Lebanon What does Lebanon need to foster real innovation? Insights from Mix N’ Mentor Beirut Since the launch of Beirut Digital District (BDD) in 2012, a startup hub was created for Lebanese entrepreneurs to connect, network and... Reine Farhat • 18 September, 2018 Mix N' Mentor Mix n Mentor Beirut Mentorship
Regional A15 sells stake in Tpay Mobile The region’s first “dragon exit” was completed today by A15, which sold its 76 per cent stake in UAE-based Tpay Mobile. A... Wamda • 17 September, 2018 mobile finance Exit
Global Here’s how these four startups are making agriculture more efficient During a business trip to Switzerland this year, I have had the chance to meet many startups from different parts of the world, but mainly... Reine Farhat • 27 June, 2018 Agrocenta Twiga Foods GreenTec
Global Chinese ecommerce Jollychic gets funding from Sequoia Capital, hits a reported $1 billion valuation Jollychic, a Chinese online store founded in 2012, has a value of $1 billion after a Series C round from the global venture firm Sequoia... Reine Farhat • 28 May, 2018 Sequoia Capital Jollychic ecommerce
Egypt Egyptian online fashion rental platform raises $1M from Algebra Ventures and 500 Startups La Reina, an Egyptian online platform for rental couture, announced receiving $1 million in a Series A funding round led by Egypt’s... Staff writer • 30 April, 2018 Egypt La Reina Algebra Ventures
U.A.E Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala acquires minority stake in NY-based Phoenician Capital Abu Dhabi-based Mubadala Investment Company acquired a minority stake in the general partner of Phoenician Capital, a New York-based... Staff writer • 25 April, 2018 uae Mubadala Investment Company acquisition
Lebanon Four years after Circular 331: The ecosystem needs more Seed Stage funds It was never the same for the Lebanese ecosystem after 2014. Banque du Liban’s (BDL) Circular 331 was meant to create the foundations... Rana Freifer • 08 April, 2018 lebanon BDL Circular 331
U.A.E How to increase your exit chances, widen your audience and keep it simple: Insights from #STEP2018 Entrepreneurs don’t need to refine their pitches or have everything figured out when approaching investors, because great products... Reine Farhat • 01 April, 2018 Step Conference 2018 startups
Lebanon Diabetes monitoring startup wins a $50,000 Seed Boost fund during Speed@BDD’s fifth Demo Day Spike, a mobile assistant that helps diabetics better manage their diabetes, won the second edition of Speed@BDD’s Seed Boost. The... Staff writer • 28 March, 2018 lebanon Speed@BDD Spike
U.A.E MAGNiTT raised a $1M Seed round Dubai-based MAGNiTT.com, one of the largest investment data platforms for investors, entrepreneurs, and corporates in the Middle East,... Staff writer • 27 March, 2018 uae MAGNiTT Seed funding
U.A.E Mubadala Investment Company participates in $15M Series A investment round in US airspace awareness firm Fortem Technologies, an innovator in airspace awareness and intelligence, announced closing $15 million Series A funding round led by DCVC... Staff writer • 25 March, 2018 uae usa Mubadala Investment Company
Lebanon Lebanese online interior design platform Moodfit raised a $400K seed round Moodfit, one of the first online interior design platforms in the MENA region, closed a $400,000 seed investment round from Seeders... Staff writer • 13 March, 2018 MoodFit Seed funding MEVP
U.A.E DIFC and MEVP sign agreement to strengthen regional technology venture capital ecosystem Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), one of the leading international financial hubs in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia... Staff writer • 12 March, 2018 uae DIFC MEVP
Saudi Arabia Beauty ecommerce platform Golden Scent to expand following Series A funding round Golden Scent, one of the leading Saudi beauty ecommerce platforms, plans on further growing the business after receiving a Series A funding... Staff writer • 21 February, 2018 ksa Golden Scent ecommerce
Lebanon $48M MIC Ventures telco fund launched to boost ICT startups in Lebanon MIC Ventures, a $48 million telco fund initiated by MIC 1 and MIC 2, the two mobile operators in Lebanon managed by Touch and Alfa, was... Rana Freifer • 19 February, 2018 lebanon alfa touch
Global TechCrunch’s Michael Arrington on cryptocurrencies, ICOs, and tech in the MENA [Podcast] Since 2005, TechCrunch, founded by Michael Arrington, has been a primary source for global tech and innovation news, trends, and... Staff writer • 13 February, 2018 techcrunch Michael Arrington ICO
U.A.E Mumzworld secures its largest funding round to date Mumzworld, one of the Middle East North Africa (MENA) leading ecommerce players dedicated to mothers, babies and children, today announced... Staff writer • 08 February, 2018 uae Mumzworld Wamda Capital
Regional Tamatem raises $ 2.5M to localize mobile games for the MENA market Tamatem, one of the leading mobile games publisher in the Arabic speaking market, raised a $ 2.5 million Series A investment led... Maya Rahal • 02 February, 2018
Regional Investment funding platforms to match between startups and investors Funding is almost an unavoidable burden most startups would encounter during their evolution. It is the phase where the startup’s... Rana Freifer • 30 January, 2018 Lead Angels VC Funding
Egypt Egypt’s fintech startups are growing in number, value, and specialization “The wave of innovation sweeping through the world of financial technology promises nothing short of revolution … It will... Rana Freifer • 24 January, 2018 Egypt Fintech startups
Lebanon The Lebanese Venture Capital and Private Equity Association launched The Lebanese Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (LVCPEA) was officially launched bringing together a number of major players... Staff writer • 18 January, 2018 lebanon VC The Lebanese Venture Capital and Private Equity Association launched
Saudi Arabia Ecommerce eyewear platform is betting on growing niche markets The global eyewear market was valued at $109 billion in 2016 and is projected to exceed $170 billion by 2022. In the Middle East, a... Rana Freifer • 17 January, 2018 uae ksa eyewa
Saudi Arabia Badir-incubated Saudi tech startups raised almost $13M in 2017 The technology startups incubated by Badir Program, one of the King Abdul Aziz City for Science and Technology’s main initiatives,... Staff writer • 17 January, 2018 Badir ksa Investment
Regional UAE startups attracted $400 million of VC funding in 2017 2017 witnessed 134 funding deals of 129 startups in 12 countries across the MENA, which brought in around $475 million worth of... Rana Freifer • 14 January, 2018 MENABytes Dubai MENA