A new wave of activity among MENA startups has produced funding rounds, regulatory approvals and product launches across construction tech, gaming, financial services, insurance, education and digital healthcare.
MENA startups secure diverse funding and licenses
The region saw capital directed toward technology development, market expansion and new products. Notable moves included Saudi private markets platform OORI receiving a Capital Market Authority licence to conduct arranging and advising activities and preparing to commence operations, and Qatar-based Rasmal Ventures joining Colombia-headquartered payments infrastructure company Yuno’s $45 million series B as the fintech establishes a Gulf Cooperation Council hub in Qatar.
Saudi deals: construction tech, gaming and regulated investing
Saudi construction technology platform Fitting raised $1.1 million in its second seed round, with participation from an undisclosed strategic investor in the contracting and real estate development sector. Founded in 2025 by Mohammed Al-Mubayed and Abdulaziz Al-Mubayad, Fitting builds digital tools to automate construction supply chains and streamline procurement; it will use the funding to expand across key Saudi markets, develop its technology infrastructure and strengthen technical and operational capabilities.
Jeddah-based game studio Majestic Mind Games has raised $1.45 million in a round co-led by Merak Capital and Impact46. Founded in 2023 by Lujain Al-Bukhari and Majed Anbar and backed by Neom, the studio develops original games primarily for PCs with selected console and mobile releases; the funding will support development of new titles for international markets and efforts to expand Saudi Arabia’s presence in the global gaming industry.
Saudi-based private markets investment platform OORI, founded in 2023 by Elie Nasr and Naif Al-Ajmi, provides qualified investors with regulated access to Shariah-compliant private market opportunities from pre-seed to pre-IPO stages. OORI raised a seven-figure dollar pre-seed round in 2024 from strategic investors, family offices and angel investors across Saudi Arabia, the GCC and Europe, with participants including Bunat Ventures and RZM Investments. The funding was used to build OORI’s technology platform, complete licensing and prepare for launch; the company plans to expand into additional alternative asset classes and lists tokenization, smart contracts and digital investment infrastructure on its longer-term roadmap.
Fintech and mobility: Yuno and Naran expand Gulf and regional reach
Yuno, founded in 2022 by Juan Pablo Ortega and Julian Nunez and headquartered in Colombia, connects businesses to more than 1,000 payment methods across 190 countries via a single API. Rasmal Ventures joined GrowthX Capital and Further Ventures in Yuno’s $45 million series B, a round led by Global PayTech Ventures and including participation from Andreessen Horowitz, Tiger Global and others. Yuno has expanded its Gulf presence through regulatory certification in Saudi Arabia and partnerships with Tap Payments and Tabby.
UAE mobility fintech Naran has raised $10 million in equity and debt financing from UAE investment firm Landel to expand its fleet and enter new markets, including the Middle East and North Africa. Founded in 2025 by Bayaskhalan Alexeev and Alexander Gubarev, Naran provides rent-to-own financing for cars and motorcycles to ride-hailing and delivery drivers and operates in Colombia, Peru, Senegal and Cote d’Ivoire, with plans to enter Paraguay in September. The company will use the funding to introduce new fintech products, offer its fleet management technology as a SaaS product to third-party operators and provide asset-backed financing for fleet expansion.
Insurtech, AI learning and customer intelligence funding
Bahrain-based insurtech Soor secured an undisclosed pre-seed investment from Spring, a venture studio backed by London-based Salica and Bahrain’s Al Waha Fund of Funds. Founded in 2024 by Mahmood Dhaif and Qasim Al-Baqali, Soor operates a digital platform that lets users compare and purchase policies from multiple insurers and is licensed by the Central Bank of Bahrain. The startup will use the investment to develop its platform, expand insurer partnerships and improve the customer experience while strengthening its presence in Bahrain and exploring regional expansion.
Egypt’s UMAMI E-Learning Solutions has launched a Learning Operating System supported by a phased investment plan exceeding 50 million Egyptian pounds (about $1 million). Founded in 2019 by Ahmed Seif El-Din, UMAMI builds digital learning and workforce development solutions for governments, educational institutions and enterprises; its AI-powered system connects learning, skills, workforce readiness, performance and institutional decision-making within a single platform. The investment will support system development and rollout across Egypt and the wider MENA region.
UAE customer intelligence startup Cobi raised $1 million in a pre-seed round led by Lunara Partners, with participation from Plug and Play, Annex Investments and Spring. Founded in 2024 by Darren Edmund and Botlhale Mosoane, Cobi’s AI-powered platform analyses behavioural, transactional, product and engagement data to identify changes in customer activity and recommend business actions; the funding will support enterprise deployments across the Middle East and international markets and further develop its recommendation and workflow automation capabilities.
Mental health and regional expansion
Berlin-based, Jordanian-founded digital mental health startup Arab Therapy raised $2 million in a pre-series A round led by Manara Ventures, with participation from Anara Impact Fund and Value Makers Studio. Founded in 2021 by Tareq Dalbah and Hekmat Al-Hasi, Arab Therapy provides Arabic-language mental healthcare via online sessions with licensed specialists, mental health content and AI-powered tools for individuals and corporate customers. The company will use the funding to expand in Saudi Arabia and across the wider Middle East while scaling its AI-enabled services; it previously closed a $1 million seed round in April 2024 led by Flat6Labs and Vision Health Pioneers.
The region’s recent deals and approvals highlight continued investor interest across sectors—from payments infrastructure and mobility financing to gaming, insurtech, edtech and digital healthcare—as companies deploy capital to scale products, enter new markets and develop technology capabilities.
