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WEEKLY ROUND-UP

Lebanese founder’s Kalshi hits $11B valuation, Tabby revenue jumps in Q3

Dec 5, 2025

Lebanese founder’s Kalshi hits $11B valuation, Tabby revenue jumps in Q3


LATEST STORIES

Dec 5, 2025

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2 min read

UAE renovation-tech startup Reno raises $4M to expand its end-to-end home upgrade platform across the GCC

Dec 4, 2025

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3 min read

Lebanese founder Tarek Mansour’s Kalshi raises $1B at an $11B valuation as prediction markets go mainstream

Dec 3, 2025

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3 min read

GlobalFoundries acquires Egypt’s InfiniLink months after its $10M seed round

Dec 3, 2025

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2 min read

Egypt’s Rology raises growth round from Philips Foundation, J&J, Sanofi and MIT Solve to scale AI-enabled teleradiology

Startups

+3

Lebanese founder Tarek Mansour’s Kalshi raises $1B at an $11B valuation as prediction markets go mainstream

Lebanese founder Tarek Mansour’s Kalshi raises $1B at an $11B valuation as prediction markets go mainstream

The latest round was led by Paradigm, with participation from Sequoia Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, CapitalG and several returning investors.

Jamie Lane

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Zazu raises $1M pre-seed to build a Mercury-style financial operating system for African SMEs

Dec 4, 2025

Zazu raises $1M pre-seed to build a Mercury-style financial operating system for African SMEs

GlobalFoundries acquires Egypt’s InfiniLink months after its $10M seed round

Dec 3, 2025

GlobalFoundries acquires Egypt’s InfiniLink months after its $10M seed round

Saudi cybersecurity startup COGNNA raises $9.2M Series A to scale AI-led security operations

Dec 3, 2025

Saudi cybersecurity startup COGNNA raises $9.2M Series A to scale AI-led security operations


The FWDstart Podcast is a weekly show at the intersection of venture capital, startups, and strategic industries shaping the MENA region.

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Nov 26, 2025

How the Gulf is Fighting for AI Supremacy on the Ocean Floor

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How the Gulf is Fighting for AI Supremacy on the Ocean Floor

Nov 12, 2025

FWDstart turns two years old

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FWDstart turns two years old

Nov 5, 2025

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🇦🇪 UAE

Dec 5, 2025

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3 min read

CoinMENA acquired by Paribu in up to $240M deal, marking Türkiye’s largest fintech transaction

Dec 5, 2025

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2 min read

UAE renovation-tech startup Reno raises $4M to expand its end-to-end home upgrade platform across the GCC

Nov 25, 2025

•

2 min read

Buildroid AI emerges from stealth with $2M pre-Seed led by Tim Draper to deploy AI robotics in UAE construction

🇸🇦 KSA

Dec 3, 2025

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3 min read

Saudi cybersecurity startup COGNNA raises $9.2M Series A to scale AI-led security operations

Nov 27, 2025

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3 min read

Saudi-based Erad secures $125M facility from Jefferies and Channel to scale embedded SME finance across the GCC

Nov 25, 2025

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2 min read

Strataphy raises $6M Seed to develop geothermal cooling systems for data centres and industrial infrastructure

🇪🇬 EGYPT

Dec 3, 2025

•

3 min read

GlobalFoundries acquires Egypt’s InfiniLink months after its $10M seed round

Dec 3, 2025

•

2 min read

Egypt’s Rology raises growth round from Philips Foundation, J&J, Sanofi and MIT Solve to scale AI-enabled teleradiology

Oct 1, 2025

•

2 min read

Aydi raises $7.5M seed to launch AI agronomy assistant Orth

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