StartupsMENA

📊 Tracking the pulse of innovation across the Middle East & North Africa.
🚀 Funding news, founder stories & ecosystem insights.
🌍

[StartupsMENA @StartupsMENA]

🚀 KAARV unveils Milestone 1.0 at ICIE Deal Room in Dubai — a validation for international readiness

@KAARV IT Consultancy FZ-LLC, a healthcare technology company incorporated in RAKEZ, UAE, unveiled "KAARV Milestone 1.0" at the International Council for Innovators & Entrepreneurs (ICIE) Deal Room in Dubai as a step toward cross-border expansion and investor engagement.

Congratulations to @Raghunath Rappin and the entire @KAARV IT Consultancy FZ-LLC team!

Key highlights:
✅ Healthtech startup showcased "Milestone 1.0" to prepare for international markets and strategic partnerships.
✅ Event placed KAARV in a curated pipeline connecting innovators with mentors, investors and market opportunities.
✅ RAKEZ incorporation and ICIE endorsement position the company for cross-border expansion and investor access.

Incorporated in the Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone (RAKEZ), KAARV is a UAE healthtech firm focusing on readiness for market entry, investor engagement and strategic partnerships.

The UAE ecosystem continues to offer platforms and support for startups seeking international growth and investment opportunities. 🇦🇪

🔗 Full story: https://t.co/V5rhDklxn1

#MENA #Healthtech #UAE #Expansion #ICIE #RAKEZ #KAARV

[StartupsMENA @StartupsMENA]

🚀 Labby raises $10M to build Syria’s first major super app

@Labby, a newly launched Syrian super app combining ride-hailing, parcel delivery and other on-demand services, has secured $10 million in fresh investment in a Damascus signing ceremony.

💰 $10 million financing from a group of domestic and foreign investors

Key highlights:
✅ Building a unified mobile and web platform that merges transportation, delivery and related digital services
✅ Funding positions Labby as one of the largest disclosed tech investments in Syria to date
✅ Aims to expand service verticals and attract Syrian talent back to the local digital economy

Newly launched, Labby is a Syrian logistics/tech platform focused on integrating transportation and delivery services into a single user experience.

The deal signals growing investor interest in Syria’s nascent tech ecosystem and could kickstart broader platform plays across the region 🌍

🔗 Full story: https://t.co/TEmDFJoEdV

#MENA #Logistics #Syria #StartupFunding #SuperApp #Investment #Tech

[StartupsMENA @StartupsMENA]

🚀 Abu Dhabi launches TWO direct bus routes to Mohamed bin Zayed City Etihad Rail station

@AbuDhabiMobility has launched two direct bus routes (MR1 and MR2) in Abu Dhabi, UAE, linking the Mohamed bin Zayed City Etihad Rail station with major bus terminals to improve first- and last-mile connectivity.

Key highlights:
✅ MR1 links Abu Dhabi’s Main Bus Station in Al Wahda to Mohamed bin Zayed City station; MR2 runs between Al Zahya Bus Station and the rail station.
✅ Services run seven days a week with journey times of about 50 minutes (MR1) and 47 minutes (MR2) and scheduled departures across the day.
✅ Full timetables and bookings are available via the Abu Dhabi Mobility website and the Darb app, integrating road-to-rail travel.

The Etihad Rail passenger line between Abu Dhabi and Fujairah opened to the public on June 30, offering faster inter-emirate journeys.

This move strengthens Abu Dhabi’s integrated transport network as the UAE expands its national rail and feeder services 🇦🇪

🔗 Full story: https://t.co/Bs2caojW58

#MENA #Transportation #UAE #EtihadRail #AbuDhabi #PublicTransport #Mobility

[StartupsMENA @StartupsMENA]

🏆 Saudi retains MENA e-government crown for 4th straight year — institutionalised digital transformation

@DigitalGovernmentAuthority (DGA), Saudi Arabia's national digital-government body, credits five factors for keeping the Kingdom top of the E-Government and Mobile Government Services Maturity Index across MENA.

