowledge system for government excellence, an internal platform that uses AI to assist officials in performance evaluation and decision-making

RAK Ceramics deployed the UAE’s first commercial self-driving trucks in Ras Al Khaimah

OpenAI launched In-Chat Apps and introduced AgentKit, creating a new ChatGPT app ecosystem and developer toolkit to simplify AI agent creation and integration

Alibaba formed a new robotics and embodied AI team under Qwen, expanding its focus from digital AI to physical intelligence and signaling a push into real-world robotics applications

More tech → here

That’s a wrap for this week!

We hope this week’s digest of the latest funding, insights, and ecosystem news helps you stay ahead in the fast-paced MENA region.

Stay tuned for more insights next week

More Topics: AI | Gaming | Fintech | Femtech

More regions: KSA | UAE | Egypt | Syria | Morocco

Connect with us: Website| LinkedIn | Share your story

Welcome back to MENA Startup Digest!

We are bringing you the latest round-up of startup news, updates, and opportunities in the MENA region.

Fundraising Roulette

YAL.ai (UAE/AI & Cybersecurity) raised $12M in a Series A to scale its AI-driven telecom fraud protection platform, enabling real-time, on-device scam detection

UPFRONT (UAE/Fintech) secured $10M in a pre-seed round to tackle a $250B SME cash flow gap across MENA and expand operations into KSA

Aydi (UAE/AgriTech) closed a $7.5M seed round to scale its AI-powered farming OS Orth and expand globally

Climaty AI (UAE/MarTech) raised $2 to build an agentic AI marketing platform that autonomously runs campaigns while measuring and reducing carbon impact across industries

Tadawulkum (KSA/PropTech) secured 1.5M SAR in seed funding to enhance its SaaS real estate platform, helping brokers and property firms digitize listings, contracts, and payments

Sadq (KSA/Digital Infrastructure) raised $1M in a pre-Series A extension to strengthen its sovereign digital trust infrastructure and scale its e-signature and authentication platform across MENA

Plstka (Egypt/Climate Tech) secured $1Mto expand its gamified recycling platform across Egypt’s Delta region and scale its AI-powered waste management system

Sabika (Egypt/Fintech) secured a six-figure USD strategic round to enhance its Sharia-compliant digital gold and silver platform and expand into Saudi Arabia

Careem (UAE/Mobility) invested in UAE-based Swapp, deepening their strategic partnership to advance digital car rentals through instant verification, one-hour delivery, and new rent-to-own programs via the Careem app

Waed Ventures (KSA) invested in South Korean AI chipmaker Rebellions, part of its $250M Series C round, to support the company’s expansion in KSA and accelerate next-generation AI chip production

Aramco Ventures (KSA) backed UK-based OXCCU in a $28M Series B, reinforcing its investment in sustainable aviation fuel technologies that convert waste carbon and hydrogen into jet fuel

More rounds → here

Main Headlines

PIF led a record-breaking $55B acquisition of gaming giant Electronic Arts (EA), marking the largest leveraged buyout in history

BECO Capital unveiled $370M across two new funds to back founders from pre-seed to IPO, expanding its capacity to support startups through full lifecycle stages across the UAE and KSA

Sukna Capital partnered with Partners for Growth to launch a $50M regional lending partnership, providing Sharia-compliant, non-dilutive credit solutions for tech and SME founders across Saudi Arabia and the wider Middle East

Merak Capital teamed up with the Saudi Cultural Development Fund to launch an $80M Fashion Private Equity Fund, backing Saudi fashion brands and growth-stage companies across the apparel, beauty, and e-commerce value chain

Iliad Partners (UAE) secured a second close for its $50M Tech Ventures Fund I, backed by leading Greek banks to strengthen cross-border venture ties and accelerate investments in early-stage B2B startups across KSA and the UAE

Audi Capital (KSA) launched the region’s first CMA-regulated Art Investment Fund, bridging finance and culture to invest in modern and contemporary MENA art and foster a new asset class for institutional investors

31C (UAE) acquired Canadian firm Xynthor AI Software to build an AI-native cybersecurity platform, merging Deep Packet Intelligence with AI-powered Data Loss Prevention to safeguard corporate data amid rising generative AI risks

