Author: Funding, Mergers & Acquisitions

Dubai-headquartered mobility technology company Swvl has secured a $13 million private investment in public equity (PIPE) led by Houston-based investment firm Coefficient LP, as the Nasdaq-listed company prepares to accelerate its expansion into the U.S. market. Coefficient, which is backed by Egypt’s Sawiris family, will invest $10 million and become Swvl’s largest institutional shareholder upon closing. An existing Swvl shareholder will contribute the remaining $3 million, while Abdalla Ali, Founder and Managing Partner of Coefficient, will join Swvl’s Board of Directors. Under the agreement, Swvl will issue 8.99 million Class A shares at $1.446 per share. The transaction is expected…

Saudi Arabia-based retail technology startup Raff has raised $1.7 million in a pre-seed funding round led by Vision Ventures, with participation from 500 Global, Palm VC, Oqal Group, Salla co-founder Salman Butt and other investors. Founded in 2024 by Ali Al Qudah and Abdul Kareem Munla, Raff is building a technology platform designed to help consumer brands expand into physical retail by connecting them directly with retailers and digitising the operational processes involved in distribution. The new funding will support Raff’s expansion across the GCC, accelerate product development and strengthen its artificial intelligence capabilities as the startup looks to build…

UAE-based AI and geospatial intelligence startup Stellaria, formerly known as Farmin, has raised $6.8 million (AED25 million) in a Seed funding round backed by a group of angel investors, at a valuation of $114.4 million (AED420 million). Founded by Dr. Ali AlHammadi, Stellaria is building what it describes as an AI-powered operating system for geospatial intelligence. The platform is designed to transform satellite imagery and other geospatial data into actionable intelligence, combining advanced AI models, analytical workflows and geospatial information within a unified system. The fresh capital will support the company’s next phase of growth, including further development of its…

Fasset, the AI-powered stablecoin neobanking platform founded by Mohammad Raafi Hossain and Daniel Ahmed, has raised $68 million in a Series C funding round at a $1 billion valuation, officially joining the ranks of global fintech unicorns. The round was led by SBI Group and follows Fasset’s $51 million Series B earlier this year, bringing the company’s total capital raised in 2026 to $119 million. The latest financing takes the startup’s overall funding to more than $150 million since its founding in 2019. Fasset will use the fresh capital to expand Own Network, its regulated financial infrastructure connecting banks, telecommunications…

MENA-born enterprise voice AI startup HeyBreez has raised $2.5 million in an oversubscribed Seed round, as demand grows for infrastructure that can move voice AI beyond individual conversations and into reliable, enterprise-scale business operations. The round was led by Lunara Partners, with participation from Jabbar Group, DASH Ventures and a group of prominent founders and strategic angel investors. Founded in 2025 by Karim Malhas, HeyBreez is headquartered in Delaware with offices in Amman and Dubai, and is already processing more than one million calls per month across MENA, Europe, the US and Latin America. Moving Beyond the AI Voice Agent…

Saudi EdTech AILA has raised $3 million in a Pre-Series A funding round led by RUA Growth Fund, marking a new phase for the Riyadh-based education technology company as it expands its personalized learning products across regional and international markets. AILA Raises $3 Million with participation from Sanabil 500 Global, Bunat VC and Fikr Ventures, alongside strategic investor Jo Academy. The AILA Funding Round will support further product development, market expansion and broader adoption among schools, educators and students. For the Saudi EdTech startup, the financing comes as artificial intelligence is moving from an experimental layer in education software toward…

Iraq-based e-commerce startup Rozenama has raised $150,000 in a pre-Seed funding round from Iraqi entrepreneur and Aljasmi Perfumes CEO Mohammed Haider, giving the Baghdad-based startup fresh capital to rebuild its platform and expand its merchant network beyond the capital. Founded in 2022 by Abbas Muhil and Mohammed Fawzi, Rozenama is building an e-commerce infrastructure platform designed specifically around how Iraqi businesses actually sell online. Rather than asking merchants to adapt to an imported e-commerce model, the company brings storefronts, order management, local delivery, payments and cash-on-delivery into a single platform. Bringing Structure to Iraq’s Social Commerce Economy A large number…

UAE-based taxtech startup Tax Star has raised $1.75 million in a Seed funding round, backed primarily by angel investors, as the company prepares to capitalize on the UAE’s rapidly evolving e-invoicing landscape and expand its AI-powered compliance platform across the GCC. Founded in 2023 by Rayhan Aleem and Haris Tasawar, Tax Star built the UAE’s first AI-powered corporate tax platform and has since expanded its focus toward the country’s upcoming e-invoicing regime. The company is also a pre-approved Accredited Service Provider (ASP) for UAE e-invoicing, positioning it to help businesses navigate one of the country’s most significant digital tax transformations.…

Berlin-based digital mental health startup Arab Therapy has raised $2 million in a Pre-Series A funding round to expand access to culturally and linguistically relevant mental healthcare for more than 400 million Arabic speakers worldwide. The round was led by Manara Ventures, with participation from Anara Impact Fund and Saudi Arabia’s Value Makers Studio (VMS). Founded in 2021 by Jordanian entrepreneurs Dr. Tareq Dalbah and Hekmat Al Hasi, Arab Therapy currently operates across Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Germany, and Egypt, offering online therapy, Arabic mental health content, and AI-powered tools. Building Mental Health Infrastructure for the Arab World Arab Therapy is…

Saudi Arabia-based game development studio Majestic Mind Games has raised $1.45 million in a funding round co-led by Merak Capital and Impact46, as the Jeddah-based startup looks to accelerate the development of original video games for international audiences. Founded in 2023 by Lujain Albukhari and Majed Anbar, Majestic Mind Games develops original titles primarily for PC, with selected games also expanding to console and mobile platforms. The studio has also received backing from NEOM, adding to the growing network of support behind Saudi Arabia’s emerging gaming industry. Building Games From Saudi Arabia for the World Majestic Mind Games is focused…