Key highlights:
✅ Integrated collaboration across government entities to streamline services and procedures.
✅ Development of national digital infrastructure and expanded electronic services across sectors.
✅ Adoption of emerging technologies, especially AI, with a focus on beneficiary experience and satisfaction metrics.

The DGA drives digital government initiatives to simplify procedures, speed transactions and improve service quality across public sectors.

Saudi Arabia’s continued leadership underscores progress toward Vision 2030 and strengthens the Kingdom’s standing in regional and global digital-government rankings. 🇸🇦

🔗 Full story: https://t.co/VJU6mlkevb

#DigitalGovernment #SaudiArabia #AI #DigitalTransformation #GovTech #MENA

[StartupsMENA @StartupsMENA]

💰 £~30M Series A pushes Arrakis to scale industrial AI across EU, US & Middle East

@Arrakis, a London-based industrial AI deployment platform, has raised roughly $38M (including a $30M Series A led by Blossom Capital and a $7.5M seed from Accel) to triple headcount, boost security and expand internationally.

💰 $30M Series A led by Blossom Capital; seed backed by Accel

Congratulations to @Rafael Quintanilla and the entire @Arrakis team!

Key highlights:
✅ Deploys model‑agnostic AI agents into mission‑critical industrial workflows without replacing legacy systems
✅ Enables organisations in aerospace, manufacturing, logistics, energy and construction to train/manage custom agents with strict data ownership
✅ Links commercial fees to customer outcomes and has delivered measurable gains like up to 90% faster procurement cycles

Founded January 2026 to help heavy industries digitise operations while keeping control over performance, cost and security.

A big vote of confidence for industrial AI adoption across markets — and a boost for cross‑border expansion into the Middle East and beyond. 🌍

🔗 Full story: https://t.co/yH1xvcjlbG

#MENA #AI #UK #SeriesA #StartupFunding #IndustrialTech #Arrakis

[StartupsMENA @StartupsMENA]

🏆 LuLu Group pledges INR 4,000 crore for massive mixed-use project in Ahmedabad — 15,000 jobs promised

@LuLuGroup, a UAE retail and real-estate conglomerate, announced an INR 4,000 crore (AED 1.53 billion) investment for a mixed‑use development in Ahmedabad — a mall, five‑star hotel, furnished residences, plus plans for a Food Park and fish‑processing plant.

💰 Announcement: LuLu Group investment (no funding round disclosed)

Congratulations to @Yusuff Ali M.A. and the entire @LuLuGroup team!

Key highlights:
✅ INR 4,000 crore mixed‑use project on nearly 21 acres in Ahmedabad including mall, hotel and residences.
✅ Project is expected to create more than 15,000 jobs in Gujarat and includes plans for a Food Park and fish‑processing plant.
✅ Announcement made at Investopia Dialogues, which mobilised UAE‑India investments across AI, advanced manufacturing, logistics, tourism and food security.

LuLu Group is a UAE retail and real‑estate company that announced the Ahmedabad project to drive jobs and local economic activity through retail, hospitality and food‑processing infrastructure.

This signals deeper UAE‑India economic integration and private‑sector mobilisation for tech‑led, future‑ready projects — a trend with regional implications. 🌍

🔗 Full story: https://t.co/whhVyqwkuT

#MENA #Retail #RealEstate #India #UAE #Investment #AI #EconomicCorridor

[StartupsMENA @StartupsMENA]

🚀 Tamkeen and M42 to launch Amana Academy, roll out AI clinical assistant and boost Bahrainisation

@Tamkeen (Labour Fund) of Bahrain has signed an MoU with @M42, a UAE-based global health company, to establish the Amana Academy, introduce AI-driven digital health tools, and expand training and employment programmes across Bahrain’s healthcare sector.

Congratulations to @H.E. Maha Abdulhameed Mofeez and the entire @Tamkeen team!
Congratulations to @Dr. Mohamed Ameen Al Saati and the entire @M42 team!