More news → here

Ecosystem Updates

IFZA & Plug and Play launched the Scale360 Program, a high-support, zero-cost initiative helping 17 global startups fast-track entry into the UAE market through mentorship, setup support, and access to Plug and Play’s corporate and investor network

Stars of Science unveiled its Season 17 finalists, spotlighting seven Arab innovators tackling regional challenges in healthcare, sustainability, and technology at Qatar Science and Technology Park

TiE Women MENA announced the winners of its 2025 Saudi Track, with Ayesha Mansha (Sahl) taking first place, followed by Dr. Muna Sambawah (FBNI) and Norah Almahmoud (TFNN), granting them access to the TiE Women Global Accelerator and platforms at GITEX UAE and the Jaipur Grand Finals

Ignyte & Binance partnered to accelerate blockchain innovation across MENA, launching a regional hackathon supported by DIFC to drive Web3 adoption and provide year-round mentorship, training, and developer tools for startups

Hub71 signed its first US partnership with the New Jersey Economic Development Authority to create a transatlantic bridge supporting startup expansion, soft-landing programs, and investor access between Abu Dhabi and the United States

Scale Iraq sponsored five Iraqi startups to join the Bridge Baghdad program by KAPITA, fostering cross-border expansion, investment readiness, and new pathways into the Saudi market

Exits MENA & Falak Startups signed an MoU to strengthen Egypt’s startup ecosystem through joint initiatives, founder support programs, and collaborative efforts under Elevatelab

Orange Jordan introduced the Digital Solutions Hackathon for Tourism, in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, empowering university students to design inclusive tourism tech solutions

Startup Grind Doha & QSTP formed a strategic partnership to merge Qatar Science & Technology Park’s institutional programs with Startup Grind’s community network, expanding mentoring, events, and visibility for early-stage founders in Qatar

UM6P launched the Smart Factory Academy in Morocco, a permanent training and technology hub to drive Africa’s Industry 4.0 transformation, offering hands-on industrial innovation programs and practical upskilling for manufacturers

More updates → here

Startups Highlights

Tokinvest (UAE) secured VARA’s first multi-asset licence and raised $3.2M, debuting with a sold-out tokenized racehorse and positioning Dubai as a hub for regulated RWA investing

Snoonu (Qatar) committed QR750M to R&D through 2030 and launched the Snoonu Innovation District, focusing on AI, automation, and green logistics

UmrahCash (KSA) expanded to Indonesia to serve Hajj and Umrah travelers with sharia-compliant FX, payments, and planned savings and ethical lending

Woliz (Morocco) partnered with Attijari Payment and Visa to digitize merchant payments, starting with FMCG, integrating acceptance solutions and financial education

AnaAkhtar (UAE) launched the region’s first bilingual SEB EdTech, offering interactive tools for emotional and behavioral learning tailored to MENA schools

nybl × IBM partnered to integrate n.vision with IBM’s Maximo and watsonx platforms, enabling AI-driven fault detection and predictive maintenance across energy, utilities, and industrial sectors

Chari (Morocco) launched Chari Pay, a PCI-certified online payment gateway for e-merchants, extending its fintech arm and advancing its vision to become a B2B super app for retailers across Francophone Africa

ABHI (UAE) joined Mastercard’s global Start Path program, becoming one of eight startups selected worldwide to scale SME financial solutions and expand its earned wage access platform across MENAP

More highlights → here

Open For Application

ECSEL Expo Hackathon | Algeria
48-hour e-commerce hackathon at ECSEL Expo in Algiers with expert coaching, networking, visibility, and prizes.
• Deadline: Oct 8 Event: Oct 15–17 Location: Safex

249Startups Legal Due Diligence Tender | Sudan
Tender for accredited legal firms to conduct SME legal due diligence supporting investments in resilient businesses relocating from conflict areas.
• Deadline: Oct 9 How to apply: EOI, technical and financial proposals to Procurement@249Startups.com

Hard Skills Bootcamp | Morocco
Three-day bootcamp by Bidaya Incubateur in Rabat for young entrepreneurs in the ideation phase to gain technical and practical skills to build their startup ideas
• Sessions: Oct 6–2 Location: Rabat

CREATIVA Incubation Program Cohort 4 | Egypt
Nine-month incubation for early-stage tech startups with up to EGP 360k zero equity funding, mentorship, investor access, and space across 16 hubs.

