#91 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
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
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