Key highlights:
✅ Establishment of Amana Academy, a simulation-based training centre at Amana Healthcare Bahrain (opening Q4 2026).
✅ Introduction of digital healthcare tools including an AI-powered clinical assistant and a patient application.
✅ Targeted training and employment programmes to increase Bahrainisation and strengthen the national healthcare workforce.

The partnership builds on existing collaboration with Amana Healthcare Bahrain — the Kingdom’s first long-term care and post-acute rehabilitation hospital — to develop national talent and enhance specialist services in the health sector.

This deal strengthens Bahrain’s healthcare capacity and public-private collaboration in the region. 🇧🇭

🔗 Full story: https://t.co/Oh1RVlwLh5

#MENA #Healthtech #Bahrain #AI #Healthcare #WorkforceDevelopment #Expansion

[StartupsMENA @StartupsMENA]

🚀 Reme-D raises $1.45M pre-Series A to scale diagnostics in Egypt

Cairo-based @Reme-D, a healthtech startup tackling diagnostic capacity gaps across labs, equipment, turnaround times and trained technicians, has closed a $1.45M pre-Series A to extend runway and prove scale.

💰 Pre-Series A led by Anara Impact Capital, with participation from Global Innovation Fund and Africa Health Ventures

Congratulations to @Salma Tammam, @Mohamed Hussain and the entire @Reme-D team!

Key highlights:
✅ Builds diagnostic capacity across labs, equipment, turnaround times and technician training.
✅ Attracts a syndicate blending impact, development finance and sector-specific investors.
✅ Signals investor interest in patient, impact-focused healthtech in Egypt and the region.

Reme-D is a Cairo-based healthtech startup at pre-Series A focused on addressing diagnostic capacity bottlenecks in African health systems.

This raise underscores Egypt’s role as a bridge for impact and sector-focused capital between Africa and the Middle East. 🇪🇬

🔗 Full story: https://t.co/LqHoBVp5GG

#MENA #Healthtech #Egypt #PreSeriesA #Diagnostics #StartupFunding

[StartupsMENA @StartupsMENA]

📈 **RECORD: Saudi Arabia raises SR5.35bn (~$1.42bn) in July sukuk issuance**

@SaudiArabia raised SR5.35 billion (about $1.42 billion) in July through its SR‑denominated sukuk program across five tranches maturing between 2031 and 2041, the National Debt Management Center (NDMC) said.

💰 Raised SR5.35bn (~$1.42bn) via July sukuk issuance across five tranches (2031–2041).

Key highlights:
✅ The issuance forms part of the government’s annual borrowing plan to meet financing needs and extend public debt maturities.
✅ The NDMC split July’s issuance into five tranches (SR3.83bn for 2031; SR515m for 2033; SR204m for 2036; SR300m for 2039; SR500m for 2041).
✅ The sukuk program aims to tap Islamic liquidity pools, build domestic yield curves, and deepen capital markets.

Founded facts: This is part of Saudi Arabia’s sovereign debt management strategy to balance Vision 2030 spending and develop market infrastructure.

This continued sukuk activity shows Saudi Arabia’s drive to manage financing and deepen capital markets — a key signal for the Gulf region’s fiscal trajectory. 🇸🇦

🔗 Full story: https://t.co/RCgodIiNEu

#MENA #SovereignDebt #SaudiArabia #Sukuk #PublicFinance #DebtIssuance #CapitalMarkets

[StartupsMENA @StartupsMENA]

🚀 Hydrovest scales home hydroponics into research-focused agtech at QSTP

@Hydrovest Technology has turned a family hydroponics hobby into a research-focused agricultural startup at Qatar Science & Technology Park, developing soilless systems and education tailored for Qatar’s arid climate.

Congratulations to @Jeacim Francis Adaya and the entire @Hydrovest Technology team!

Key highlights:
✅ Develops soilless hydroponic systems engineered for extreme heat and limited water in Qatar
✅ Combines education, community workshops and product development to boost local adoption
✅ Focuses on affordable, entry-level solutions for families, schools and small entrepreneurs

Founded by former accountant Jeacim Francis Adaya after home experiments and community workshops during the Covid-19 pandemic; operates as a research project at QSTP in the agtech sector.