Biotech Incubator by Health Entrepreneurship | Saudi Arabia
Specialized incubation for biotech and precision medicine startups offering labs, mentorship, funding, and regulatory support under Vision 2030

More Programs and Opportunities → here

Techy Bytes

UAE × OpenAI held a high-level meeting between the UAE President and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman to advance the country’s national AI agenda and cement its role as a global hub for AI

MBZUAI × MIT teamed up to launch a joint AI research program, connecting top researchers from both institutions to advance projects in health, robotics, and digital systems

Morocco × UNDP launched a $38M Digital Hub to drive AI adoption across Africa and the Arab States, advancing sustainable development and empowering women and youth

Yango Tech won Best Tech Solution Provider at the Entrepreneur Tech Innovation Awards 2025, recognized for its AI-powered B2B ecosystem spanning retail, robotics, and cloud automation

Meta announced plans to use AI chat data for targeted ads on Facebook and Instagram, expanding its ad engine and raising new privacy concerns for users across MENA

OpenAI introduced ChatGPT Instant Checkout, enabling users to buy products directly in chat and signaling a shift toward agentic e-commerce, challenging Google and Amazon

Anthropic released Claude Sonnet 4.5, a next-gen coding model capable of autonomously building full applications, reclaiming leadership in AI-driven software development

Perplexity AI launched its free global AI browser Comet, intensifying competition with Google and OpenAI, and giving users worldwide access to advanced AI productivity tools

Alibaba Cloud unveiled a full-stack AI strategy, launching the trillion-parameter Qwen3-Max model, new agentic platforms, and upgraded cloud infrastructure to power next-gen AI development

More tech → here

That’s a wrap for this week!

We hope this week's digest of the latest funding, insights, and ecosystem news helps you stay ahead in the fast-paced MENA region.

Stay tuned for more insights next week

More Topics: AI | Gaming | Fintech | Femtech

More regions: KSA | UAE | Egypt | Syria | Morocco

Connect with us: Website| LinkedIn | Share your story

Welcome back to MENA Startup Digest!

We are bringing you the latest round-up of startup news, updates, and opportunities in the MENA region.

Fundraising Roulette

Erad (KSA/Fintech) secured $33M in a debt financing round led by India’s Stride Ventures, its first major investment in KSA, to scale Shariah-compliant SME financing across Saudi Arabia and the UAE

DOO (KSA/AI) closed a $1.7M round led by Merak Capital to scale its culturally-aware AI customer experience platform designed for Arabic dialects and GCC enterprises

Mada (Jordan/Fintech) raised $1.55M in a pre-seed round led by Vision Ventures to advance consumer finance solutions and roll out BNPL services

ADIA (UAE) participated in Empower Semiconductor’s $140M Series D to advance integrated voltage regulator chips that boost efficiency for data centers

CE-Ventures (UAE) co led a $7.7M Series A in India-based Distil to scale its R&D driven specialty chemicals platform and expand into MENA

Meedaf (UAE) invested in global fintech InDebted to expand its AI-powered debt resolution platform across the GCC through a new UAE hub

Arcapita (Bahrain) co-led a $1B Series C in US-based Figure AI, valuing the humanoid robotics startup at $39B and marking one of MENA’s largest deep tech bets

Emergent raised $23M in a Series A to expand its agentic AI coding platform globally, with MENA as a priority market under UAE and Saudi digital transformation initiatives

More rounds → here

Main Headlines

Presight and Shorooq launched Presight–Shorooq Fund I in UAE, a $100M global AI fund based in ADGM, pairing capital with G42 ecosystem access to accelerate AI ventures worldwide

Riyadh Valley Company invested in Japan’s Abies Ventures Fund II to tap into deep tech sectors, including robotics, materials, and advanced communications

