The True Price of Scaling AI in the UAE
The United Arab Emirates is rapidly scaling AI, with 76% of enterprises already deploying sector‑specific systems and the domestic market projected to reach $4.74 billion by 2031. Government incentives, free‑zone ecosystems, and regulatory sandboxes have created a fertile environment for AI experimentation and growth. However, firms face rising compute, talent, and cybersecurity costs, especially SMEs, and must navigate over‑automation, bias, and vendor lock‑in risks. Success will hinge on treating AI as a cultural transformation, investing in reskilling, governance, and human‑centric service models.
Saudi Fintech CASHIN Raises $16 Million Series A Led by Impact46
Saudi fintech CASHIN secured $16 million in a Series A round led by Impact46, bringing total funding to $17.6 million. The AI-enabled platform integrates financial and operational functions for fuel station operators, linking pumps, tanks, payments and ancillary services. CASHIN serves major brands...
Saudi Cybersecurity Startup Solidrange Raises $2.4 Million Seed Round
Saudi cybersecurity startup Solidrange closed a $2.4 million seed round, led by Sharaka Capital with participation from Sadu Capital, SEEDRA Ventures and Tali Ventures. Founded in 2023, the Riyadh‑based firm offers AI‑powered Governance, Risk and Compliance automation and a cybersecurity awareness...
ZIWO Raises Strategic Debt Investment From Amplify Growth Fund
UAE‑based AI contact‑centre platform ZIWO has secured a strategic growth credit investment from Ajeej Capital’s Amplify Growth Fund, with the amount undisclosed. The funding will finance ZIWO’s expansion across the GCC, deepen regional partnerships, and accelerate the rollout of advanced...
Saudi BNPL Madfu Closes $25.5 Million Pre-Series A
Saudi fintech Madfu secured $25.5 million (SAR 95 million) in a pre‑Series A round led by Afaq Capital, with angel investors participating. Founded in 2022, the startup offers Sharia‑compliant Buy‑Now‑Pay‑Later services that split purchases into up to six interest‑free installments. The capital will fund...
Shorooq, PayLater Sign MOU to Explore Institutional Credit Facility
UAE‑based investment firm Shorooq has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Qatar’s first QCB‑licensed, Sharia‑compliant BNPL provider PayLater to explore a scalable, institutional‑grade credit facility. The proposed financing would be non‑dilutive and aligned with Sharia principles, giving PayLater capital to...
CedarBridge Begins Deploying Third Private Equity Fund Across the GCC
CedarBridge Partners has started deploying capital from its third private equity vehicle, CedarBridge High Growth III (CBHG III), a $150 million fund aimed at building platform businesses in education, healthcare, beauty, wellness and pet care across the GCC. Managed by Access...
Qatar’s SkipCash Raises $4 Million Series A
Qatar‑based fintech SkipCash closed a $4 million Series A round, drawing investors such as Qatar Development Bank, Qatar Islamic Insurance, KBN Holding, Finjan Venture, Ula Capital and Doha Tech Angels. The funding will be used to upgrade its smart payments stack, broaden...
Shorooq Deepens Doha Roots as Snoonu Founder Backs Its Growth and AI Funds
UAE‑based Shorooq announced that Hamad Al‑Hajri, founder of delivery platform Snoonu, will invest in both its newly launched late‑stage growth fund and its global AI fund. The growth vehicle is backed by the Qatar Investment Authority, while the AI strategy...
Mersal Media Capital Secures $1.3 Million in First Funding Round
Mersal Media Capital, a Saudi‑based media‑focused investment platform founded by Abdulwahid Alhumaid and Anas Al Humaid, closed its first funding round with SAR 5 million ($1.33 million) from an unnamed private fund. The capital will be deployed to accelerate growth, enhance operational readiness,...
MUHIDE Closes Series A Round Backed by Asyad Group
MUHIDE has closed a Series A round backed by Asyad Group, marking a key milestone for the Saudi fintech’s mission to modernise B2B trade. The undisclosed‑amount funding will be used to expand the team, enhance platform capabilities, and accelerate the creation...
