Latest
News
+2
Jul 22, 2025
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2 min read
500 Global launches $300M Sustainable Growth initiative from new Abu Dhabi base
Leading the new practice is Dr. Alaa Murabit, a former executive at the Gates Foundation and one of the architects behind the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Oman
+1
Jul 22, 2025
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2 min read
ZabonEx raises $100K to improve food forecasting across Oman’s F&B sector
Founded in 2023 by Hatim Moosa and Almuhannad Al Balushi, ZabonEx delivers real-time, customer-level demand forecasts for F&B producers, distributors, and retailers. The goal is simple but pressing: help businesses reduce overproduction, cut waste, and better align inventory with actual consumption patterns.
News
+1
Jul 22, 2025
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3 min read
Qlub raises $30M to take UAE-born dining payments platform global
Founded in 2021 by Eyad Alkassar and Mahmoud Fouz, Qlub's new funding round, co-led by long-time backers Shorooq Partners and Cherry Ventures, also saw participation from telecom giant e&, sovereign investor Mubadala, and Legend Capital.
News
+2
Jul 18, 2025
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2 min read
A15 hits 10x DPI on Fund I, joining rarefied ranks of global VCs
Among those, two exits returned the entire fund: TPAY Mobile, acquired by Helios Investment Partners, and Connect Ads, sold to Aleph Group. A15’s most recent liquidity event came in early 2025 with the sale of Link Development to Beyon Solutions, a move that capped the fund’s return trajectory.
AI
+2
Jul 18, 2025
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3 min read
Meta acquires PlayAI, the voice AI startup co-founded by Egyptian engineer Mahmoud Felfel
While financial terms were not disclosed, the acquisition comes just months after PlayAI raised $21 million in seed funding from Kindred Ventures, 500 Global, Y Combinator, and others.
Fintech
+4
Jul 17, 2025
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4 min read
Tabby's tightrope: inside the numbers
Unpacking Tabby’s Q1 2025 numbers in Saudi Arabia – profit surge, credit‐loss drag, break‐neck revenue growth, and the leverage‐heavy funding stack behind the Middle East’s most valuable VC‐backed fintech company.
Fintech
+4
Jul 15, 2025
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3 min read
PALM raises 7-figure pre-seed round to become the Mediterranean’s go-to savings platform
The startup, founded in 2024 by Mazen El Kerdany and Ahmed Ashour, is reimagining how Egyptians approach saving – not by telling them to cut back, but by embedding smart, goal-based nudges and curated investment options directly into everyday financial decisions.
Fintech
+3
Jul 15, 2025
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3 min read
ORA Technologies closes $7.5M Series A to deepen digital payments and last-mile reach in Morocco
Founded by Omar Alami in 2023, ORA has taken an ambitious swing at building Morocco’s first true super-app, combining P2P transfers, e-commerce, social networking, chat, on-demand services, and a forthcoming mobile wallet in a single interface.
Startups
+4
Jul 14, 2025
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3 min read
Saudi's Lucidya raises $30M Series B led by Impact46 to expand Arabic-language AI and digital workforce offering
Founded in 2016 by Abdullah Asiri and Dr. Zuhair Khayyat, Lucidya built one of the first Arabic-first AI engines in the region. Its proprietary language model now powers a unified CX platform used by enterprises in 11 countries across sectors including telecom, BFSI, healthcare, hospitality, and public services.
Fintech
+5
Jul 14, 2025
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2 min read
Saudi’s Yasmina raises $2M Seed to embed insurance into everyday transactions
Founded in 2023 by Masoud Alhelou and Bashar Abalkhail, Yasmina integrates insurance directly into digital customer journeys, via a single API, allowing platforms in HR, auto, real estate, travel, and point-of-sale to offer protection products at checkout.