Avanz Capital (Egypt) joined Algebra Ventures’ $100M second fund as a secondary LP, marking one of Egypt’s first secondary transactions and pushing for more local capital in VC

Fawry (Egypt) acquired Dirac Systems to form Fawry Dirac, launching cloud-based payroll and accounting solutions for SMEs, with plans to scale enterprise offerings

Stride Ventures (India) announced plans to deploy $200M in KSA over two years and $500M across the Gulf over four years, kicking off with a $33M round in Saudi fintech Erad

PayPal committed $100M to invest in digital commerce across MENA and Africa via PayPal Ventures, building on its Dubai hub and prior bets on Tabby and Paymob

MGX moved to acquire a 15 percent stake in TikTok’s US operations in a White House brokered $14B deal, joining Oracle and Silver Lake as co-investors to resolve national security concerns

Saudi Arabia and Qatar pledged $89M through SFD and QFFD to support Syria’s economic recovery, channelled via UNDP to fund public sector salaries and stabilize essential services

PIF joined an investor group led by Silver Lake in a reported $50B leveraged buyout of Electronic Arts, which would be the largest gaming acquisition in history!

More news → here

Ecosystem Updates

MISA launched the Saudi Startup Program, a national initiative offering streamlined setup, mentorship, funding incentives, and partnerships

CMA expanded its Fintech Lab to 50 registered companies with 68 experimental permits granted, positioning Saudi Arabia as a leading fintech hub under Vision 2030

TiE Women MENA named Aziza, Dosy Bikes, and Super Abla as winners of its Egypt track, with founders securing access to the TiE Women Global Accelerator and platforms at Expand North Star and the Grand Finals in Jaipur

Gulf Business Awards celebrated its 13th edition in Dubai, honoring Miral Group as Company of the Year, Rola Abu Manneh of Standard Chartered as Business Leader of the Year, and Gerald Lawless with the Lifetime Achievement Award

Sheraa concluded its Dojo+ Program in Sharjah, incubating 34 student startups from 14 universities and awarding AED 32K in grants to winners in AI, edtech, and sustainability, with top teams joining Sharjah Startup Studio

EGBANK graduated 17 startups from the 14th MINT Incubator cohort in Egypt, bringing its total to 157 graduated startups that have created 13,000+ jobs and collectively raised over $18M in funding

Startup Syria launched the Catalyst Bootcamp, a seven-day online program training 45 ecosystem builders across Syria in community facilitation, partnerships, and storytelling to strengthen local startup activity

Abu Dhabi Youth Business Council launched the Manarat Al Rowad initiative to fast-track 40 youth-led ventures with licensing support, SME financing, ADGM scholarships, and a premium membership in the Youth Business Gateway

Zain Bahrain launched its flagship Great Ideas Accelerator for the first time in Bahrain, offering training, mentorship, and a Silicon Valley immersion trip to help young founders scale

CDC × Smart Capital introduced the GreenTECH Tunisie initiative to finance 32 green startups and support 10 more SMEs, targeting 300+ jobs while promoting renewable energy, sustainable mobility, and eco-innovation

Jeel × Bahrain FinTech Bay partnered to build a bilateral fintech bridge, enabling startups to test in Saudi’s sandbox and expand into Bahrain

Kuwait Banking Association launched Mutawar, a national fintech initiative, offering dual tracks for ideas and MVPs, a 4-month bootcamp, and a KD 60K prize pool to foster youth innovation

Yasmeen AI Virtual Incubator launched in Syria as the country’s first AI-powered virtual incubator to provide non-profit incubation and diaspora-linked startup support

More updates → here

Startups Highlights

Tanami × Certify (Bahrain) won the 19th StartUp Bahrain Pitch, showcasing AI-driven investing and recruitment solutions, with Thobify, Lamea, and X-Scene among the finalists

Intella × Visa (MENA) partnered to deploy Arabic-first conversational AI across regional banks, rolling out intellaCX and paving the way for Ziila AI agents to transform customer interactions and compliance analytics

Space42 (UAE) announced the launch of the UAE’s first Sovereign Mobility Cloud with Core42 and Microsoft, enabling secure, regulation-compliant data hosting for autonomous transport and smart mobility systems

