Wamda

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

United States

VAST Data closes Series F round at $30B valuation

US-based AI infrastructure company VAST Data has raised approximately $1 billion in a Series F round, reaching a $30 billion...

Vast Data

Morocco

Tamwilcom launches $69 million venture-building programme to support 800 Moroccan startups

Moroccan public financing institution Tamwilcom has launched a $69 million (MAD 700 million) venture-building programme to...

Tamwilcom

Saudi Arabia

Saudi fintech AVA targets cashless growth with Plug and Play backing

Saudi Arabia-based fintech AVA has secured an undisclosed strategic investment from Plug and Play Middle East, following its graduation...

A Virtual Advantage AVA Plug and Play

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

Saudi Arabia

ElGoat raises $266,000 seed to build skill-based football gaming platform

Saudi Arabia-based sportstech ElGoat has raised $266,000 in a seed round via Trigon, reaching a valuation of $2.66 million. Founded in...

ElGoat Sportstech

Egypt

Egypt’s Lucky secures $23 million Series B to expand in North Africa

Egypt-based fintech Lucky has raised $23 million in a Series B round, combining equity and debt, with participation from Disruptech...

Lucky app Fintech Disruptech Ventures

Saudi Arabia

Backed by Sanabil 500, Maison Safqa secures $620,000 pre-seed

Saudi-based e-commerce platform Maison Safqa has raised $620,000 in a pre-seed round, with participation from 500 Global through the...

Maison Safqa Sanabil MENA 500 Accelerator Fund

Saudi Arabia

Aramco Ventures backs Via Separations in $36 million round

Saudi Arabia's Aramco Ventures participated in a $36 million funding round for the US-based deeptech startup Via Separations,...

Via Separations Aramco Ventures

Morocco

Zsystems brings total funding to $2.7 million with latest Seed round

Morocco-based retail B2B2C marketplace ZSystems has raised $1.65 million in a seed round led by Azur Innovation Management, with...

ZSystems Azur Innovation Management

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

United States

WHOOP attracts Gulf sovereign funds and global athletes in $575M round

US-based healthtech company WHOOP has raised $575 million in a Series G round at a $10.1 billion valuation, led by Collaborative...

Whoop QIA Mubadala

U.A.E

zypl.ai closes $5.5 million bridge round at $80 million valuation

UAE-based credit scoring platform zypl.ai has raised $5.5 million in a bridge round led by Carbide Ventures and investors including...

zypl.ai Carbide Ventures

U.A.E

estaie secures 7-figure pre-seed led by Plus VC

UAE-based proptech estaie has raised a 7-figure pre-seed round led by PlusVC and Orbit Ventures, with participation from Falak Angels...

estaie Plus VC Proptech

U.A.E

Mezza launches in the UAE with fresh seed backing

UAE-based hospitality platform Mezza has raised a seed funding round at an undisclosed value, from prominent angel investors. Founded...

Mezza

Egypt

ITIDA, Plug and Play support 61 Upper Egypt startups, unlock $3.7M in funding

Egypt’s Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA), in partnership with Plug and Play, has supported 61 startups...

ITIDA Plug and Play

Jordan

Arabic.AI partners with Qistas to deliver sovereign Arabic legal AI

Press release: Arabic.AI and Qistas announced today a strategic partnership to offer secure and sovereign artificial intelligence...

Qistas Arabic AI

Lebanon

As war unfolds, Sofra is turning solidarity into a system that sustains Lebanon

Two weeks into Israel’s escalating assault on Lebanon, more than one million people—nearly a quarter of the...

Sofra lebanon

U.A.E

CarniStore attracts $12.2 million strategic investment to scale premium food operations

UAE-based e-commerce platform CarniStore has secured a $12.2 million (AED 45 million) strategic minority investment from Emirates...

CarniStore Emirates Growth Fund (EGF)

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia issues first open banking license to Lean Technologies

Saudi Arabia-based fintech Lean Technologies has become the first licensed open banking provider in the Kingdom after receiving a...

Lean Technologies Open banking

U.A.E

Buy, license, or build? Why most firms struggle to enter the UAE

An article by Hasnae Taleb, the Managing Partner of Mintiply Capital The question is no longer whether global firms should enter...

oped

U.A.E

Submissions now open for the Zayed Sustainability Prize 2027

The Zayed Sustainability Prize is pleased to announce that submissions are now open for the 2027 awards cycle. Established in 2008,...

Zayed Sustainability Prize

U.A.E

Blackstone leads $250 million investment in UAE payments platform ADGT

ADGT, a UAE-based payments and data intelligence platform, has secured a $250 million investment from Blackstone alongside Raya Holding,...

Blackstone ADGT Advanced Digital Gaming Technology

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