Saudi Arabia-based AI startup vminds.ai has closed a six-figure pre-Seed investment round from undisclosed angel investors. Founded by Ahmed Al-Mashhadi, vminds.ai is an intelligent, self-learning platform that consolidates over 150 AI tools from global companies into a single platform.  The new funds will enhance vminds.ai during the official launch of its platform for individuals, as…

Egypt-based fintech Khazna has closed a $16 million pre-Series B funding round.  The round saw participation from new and existing investors, including SANAD Fund for MSME, anb Seed Fund, Aljazira Capital, Khwarizmi Ventures, Nclude, ICU Ventures, Quona, Speedinvest and Disruptech Ventures. Launched in 2020 by Omar Saleh, Ahmed Wagueeh and Fatimah El Shenawy, Khazna aims to…

Qatar-based VC firm Rasmal Ventures LLC has secured funding from Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) as part of its Fund of Funds programme. The investment will fund Rasmal Venture’s inaugural homegrown VC fund, Rasmal Innovation Fund I LLC, which targets high-performance startups and scales up across sectors, including fintech, B2B SaaS, healthtech and AI. Rasmal Innovation Fund…

After 11 years of being forcibly displaced, I’ve returned to Syria and found a country that has endured years of collapse yet feels ready to rebuild. Every entrepreneur I’ve met has expressed not only their willingness but also their determination to help their country rise from its devastation. What I heard wasn’t just enthusiasm—it was…

UAE-based visa-as-a-service platform VISARUN.AI has raised $700,000 in pre-seed funding from unnamed angel investors.  Founded in 2024 by Vladimir Indjikian and Alena Iakina, VISARUN.AI is a visa-as-a-service platform that streamlines visa processing, which reduces manual labour by up to 70%. The investment will fuel the company's platform development, sales team expansion, and stretching footprint in…

Press release: Yuze, a UAE-based fully digital business banking platform, is set to expand its operations to India in the second quarter  of 2025. Designed to serve the needs of micro and small businesses (SMEs) and freelancers, Yuze offers  comprehensive financial solutions aimed at supporting local businesses and fuelling growth in India’s fast-evolving  economy.  India’s…

Egypt-based Beltone Venture Capital, the VC arm of Beltone Holding, has invested in Morocco’s LNKO for an undisclosed amount. Founded in 2020 by Maha Bennani, LNKO provides direct-to-customer (D2C) eyewear options, including sunglasses and optical frames, and claims to have served over 100,000 clients. LNKO plans to use the investment to uphold expansion plans across…

Meta AI officially launches in the MENA region Fully available in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Morocco, and Iraq—with more countries launching soon Accessible for free without prior registration across all Meta’s apps Now available in Arabic Press release: Today, Meta announced the expansion of its AI assistant, Meta AI, to the Middle East…

The MENA e-commerce market saw a 30%+ increase in online orders, with Saudi Arabia and the UAE leading in Gross Merchandise Value (GMV), according to Flowwow & Admitad Report. The UAE’s online orders grew by 7%, and Saudi Arabia’s by 9%, outperforming the MENA average of 5%. The regional Average Order Value (AOV) increased from…

UAE-based healthtech BioSapien has extended its pre-Series A funding round  to $7 million, joined by new investors like Golden  Gate Ventures, marking the first deployment of its dedicated MENA Fund.  Founded in 2018 by Khatija Ali, BioSapien offers a flagship product, MediChip™, which is a drug delivery, 3D-printed, slow-release delivery platform attachable to any tissue…