MNT-Halan (Egypt) introduced the country’s first digital investment-backed lending solution, allowing customers to borrow up to 80% of their investment value via the Halan App without liquidating assets

HyperPay (KSA) signed MoUs with Mastercard and Mozn to issue SME-focused business cards and integrate AI-powered compliance, strengthening Saudi Arabia’s digital payments ecosystem

Nabta Health (UAE) secured a place on TIME’s Top Global HealthTech Companies 2025 list, recognized for its AI-driven hybrid care model tackling women’s health equity gaps across MEA

Talabat (MENA) approved an interim dividend of ~$202M (3.2 fils/share), equal to 90% of H1 2025 net income, with payout slated for Oct 21, 2025

Careem (MENA) expanded its Dirhams for Delays campaign to Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, automatically compensating late food deliveries via Careem Pay while maintaining safe driving standards for captains

Keeta (MENA) launched in Dubai, bringing Meituan’s global delivery expertise with 50% off first meals, long-term free delivery, and an on-time guarantee, intensifying competition in the UAE’s food delivery market

More highlights → here

Open For Application

Plug and Play Dubai Accelerator Program | UAE

Plug and Play invites post-revenue, scaling startups (focus on FinTech and Trade & Logistics) to join its new accelerator; benefits include corporate PoCs, market access, investor network, and Dubai workspace — deadline: Oct 12, 2025

Next Up Investment Program 2025 | Saudi Arabia

Annual national program for Saudi startups (2–5 years old) in the growth/expansion stage; benefits include investor access, funding up to SAR 500M, networking, and Demo Day in Riyadh; challenges in Jeddah, Madinah, Buraydah, Riyadh; deadline: Nov 13, 2025

StartSmart Competition 2025 (AI-Focused) | Saudi Arabia

Targeting AI-powered ideas, MVPs, and pre-seed startups; top 40 selected enter a 2-month virtual bootcamp with mentorship and roadshows across KSA; winners receive equity-free cash prizes (SAR 50K / 30K / 20K) — deadline: Nov 13, 2025

Thimar Investment Readiness Accelerator | Syria

An 8-week program preparing early-growth Syrian startups for funding; includes investment readiness training, tailored mentorship, and a Demo Day

Techy Bytes

UAE’s TII × Nvidia launched the Middle East’s first AI and robotics lab in Abu Dhabi, combining advanced GPU chips with humanoid and autonomous robotics research

HUMAIN unveiled the world’s first Agentic AI laptop, Horizon Pro, running on its HUMAIN ONE OS and powered by ALLAM, Saudi’s Arabic-first LLM, with an aggressive global market entry strategy

MBZUAI awarded its inaugural Honorary Doctorate to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, recognizing his global AI leadership and deepening Abu Dhabi’s role in international AI collaboration

Microsoft halted select cloud and AI services to the Israeli military after confirming misuse for Palestinian surveillance, setting a precedent for global tech compliance in conflict regions

Kuwait deployed AI-powered patrols equipped with facial recognition, license plate scanning, and mobile fingerprint tools to modernize law enforcement and enhance public safety

Algeria launched a robotics training program through its Ministry in Annaba, part of a national strategy to expand digital skills in AI, robotics, and cybersecurity

Morocco engaged OpenAI to explore collaborations in AI research and innovation, aiming to build a culturally aligned ecosystem and apply AI in education, governance, and sustainability

Omantel × Publicis Groupe launched the country’s first AI-powered AdTech platform, enabling data-driven campaign targeting and revenue optimization in line with Oman Vision 2040

Alibaba announced a new Dubai data center opening in 2026 as part of its global AI and cloud expansion, alongside facilities in Mexico, Japan, South Korea, and Malaysia

More tech → here

That’s a wrap for this week!

We hope this week's digest of the latest funding, insights, and ecosystem news helps you stay ahead in the fast-paced MENA region.

Stay tuned for more insights next week

More Topics: AI | Gaming | Fintech | Femtech

More regions: KSA | UAE | Egypt | Syria | Morocco

Connect with us: Website| LinkedIn | Share your story