The first week of 2026 has kicked off with significant momentum in startup funding across Africa and the Middle East. Major investments have been directed towards sectors such as cybersecurity, retail technology, fintech, blockchain, and agritech, indicating a strong investor confidence in these foundational areas.
DSShield, a cybersecurity firm in Saudi Arabia, secured a substantial $54 million from Merak Capital, making it one of the largest recent deals in the sector within the region. This funding will support the development of a national cybersecurity platform and help the company prepare for a potential public listing.
Rewaa, a retail technology company also based in Saudi Arabia, raised $45 million in a Series B round to enhance its AI-driven retail management platform aimed at small and medium-sized enterprises. This investment highlights the growing interest in retail infrastructure solutions.
In the fintech space, KaliSpot attracted $4 million in funding to expand its innovative ATM network across Africa, facilitating better integration of cash and digital financial services. The startup plans to extend its operations into new African markets, including Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, and Guinea.
Saudi startup Oumla is advancing its blockchain initiatives with new seed funding, focusing on digital asset infrastructure and applications in finance and real estate. Meanwhile, Egypt’s Croptimus is set to enhance its agritech solutions with undisclosed investment, aiming to transform agricultural waste into valuable bio-products.
Overall, this week’s funding activities underscore a strategic focus on building critical infrastructure in cybersecurity, retail, fintech, and agritech, setting a promising tone for the year ahead.
