Wamda

Saudi Arabia

Saudi fund takes 5% stake in Uber for $3.5B

A Saudi Arabia fund has bought a 5 percent stake in Uber for $3.5 billion. The buy-in, by the Public Investment Fund (PIF),...

Public Investment Fund fundraising Uber

Egypt

Egypt VC launches new $50M fund Algebra Capital

Cairo's startup ecosystem has been crying out for money for years. This year they've been inundated. (Image via Wikipedia) Egyptian...

Ziad Mokhtar Algebra Fund EAEF

Palestine

Palestine's $12M Ibtikar fund launches, announces 8 investments

The Ibtikar Fund's management team, investors and startups. (Image via Christina Ghanim) Palestinian pride is providing the fuel for...

5QHQH Tasameem ArabiAuto

Egypt

US-based Affectiva raises $14M Series D

Affectiva's software can differentiate between a smirk, a happy smile, and a polite smile. (Images via Affectiva) Emotion...

emotion recognition Rana el Kaliouby Affectiva

Lebanon

Circular 331: where has Lebanon's money gone?

It is said that innovation is an entrepreneur’s best friend. But in Lebanon a strong second contender has to be the central...

Lebanon for Entrepreneurs Berytech Fund Startup Megaphone

Regional

Are angel investors born or made? [Opinion]

Angel investors are in short supply in MENA. How do we 'grow' more? (Image via LabsofLatvia) There is no longer a question as to whether...

VentureSouq Opinion Venture Capital

Jordan

Hikma Pharmaceuticals launches $30M digital health venture fund in Amman

Hikma Pharmaceuticals has launched a $30 million strategic venture capital fund focused on digital health, therapeutics, and diagnostics...

Hikma Ventures Hikma Pharmaceutical MEMakersGE

Egypt

Startups want to tackle Egyptian health, but lack money

Ahmed Abu ElHaz CEO of Shezlong pitching at BDL2015 accelerate in Beirut. (Image via Shezlong) Egypt is fertile ground for...

Otlob Doctor MEMakersGE shezlong

U.A.E

Beehive: The UAE’s first P2P SME finance platform

Rooted within the Honeycomb of the Collaborative Economy is the world of P2P (peer-to-peer) finance. Within that world is Beehive, a...

beehive financial services fin-tech

U.A.E

Term sheets at dawn, Step Conference 2016

Joy Ajlouny and fellow startup cofounders Loulou Khazen Baz and Mudassir Sheikha get stuck into the debate. (Image via...

AnchorFree Frontier Partners Eventbox

Jordan

Fintech startup Liwwa raises $2.3M

Amman-based fintech startup Liwwa has closed a $2.3 million round led by Silicon Badia’s Badia Impact Fund. DASH Ventures and...

Sameh Toukan beehive VentureFin

Regional

How valuation and cap tables work [How to]

Have you ever wondered how valution is calculated and cap tables work? Read on. (Image via Business Collective) In the context of...

how to cap tables startup valuation

Saudi Arabia

Building a real estate startup in Saudi's stagnant market

The decrease in oil prices also affected the real estate market. (Image via news.weetas.com) Online real estate platform Lamudi,...

lamudi hellofood Carmudi

Global

AIG raises $326M for Jumia expansion

AIG is putting considerable money into its online marketplace Jumia. (Image via MrXAfrica) Africa Internet Group (AIG), Africa's...

Jovago MTN Millicom

U.A.E

Souq raises MENA's largest round of $275M

After almost a year of speculation, MENA’s biggest ecommerce company Souq.com has confirmed that it’s raised a $275 million...

round Unicorn announcement

Regional

Could MENA see a unicorn soon?

Extinct in the wild in the 1970s and reintroduced in the 1980s, the Arabian Oryx may be the animal closest to a unicorn. (Image...

CB Insights unicorns oped

U.A.E

Introducing Flat6Labs' 6 latest UAE startups

Much like Hollywood is a celebrity hunting ground, Flat6Labs’ recent Demo Day suggests that Abu Dhabi might be the place to reel in...

StudentCart Metaphorio Jumpsuite

Maghreb

Apply now to Techfinance Academy in Morocco

A new accelerator is opening shop in Casablanca, Morocco. Techfinance Academy is a six-month acceleration program open to Morocco-based ...

accelerator Casablanca morocco

Jordan

Space: the next tech frontier for MENA?

An art installation in Amman that could soon have a real-life counterpart. (Image via Sam Wendel) Watch out Elon Musk, a new force is...

Oasis Space Ventures Jordan Space Ventures SpaceX

U.A.E

Propertyfinder.ae raises $20M from Swedish investors

Dubai-based Propertyfinder Group has raised $20 million in capital from Sweden-based Vostok New Ventures, a transaction that Propertyfinder...

Propertyfinder.ae vostok new ventures Investment

Kuwait

Arzan VC invests in a Silicon Valley startup, prepares to launch office hours

Aerial view of Silicon Valley (Source: Wired.com) The article is a crosspost with Nuwait. I often get the chance to sit on the...

Nuwait Arzan VC kuwait

Regional

The role of the term sheet in VC transactions

The term sheet, not binding but crucial. (Image via Exceleratelabs) The negotiation of a venture capital transaction between a...

term sheets startups Venture Capital

Global

What I know about raising money: Ramy Adeeb

Ramy Adeeb, ready to disperse advice. (Image via Ramy Adeeb) When Ramy Adeeb sold his startup, a news article curation site Snip.It to...

Ramy Adeeb Snip.It What I Know

Lebanon

Investments announced at Lebanon's BDL Accelerate

[Editor’s note: This article has been updated to include Berytech’s further investments announced on the second...

BDL Accelerate Berytech beirut

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