#109 This week In MENA's Startup Scene!
Dive into the latest Startup News, Trends & Opportunities shaping the MENA region
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
🇦🇪 Epic Markets → $10M Pre-Seed · develops a multi-asset brokerage platform bringing institutional-grade execution, liquidity, and trading infrastructure to retail investors in the UAE and US
🇦🇪 Bundle → $5.5M Pre-Seed · lets brands pool their incentive budgets into shared reward networks that offer larger prizes and fast cross-border payouts through stablecoins
🇪🇬 Fincart → $2.8M Seed · gives e-commerce merchants one AI-powered platform for shipping, cash-on-delivery reconciliation, customer retention, and sales-based financing across MENA and Africa
🇶🇦 GRO Solutions → $600K Pre-Seed · builds an AI-powered financial wellness platform that analyses spending and saving habits to guide individuals, families, and eventually children
More rounds → here
Main Headlines
🇸🇦 Jada backed the $200M Growth Catalyst Fund I to expand growth equity financing for established KSA SMEs that have moved beyond venture capital but are not yet ready for public markets
🇸🇦 PIF-backed Brookfield Middle East Partners raised nearly $2B and committed half of the fund to private equity investments in high-growth companies across KSA
🇦🇪 Carbar and Carasti merged to build a global car subscription platform combining more than 3,000 vehicles while seeking $10M to finance international expansion
🇴🇲 Oman Investment Authority invested in Cambridge and Oxford innovation platforms, gaining exposure to startups developing healthcare, semiconductor, applied science, and quantum computing technologies
🇸🇦 Prince Al Waleed bin Talal acquired a 5% stake in Lucid Motors, adding another major KSA investor to the electric vehicle maker alongside PIF’s controlling ownership
More updates → here
Ecosystem Updates
MZN Hub71 awarded AED 200,000 in support to Limb, Reach LLM, and Hign Al Khaleej after 17 Emirati founders completed a 12-week venture-building program
Orange Corners Palestine selected 15 startups for its tenth pre-acceleration cycle, offering four months of training, coaching, and market-access support
Orange Corners Morocco launched its first women-only cohort, bringing 38 entrepreneurs to support the development of innovative and sustainable female-led businesses
Mohammed Bin Rashid Innovation Fund selected 17 startups for its 12th Innovation Accelerator cohort across AI, HealthTech, sustainability, water, EdTech, and advanced manufacturing
Qatar’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry launched a Business Guidance and Establishment Office in Lusail to help investors and entrepreneurs understand company setup procedures and access government services
More updates → here
Startups Highlights
🇦🇪 dubizzle (Marketplace) surpassed 1.33M listings created through its Sell with AI tool
🇦🇪 Pemo (FinTech) received in-principle CBUAE approval for an SVF licence that would allow it to hold and manage business funds and introduce digital wallets
🇸🇦 DESAISIV (InsurTech) launched an AI Insurance Agent that benchmarks pricing, evaluates policy performance, identifies savings, and supports corporate insurance negotiations
🇦🇪 Careem (FoodTech) launched a catering service in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, allowing customers to pre-book meals and hospitality services from more than 20 providers
🇦🇪 eVoost AI (PropTech) expanded into Romania through a partnership with Hercesa, bringing its AI-powered residential sales platform into its sixth international market
🇦🇪 jalebi.io (FoodTech) announced its permanent closure after building an operating system for restaurant inventory, production, and supply-chain management across six markets
🇪🇬 Qualiphi and Tick & Talk (EdTech) partnered to integrate Speekr.ai into Qualiphi’s career platform, giving university students AI-powered practical workplace communication training
🇸🇦 Hudhud Maps (Mobility) launched its locally built navigation app in Riyadh with real-time traffic updates, alternative routes, Saudi Arabic voice guidance, and detailed local location data
🇪🇬 Sahl and Klivvr (FinTech) partnered to let Klivvr customers pay their financing instalments directly through the Sahl mobile app
More highlights → here
Open For Application
🇪🇬 DMZ Cairo Pre-Incubation Program → Hybrid program for EDIN and UPEI students and alumni with an early-stage startup idea or MVP.⏳ August 4
🇲🇦 ACCEL’IMPACT → 24-month growth program for established Moroccan SMEs employing at least five people, offering individual mentoring, expert support, and strategic workshops. ⏳ August 7
🇸🇦 C.XSEED 2.0 → Venture-building program for local and international EdTech and future-of-work startups entering KSA.⏳ August 9
🇹🇳 GEN I 2026 → Six-week online incubation program for Tunisia-based entrepreneurs aged 18 to 35. ⏳ August 13
🇲🇦 Open Startup Pre-Seed Track Morocco → Six-month incubation program for Moroccan DeepTech startups developing science-based solutions.⏳ September 6
🇧🇭 StartUp Bahrain Pitch Competition → Pitch competition for Bahrain-based startups with an MVP, Commercial Registration, and at least one Bahraini founder. ⏳Rolling Basis
More Programs and Opportunities → here
Cool Events
🇵🇸 AI in Marketing Session · Aug 4 · Birzeit → practical tools for audience research, content creation & smarter marketing campaigns; West Bank students only
🇦🇪 in5 × Oraseya Capital Pitch Day · Aug 6 · Dubai → VC fundraising session + four-minute 1:1 pitches for feedback and potential fast-tracking into SANDBOX; in5 startups only
🇸🇾 SEED Meetup: Syria’s AgriFood Innovation Ecosystem · Aug 8 · Damascus → founders, researchers & industry leaders explore AgriTech, FoodTech and stronger startup collaboration
🇵🇸 Visual Branding for Founders · Aug 10 · Palestine → four-hour hands-on workshop to build a brand kit, social templates & pitch visuals using Canva AI; five places for new participants
🇦🇪 Dtec × Oraseya Capital Startup Pitch · Aug 11 · Dubai → VC fundraising session + three-minute pitches for feedback and potential fast-tracking into SANDBOX for $150K investment consideration; Dtec startups only
Techy Bytes
Qatar University developed GlucoWatch, an AI-powered wearable that estimates glucose levels without needles through a connected mobile app
The UAE introduced new social media rules banning personal accounts for children under 15 while requiring stronger age verification
Robo.ai × Eleven International Holdings agreed to establish Alif Holding in Abu Dhabi to develop and manufacture AI software, robotics, and automation systems
Falcon H1 ranked first in Counterpoint Research’s Sovereign AI LLM Index, placing the UAE-developed model ahead across national ownership
TokenAI announced Horus Cyper, an AI model for identifying software vulnerabilities and recommending fixes
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