Wamda

Regional

MENA startup funding slips to $941 million in Q1 2026 amid heightened geopolitical risk

Startup funding in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) fell to $941 million in the first quarter of 2026, marking a 21.5%...

Investment investments

Regional

Propeller brings five MENA deeptech startups to Silicon Valley with Kernel Camp

Jordan-rooted, AI-focused VC Propeller has launched the first cohort of its Kernel Camp residency, bringing five deep-tech startups...

Kernel Camp Propeller

Regional

MENA startup funding falls to $48.3 million in March 2026

Investment activity across the Middle East and North Africa’s startup ecosystem slowed sharply in March 2026, with just 17 startups...

Investment investments

Regional

The Middle East’s butterfly effect on the global economy

For years, the Gulf has quietly become one of the most influential forces shaping the global economy. This influence extends not only to...

oped

Regional

The real cost of undervaluing human capital in the GCC

An article by Natasha Hatherall, the founder and CEO of TishTash Group. Human resources are still too often treated as a support...

oped

Regional

AI capital is flooding the world, with the GCC emerging as the next hub

An article by Alexander Rugaev, the Founder of AR Ventures. Artificial intelligence has rapidly become the primary destination for...

AI GCC oped

Regional

Investment in MENA startups hits $327 million in February 2026

Investment activity across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) startup ecosystem slowed notably in February 2026, as the region...

investments Investment

Regional

The costly marketing assumption MENA founders make

An article by Charral Izhiman, the author of the book "The Marketing Movement" When founders say, “We’ll invest in...

oped Marketing

Regional

What short-form videos really mean for founders, brands and media

An article by Reim El Houni, CEO of Ti22 Films The one thing that is absolutely guaranteed in the media industry is change. The...

oped

Regional

AI regulation is taking shape, and companies need to act early

An article by Jadd Elliot Dib, Founder and CEO, PangaeaX Over the past year, governments around the world have begun rolling out...

AI oped

Regional

MENA startups raise $563 million in January 2026

Investment activity across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) startup ecosystem picked up at the start of the year, with 42 MENA-based...

Investment investments

Regional

What winning MENA startups will do differently in 2026

An article by Waseem Afzal, Founder & CEO of FAST Ventures Six months into observing early-stage startups across...

oped

Regional

Record year for MENA startups as funding climbs to $7.5 billion in 2025

Startup investment across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) reached a new high in 2025, marking the strongest funding performance the...

Investment investments Wamda Annual Investment Report

Regional

MENA startup funding ends 2025 at $171.5 million in December

Startup investment across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) softened in December 2025, with 44 startups raising $171.5 million,...

Investment investments

Regional

Inside CoinMENA’s exit: The $240m deal that redefined MENA crypto’s growth model

CoinMENA’s sale to Paribu crystallises a quiet shift in how value is being priced in MENA’s digital asset market. The Bahrain-...

CoinMena

Regional

Wamda's most read articles in 2025

In 2025, Wamda was home to many of the MENA ecosystem’s most influential voices. Through their insights and opinions, they helped...

oped

Regional

10 tech forces shaping GCC's innovation landscape in 2026

As 2025 draws to a close, the GCC’s technology and startup ecosystem stands at an inflection point. The past year was characterised...

oped AI

Regional

Why the Middle East's $4 trillion is our strongest asset

An article by Nour Al Hassan, the CEO of Arabic.AI and Tarjama The Middle East does not suffer from a capital shortage. It...

oped

Regional

Propeller launches Kernel Camp, an 8-week deep-tech residency in Silicon Valley for MENA founders

Propeller has launched Kernel Camp, an eight-week AI infrastructure and deep-tech residency for early-stage founders from the MENA...

Propeller silicon valley

Regional

Fintech, AI shift the economics of GCC business travel

An article by Andrew Baturin, CMO at Tumodo Business travel across the GCC is entering a new growth cycle, just as companies are under...

oped

Regional

MENA startup funding falls to $228 million in November 2025, down 71% MoM

Investment activity across the MENA startup ecosystem slowed sharply in November 2025, with 35 startups raising a combined $227.8 million....

Investment investments

Regional

How MENA's female founders thrive in an ecosystem built for men

An article by Somaiah Al Dabbagh, Founder of Maeya Starting without a playbook Being a female founder in the MENA region often feels...

oped female entrepreneurs

Regional

The shift AI startups need to win over GCC investors

An article by Farid Yousefi, Founder and CEO of Finder Group Ai Artificial intelligence is accelerating across the GCC at a pace...

oped AI

Regional

MENA startup funding drops to $785 million in October 2025, 72% driven by debt

After a record-breaking September, investment activity across MENA startups cooled in October, with total funding dropping to $784.9...

Investment investments

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