#65 This week In MENA's Startup Scene!
Dive into the latest Startup News, Trends & Opportunities shaping the MENA region
Hello and welcome back, MENA founders.
It’s been another action-packed week across the region. From major funding rounds and bold M&A moves to new government initiatives and AI-driven launches
Here’s what happened
Fundraising Roulette
Nawy (Egypt/PropTech) raised a $52M Series A round to scale its real estate platform across MENA
Kilow (KSA/HealthTech) secured $2.5M to enhance its Arabic-language AI-powered weight loss app and expand user adoption across Saudi Arabia
AqlanX (UAE/Enterprise AI) raised $10M to scale its Arabic-first enterprise AI platform focused on workflow automation and generative AI adoption in MENA
Canater (UAE/Logistics) received a $1M investment from Foras to boost its AI-enabled supply chain platform for MENA manufacturers
Endocare (UAE/HealthTech) closed an undisclosed round to scale its metabolic health diagnostics and digital nutrition services across the Middle East
Actly (Kuwait/AI) secured an undisclosed round from Zain to enhance its AI-powered customer engagement tools and expand across Zain’s regional markets
Konnect (Tunisia/FinTech) raised a new round from Attijariwafa Bank’s VC arm to strengthen its digital payment infrastructure and scale across Africa
Career 180 (Egypt/EdTech) launched Saudi operations with backing from VMS and fresh funding to expand its youth upskilling platform across the Kingdom
iSUPPLY (Egypt/HealthTech) landed a $3M Sharia-compliant investment from Bokra to expand its B2B medtech supply network and improve pharmaceutical delivery across Egypt
spiderSilk (UAE/Cybersecurity) was acquired by CPX in a strategic deal to integrate its AI-driven threat detection engine and scale CPX’s cybersecurity reach across GCC and North America
ADIA (UAE) invested in Qlik (USA) to accelerate enterprise analytics and AI-driven data integration
NEOM Investment Fund (KSA) invested in MemryX (USA) to develop low-power AI chips and advance Saudi’s AI and edge
Main Headlines
Wyld VC (KSA) launched a USD 50M AI-focused venture fund bridging MENA and Silicon Valley, targeting early-stage startups in AI enterprise software, and deep tech
Amwal Capital Partners (UAE) introduced a new Shariah-compliant private credit fund to offer ethical financing solutions for underserved businesses across the Gulf
Medinat Misr launched a new corporate VC fund targeting real estate innovation, aiming to back early-stage startups transforming urban living, smart construction, and digital infrastructure across Egypt
Egypt announced a new initiative at RiseUp 2025 to create dedicated startup free zones, offering founders tax incentives, regulatory relief, and easier licensing to attract more global and regional investment into its tech ecosystem
Oman’s Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion rolled out USD 96M in new financing programs to promote diversity, sustainability, and innovation among entrepreneurs, with targeted schemes for women, youth, and green SMEs
DMCC introduced new SPV and holding company licenses in Dubai to simplify fund structuring, attract international investors, and bolster its position as a financial hub
Hamah Financial (KSA) secured approval from Saudi’s Capital Market Authority to expand fund management operations and launch new investment vehicles aligned with Vision 2030 goals
Egypt passes the Property ID Law to unify land records, digitize property transactions, and boost investor confidence through greater governance and market transparency
Oman Investment Authority commits $300M to Algeria’s economy through a strategic fund targeting industrial development, logistics infrastructure, and regional economic integration
Abu Dhabi and Japan sign a landmark MoU to enhance bilateral trade, strengthen innovation collaboration, and expand joint R&D in clean energy and smart manufacturing
Ecosystem Updates
Syria’s Ministry of Communications launched an entrepreneurship bootcamp during the Nahdat Tech Conference
Saudi Arabia launched a national Biotech Accelerator, targeting early-stage life sciences startups with funding, mentorship, and lab space
bp Oman partnered with Outward Bound to launch the Wa’ed Program, a skills-focused bootcamp combining entrepreneurship education, leadership training, and sustainability awareness for Omani youth
Alchemist Doha & Startup Grind Qatar teamed up to co-host events, mentoring sessions, and startup showcases in Qatar
Standard Chartered launched a UAE-based accelerator program focused on empowering women-led startups, offering access to capital, mentorship, and growth workshops
Nama Foundation (Qatar) kicked off the latest edition of its Social Incubator's Business Development Program
Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development showcased Emirati startup innovations at SusHi Tech Tokyo
Saudi Ministry of Communications & IT launched Ruwad Al-Tech, a national initiative offering Saudi startups access to advanced tech labs, training tracks, and early adoption pilots
The Catalyst Accelerator hosted its latest Demo Day in Abu Dhabi, spotlighting 10 climate-tech startups backed by Flat6Labs, Masdar City and bp
OQX (Oman) launched a new cohort of 13 startups under its national accelerator to drive energy innovation, focusing on hydrogen, AI, battery storage, and clean fuels
Vibes AlUla celebrated the graduation of Cohort 6 of Ruwad AlUla, an accelerator empowering founders from the region with tailored support, mentorship, and market access opportunities
Sheraa announced the winners of the Access Sharjah Challenge, recognizing standout startups in agritech and livestock health
Startups Highlights
Fawry (Egypt) has partnered with Microsoft to deliver a bundled suite of digital and financial tools for SMEs
Shahbandr (Saudi Arabia) unveiled its new VideoCommerce technology, enabling merchants to embed live video shopping experiences directly into their storefronts
Sira (Jordan) expanded to the UAE to build values-driven professional communities
Beyond ONE (Oman) launched FRiENDi Pay, a licensed mobile wallet offering peer-to-peer transfers, bill payments, and international remittances
Klivvr (Egypt) launched its new Buy Now, Pay Later service after securing regulatory approval, expanding its digital financial offerings and boosting financial inclusion for Egyptian users
InvoiceQ (Jordan) won the Green Fintech Innovation Challenge, earning a PoC with three leading banks in Jordan
Tabby & Kitopi (UAE) announced plans for IPOs, sparking debate over market timing and investor appetite amid mixed economic signals and regional listing momentum
Techy Bytes
Qatar unveiled an ambitious AI-powered National Data & Statistics Strategy, committing $630M to build an integrated ecosystem of 128 projects that leverage big data and AI
Qatar’s Ministry of Labour launched a new AI-powered multi-agent platform to automate and speed up job application reviews
Saudi Arabia launched SAMAI, a national AI upskilling initiative aiming to train one million Saudis in artificial intelligence, data science, and emerging tech skills by 2030
IHC & BlackRock unveiled plans to launch an AI-powered reinsurance platform in Abu Dhabi Global Market, using predictive models and real-time data analytics to improve risk forecasting and underwriting across global markets
Morocco invested $3.4M to digitize seafood markets across key port cities, enabling transparent pricing, supply-chain visibility, and improved fisheries governance
Saudi Arabia enabled digital Hajj permit services for 2025 pilgrims via the Tawakkalna app, allowing residents and citizens to apply, receive, and manage pilgrimage permissions in a fully integrated, paperless system
Ray-Ban Meta launched its next-gen smart glasses in UAE
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