Wamda

Regional

MENA startups raise $454.7 million in May 2026, led by debt financing

At first glance, investment activity across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) appears to have rebounded strongly in May 2026....

Investment investments

Regional

Venture capital’s most underrated skill: knowing when NOT to invest

An article by Husameddin AlMadani, angel investor and aviator There is a moment before every flight that matters more than takeoff...

oped

Regional

In MENA, the day after the crisis begins today

As we in the GCC navigate yet another political and security crisis, founders, CEOs and investors need a blunt reminder: cash is the only...

oped

Regional

The strategic role of GCC sovereign funds in rebuilding post-war economies

An article by Majd Zghyer, a Palestine-based economist. During the past two decades, the emergence of sovereign wealth funds (SWFs)...

oped

Regional

Founders still building in MENA understand what others miss

An article by Darya Nikulina, Director of Operations & Marketing at Dubai-based travel tech company Visarun Whenever a crisis hits,...

oped

Regional

After March slump, MENA startup funding rebounds to $150 million in April 2026

Investment activity across the Middle East and North Africa showed early signs of recovery in April 2026, with total funding climbing to...

Investment investments

Regional

A new playbook for founders navigating uncertainty in MENA

Uncertainty has returned to the centre of the MENA startup ecosystem, and this time it is not cyclical. It is structural. After a strong...

oped

Regional

Arabic.AI partners with HeyBreez to scale Arabic voice AI for enterprises

UAE-based Arabic.AI has partnered with HeyBreez to deliver production-grade Arabic voice AI solutions for enterprises and...

Arabic AI HeyBreez

Regional

Speedinvest launches MEA fund backed by Mubadala, QIA, and EIB Global

Austria-based VC firm Speedinvest has launched its first flagship fund dedicated to the Middle East and Africa (MEA). The fund is...

Speedinvest QIA Mubadala

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

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