Hydrovest’s work addresses localised food-security and accessibility to modern farming in Qatar’s arid environment. 🇶🇦

🔗 Full story: https://t.co/5Oy2Uo46qH

#MENA #Agtech #Qatar #Seed #Hydroponics #FoodSecurity

[StartupsMENA @StartupsMENA]

🚀 ADIA tees up a big Jersey Mike’s IPO exit — UAE pushes trade ties and emergency customs kept AED 33.9bn moving

@Adia (Abu Dhabi Investment Authority), the UAE sovereign investor, is selling a 5%+ stake in US sandwich chain Jersey Mike’s ahead of its US IPO as the UAE ramps up trade diplomacy beyond the GCC‑UK deal.

💰 IPO: selling shares alongside majority owner Blackstone as Jersey Mike’s plans to market about 43.5m shares at USD 21–25 each.

Key highlights:
✅ Adia is reducing exposure via a secondary sale ahead of Jersey Mike’s IPO — part of broader sovereign capital activity.
✅ Dubai Customs’ emergency measures kept AED 33.9 billion of trade flowing and provided AED 79 million in liquidity relief to 428 companies.
✅ The UAE is pursuing a standalone CEPA with the UK and exploring CPTPP accession to deepen trade, investment and skilled worker mobility.

Adia is Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth investor active in large stakes and secondary transactions across global markets.

This signals growing UAE ambition to link sovereign capital moves with broader trade diplomacy and supply‑chain resilience. 🇦🇪

🔗 Full story: https://t.co/ajYParMBjL

#MENA #SovereignWealth #UAE #IPO #SovereignInvestment #TradePolicy

[StartupsMENA @StartupsMENA]

📈 Saudi AI-native startups scaling at 150% — outpace regional & global peers, AWS report

@AmazonWebServices, the cloud provider, says its "Engines of Growth" report finds Saudi AI-native startups are scaling faster, with higher revenue per employee and deeper cloud and proprietary AI adoption than traditional and global peers.

Key highlights:
✅ Saudi AI-native firms report average annual revenue growth of 150% and are almost five times more likely than traditional Saudi startups to exceed $1M in annual revenue.
✅ Cloud adoption is nearly universal (98%) and 63% have developed proprietary AI capabilities, signaling technical independence and scalability.
✅ 72% of Saudi AI-native startups have a formal AI strategy and 48% generate more than $400,000 in revenue per employee, outperforming the broader local startup base.

The report surveyed 3,413 startup founders and senior leaders across 20 countries to examine the rise of AI-native firms.

Saudi Arabia’s investment in digital infrastructure, AI development and startup support tied to Vision 2030 is helping convert technical advantages into commercial growth. 🇸🇦

🔗 Full story: https://t.co/CPPxsBrAeW

#MENA #AI #Cloud #SaudiArabia #StartupReport #ScaleUps #Vision2030

[StartupsMENA @StartupsMENA]

🚀 Samsung in talks to invest hundreds of millions in Mistral — possible €20B valuation

@Mistral is a French AI startup reportedly in talks with Samsung to take part in a funding round, as markets watch AI investment flows and tech earnings.

💰 Samsung reportedly in talks to invest “hundreds of millions of euros”; deal could value Mistral at about €20 billion.

Key highlights:
✅ Mistral is a France-based AI startup attracting major strategic investor interest.
✅ Samsung discussions pushed regional tech moves, with Samsung Electronics shares rising over 4%.
✅ The potential deal underscores investor appetite for AI even as markets await earnings clarity.

Mistral is a French AI startup (no founding year provided in the report) focused on AI development.

This signals strong global AI investor interest that could have knock-on effects for tech ecosystems worldwide. 🌍

🔗 Full story: https://t.co/9VhyA8NPFr

#MENA #AI #France #Samsung #StartupFunding #TechInvesting #Funding

[StartupsMENA @StartupsMENA]

🚀 OpenAI launches its first commercial hires in Israel to build local partnerships

@OpenAI, the US AI company behind ChatGPT, has begun building a commercial presence in Israel by hiring local business development staff to engage startups and enterprises, focusing on sales and partnerships rather than engineering initially.