Jordan’s Alefredo EdTech Acquires UK's Tutor House in $600,000 Deal
Jordan-based Alefredo EdTech has completed the acquisition of UK tutoring platform Tutor House for $600,000, primarily via equity in Alefredo Holding Company with performance‑based add‑ons. Tutor House brings a network of over 30,000 tutors serving more than 15,000 students worldwide,...
Egypt’s Tactful AI Raises $1 Million Pre-Series A to Scale Agentic CX
Tactful AI, an Egyptian CX platform specializing in agentic AI, secured $1 million in a pre‑Series A round co‑led by Foras AI and M Empire. The funding will bolster growth in Egypt, validate expansion across EMEA, and accelerate R&D to enhance scalability...
InvestSky Expands Into Saudi Arabia Following $4 Million Seed Round
InvestSky, a UAE‑based fintech, closed a $4 million seed round, bringing its total capital to $7.4 million, and secured a Financial Technology Experimental Permit from Saudi Arabia’s Capital Market Authority. The company announced its market entry through a pioneering partnership with anb...
Egypt Introduces Unified Framework to Support Startups
Egypt has unveiled the Egypt Startup Charter, its first government‑backed framework dedicated to nurturing startups and entrepreneurship. The charter, shaped by a year of consultations with 15 ministries and over 250 ecosystem stakeholders, defines startups officially and bundles incentives, a...
UAE Startup ThrowMeNot Secures $550k Pre-Seed
UAE‑based ThrowMeNot closed a $550,000 pre‑seed round led by Sheikh Ahmed bin Mana Al Maktoum. The startup, founded in 2025 by Archie Rudyuk, operates a marketplace for near‑expiry and surplus food, offering discounts up to 90% and currently lists over 2,700...
Saudi Fintech SiFi Raises $20 Million Series A Led by Ra’ed Ventures
Saudi fintech Simplified Financial Solutions Company (SiFi) secured a $20 million Series A round led by Ra’ed Ventures, with participation from QED Investors, Breyer Capital, MEVP and several local backers. The financing follows a $10 million seed round, bringing total capital raised to...
Zain Hosts Demo Day for Regional Startup Accelerator Zain Great Idea
Kuwait‑based Zain Group staged a Demo Day for its flagship accelerator Zain Great Idea, showcasing eleven tech startups from six Arab markets. The event marked the programme’s final milestone and opened pathways for investment and strategic partnerships. Zain Ventures paired...
UAE Fintech Omnispay Raises $2 Million Pre-Series A
Omnispay, a UAE fintech founded in 2022, closed a $2 million pre‑Series A round led by Infinity Value Capital Group. The capital will fund its shift from a rapid‑settlement payments provider to a comprehensive SME finance platform offering cash‑flow management, collections, payments,...
Routech Express Bags $1 Million Pre-Seed
Saudi‑based logistics tech startup Routech Express closed a SAR 3.75 million ($1 million) pre‑seed round led by Q Fund, with angel participation. The platform aggregates multiple carriers, delivering instant price comparison, booking, payment and tracking through a single digital interface. Funds will accelerate...
Syrian Agritech Nutra-GreeniX Secures $200K Seed Round
Syrian agritech startup Nutra-GreeniX closed a $200,000 seed round led by EBLA Ventures, with participation from Syrian and Saudi angel investors. Founded in 2024, the company delivers clean‑energy‑powered nutritional solutions for the livestock sector. The capital will fund expansion of...
Jazr.io Closes $213K Pre-Seed to Scale AI-Powered Accounting Platform
Saudi Arabia’s Jazr.io, a SaaS platform for restaurant accounting, closed a SAR 800,000 ($213,000) pre‑seed round led by angel investors. Founded in 2024 by Mohammed Almoshwah, the solution combines inventory management with AI‑driven financial automation for cafés and eateries. The...
Smart Bricks Closes $5 Million Pre-Seed to Automate Real Estate Investing
Smart Bricks, a Dubai‑based proptech startup, closed a $5 million pre‑seed round led by Andreessen Horowitz’s a16z Speedrun, with participation from global funds and angels. The company is building an AI‑native infrastructure that automates the end‑to‑end real‑estate investment workflow, compressing a...