💰 (no investors disclosed)

Key highlights:
✅ Hiring first local business development team to engage Israel’s high-tech sector and startups.
✅ Recruiting a senior Israeli executive (ex-AWS for Startups Israel) to lead EMEA efforts while focusing on Israel.
✅ Plans to deepen engagement via events with AWS, additional hires, and a possible future country manager.

OpenAI is expanding its commercial operations into Israel to capture enterprise customers and local AI startups amid rapid local adoption of generative AI.

This move underscores the strategic importance of Israel’s AI ecosystem to global vendors and the wider region. 🌍

🔗 Full story: https://t.co/vPqpZ8rFJ2

#MENA #AI #Israel #OpenAI #Expansion #EnterpriseAI #StartupEngagement

[StartupsMENA @StartupsMENA]

🚀 Launch Africa makes 15 new early-stage bets and returns ~USD 2.5M to investors

@Launch Africa Ventures, a pan-African early-stage VC, completed 15 new investments in 2026 across AI, embedded finance, B2B commerce, supply chains and the future of work.

💰 Returned approximately USD 2.5 million from Launch Africa Seed Fund I after 11 portfolio exits (DPI-positive).

Key highlights:
✅ Backs over 180 companies across 25 African countries, investing from pre-seed to pre-Series A.
✅ Focused on first cheques to underwrite company formation in underfunded markets and build the Series A pipeline.
✅ New cohort spans agritech, fintech, logistics, SaaS and e-commerce, widening its Francophone, North, West and Southern Africa footprint.

Founded in 2020, Launch Africa Ventures is a venture capital firm that supports early-stage startups and addresses the funding gap in company formation.

This signals continued early-stage momentum for African startups and the importance of seed investors in building future growth — 🌍

🔗 Full story: https://t.co/bwbsVJFSW0

#VentureCapital #Africa #Seed #MENA #StartupFunding #Fintech #Agritech

[StartupsMENA @StartupsMENA]

🏆 RECORD: @Riyadh Air received six Boeing 787s in 30 days to accelerate its launch

@Riyadh Air is a Saudi startup airline building an international widebody fleet to speed its commercial launch and expansion.

💰 Backed by the kingdom’s Public Investment Fund.

Congratulations to @Tony Douglas and the entire @Riyadh Air team!

Key highlights:
✅ Took delivery of six Boeing 787 widebodies within a 30-day period, with two more expected within two weeks.
✅ Firmed orders for 34 additional widebodies at Farnborough (28 Boeing 787s and six Airbus A350-1000s).
✅ Current network includes Cairo, Madrid, Malaga and Dubai, with Dhaka, Kuala Lumpur and Manchester imminent.

Riyadh Air is a Saudi aviation startup accelerating fleet buildup after supply-chain and cabin certification delays to meet its long-term goal of 100+ international destinations by 2030.

This is a major moment for Saudi aviation and Vision 2030 ambitions. 🇸🇦

🔗 Full story: https://t.co/1f8cRogUEm

#MENA #Aviation #SaudiArabia #Seed #FleetExpansion #StartupFunding #Airlines

[StartupsMENA @StartupsMENA]

🚀 Khalifa Fund reconfigures financing into 7 targeted programmes to boost Emirati SMEs

@KhalifaFundForEnterpriseDevelopment has overhauled its financing ecosystem into seven integrated programmes to support Emirati entrepreneurs, startups and SMEs across inception, growth and digital transformation in the UAE (announced 20 July 2026).

Key highlights:
✅ Seven tailored loan programmes (from First-time Founders to Expansion Loan) covering start-up capital, working capital, fixed assets and scaling needs.
✅ New AI & Robotics Loan to accelerate advanced tech adoption and drive digital transformation in SMEs.
✅ Financing decisions now linked to economic and social impact to channel capital into high-value national opportunities.

KFED is a UAE enterprise development fund focused on addressing financing gaps for Emirati businesses and improving competitiveness across the SME sector.

This strategic redesign strengthens Abu Dhabi and the UAE’s SME ecosystem and supports the Falcon Economy 🇦🇪

🔗 Full story: https://t.co/3KNJvMIWuC

#MENA #Finance #UAE #SMEs #AI #Entrepreneurship #KhalifaFund

[StartupsMENA @StartupsMENA]

🔥 Top 10 deals ate 58% of Gulf funding in H1 2026 — venture capital softened across the region

@Hub71 is a Mubadala-backed tech hub/accelerator in the UAE that supports startups with cash and services and kept cohorts in place despite regional conflict.

💰 Startup Qatar has paid $51 million to 45 firms; Golden Gate Ventures raised a $100 million MENA fund from Qatari families.

Congratulations to @Jeremy Savory and the entire @Savory & Partners team!

Key highlights:
✅ Hub71’s February intake drew nearly 2,500 applicants for 27 places and pays each startup AED 250,000 cash plus AED 250,000 in services (about US$136,000).
✅ Venture funding across MENA fell in H1 2026 (MAGNiTT: $1.35B, Wamda: $1.7B) with capital clustering in a few very large rounds and a weakening middle market.
✅ Gulf startup programmes tie funding to local residency (Hub71, Startup Qatar), keeping founders in-market through conflict and incentivising long-term relocation.

Hub71 is a UAE tech hub/accelerator that provides cash, services and residency-linked support to startups.

The Gulf’s ecosystem shows resilience but a softer funding environment and more capital concentration amid regional tensions. 🇦🇪

🔗 Full story: https://t.co/nY4cfc2Cjr

#MENA #Tech #UAE #StartupPrograms #Residency #Hub71 #StartupFunding

[StartupsMENA @StartupsMENA]

🏆 Palmear’s AI‑acoustics have helped save millions of date palms from the Red Palm Weevil

@Palmear, an agtech deep‑tech startup in the UAE, developed patented AI‑acoustics that detect the invasive Red Palm Weevil and has achieved field‑validated deployments after four years of development.

💰 Funded via personal capital, angel and corporate investors, venture capital and support from the Mohammed Bin Rashid Innovation Fund.

Congratulations to @Zeid Sinokrot and the entire @Palmear team!

Key highlights:
✅ Built a field‑validated AI model trained on over 700,000 minutes of on‑farm audio to detect the pest in real-world conditions.
✅ Transitioned a lab prototype into a robust outdoor solution that growers have adopted and validated on farms.
✅ Aims to scale to millions of farmers and expand agricultural and environmental intelligence across markets.

Founded by Jordanian engineer Zeid Sinokrot, Palmear moved to Abu Dhabi in late 2019 and spent four years refining its product to solve pest detection for date palms.

The UAE’s regulatory and commercial environment continues to attract deep‑tech agtech ventures tackling regional agricultural challenges. 🇦🇪

🔗 Full story: https://t.co/F3PH54kanN

#Agtech #UAE #Seed #MENA #AI #StartupFunding

[StartupsMENA @StartupsMENA]

🚀 Syrian startup secures undisclosed investment as regional investors return to Damascus

A Syrian technology startup announced a new, undisclosed investment at an event in Damascus on July 20; the gathering brought regional investors from Saudi Arabia and the UAE and was held under the patronage of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology with Minister Abdulsalam Haykal in attendance.

💰 Investment announced; attendees included regional investors from Saudi Arabia and the UAE

Key highlights:
✅ The startup announced a new, undisclosed investment at a Damascus event on July 20.
✅ The meeting was held under the National Tech Startups Agenda to attract regional capital.
✅ Officials framed it as a step to rebuild Syria’s digital infrastructure and reopen the market to investors.

The unnamed company is a Syrian technology startup focused on building digital services and capacity in Syria.

This event was presented as a symbolic reopening of Syria to regional venture capital and startup investment, a milestone for the MENA ecosystem. 🌍

🔗 Full story: https://t.co/iekZgfAZ0p

#Tech #Syria #MENA #StartupFunding #Investment #NationalTechStartupsAgenda