Author: Mohammed Abubakr

Saudi Arabia’s on-demand economy is expanding at an extraordinary pace. Consumers have grown accustomed to ordering meals, groceries, and products with just a few taps on their smartphones and receiving them within hours, sometimes even minutes. Behind this seamless experience, however, lies a highly fragmented ecosystem of restaurants, logistics companies, e-commerce platforms, and delivery operators that often function independently using disconnected systems. For Waleed Ghoneim, a veteran of Saudi Arabia’s delivery sector, this fragmentation represented a far bigger opportunity than launching yet another delivery application. Saudi-based Pickappo has announced the successful closing of a SAR 2 million pre-seed investment round,…

The artificial intelligence boom has moved beyond experimentation. Enterprises and governments around the world are no longer asking whether they should adopt AI. Instead, they are grappling with a more complex question: How can they deploy AI securely while maintaining complete control over their most valuable asset, their data? For Mohammad Abu Sheikh, the answer lies in sovereignty. This week, UAE-based CNTXT AI announced that it has raised $60 million in a Series A funding round co-led by AI71 and BlueFive Capital, marking one of the largest Series A rounds in the region’s rapidly evolving artificial intelligence sector. The funding…

For more than a decade, Joud Khattab has worked at the intersection of data, innovation, and human development. But despite witnessing extraordinary talent across the region, he repeatedly encountered the same challenge: brilliant ideas existed everywhere, yet the systems needed to support them often did not. That realization ultimately led him to launch Bidayah, a Syria-based venture builder designed to help founders transform ideas into scalable businesses while supporting the country’s emerging entrepreneurial ecosystem. At a time when Syria is entering a new phase of recovery and economic reopening, Bidayah represents more than another startup support organization. It reflects a…

For Usama Nini, the problem with hiring has never been a shortage of talent. Throughout his career, he repeatedly encountered a striking paradox: companies struggled to find qualified candidates, while talented individuals struggled to access meaningful opportunities. The disconnect was particularly visible across emerging markets, where outdated recruitment systems often determined careers more than merit. It became increasingly clear to him that the issue was not the absence of capable people, but the inability of existing systems to efficiently connect talent with opportunity. That realization led him to co-found Qureos, an AI-powered hiring platform designed to bridge this gap. Today,…

In 2019, Ahmad Wehbi watched Lebanon’s banking system collapse. Bank deposits that millions of people believed were secure suddenly became inaccessible. Withdrawal limits were imposed. Savings accumulated over years of hard work were effectively trapped. Meanwhile, the Lebanese pound lost more than 98 percent of its value, devastating the purchasing power of ordinary citizens. For Wehbi, it was more than an economic crisis. It was a deeply personal lesson about the fragility of financial systems and the dangers of placing blind trust in intermediaries. That experience would eventually inspire Sovra, a MENA-focused fintech startup that is reimagining how people save,…

In an era where artificial intelligence is transforming industries at breakneck speed, many people assume that the future belongs exclusively to elite engineers with prestigious degrees and years of experience. But in Malaysia, two entrepreneurs are challenging that narrative. Through KrackedDevs, co-founders Fadli Khalid and Danial Alias are proving that some of the most talented builders aren’t found in Silicon Valley boardrooms or top universities. They are hidden in technical support departments, recruitment agencies, classrooms, and ordinary workplaces across the country. All they need is a community that believes in them. In just six months, KrackedDevs has grown into one…

Egypt’s largest fintech success story is entering a new chapter. MNT-Halan has reached a valuation of $1.4 billion following the first closing of a new investment round led by Al Ahly Capital, the investment arm of the National Bank of Egypt. A second closing is expected as part of the ongoing round, further strengthening the company’s balance sheet as it accelerates expansion across Egypt and regional markets. The transaction marks another milestone not only for MNT-Halan, but also for Egypt’s rapidly evolving fintech sector. It highlights a growing trend across emerging markets where established financial institutions are increasingly partnering with…

For years, conversations about Middle Eastern startups have largely centered around the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. But a new generation of Iraqi founders is quietly building technology companies designed to solve local challenges, attract private capital, and reshape key sectors of the country’s economy. That momentum was underscored this week as two Iraqi startups, Mabiati and Al Jabal Agriculture, announced separate six-figure investments from Iraqi investors and strategic partners. Both companies are backed by Orange Corners Baghdad and the Orange Corners Innovation Fund (OCIF) Iraq, signaling growing confidence in Iraq’s emerging entrepreneurial ecosystem. The investments represent more than just…

Artificial intelligence has quickly become the defining technology trend of this decade. Yet for many businesses across the Gulf, turning AI ambition into operational reality remains elusive. Large enterprises have the budgets and technical teams to build sophisticated AI systems. Small businesses can experiment with off-the-shelf tools. But between these two extremes sits an underserved segment that forms the backbone of the region’s economy: mid-market companies. Algebra AI believes it has found the answer. The UAE-based AI transformation company has officially emerged from stealth after securing $7 million in financing from Infinity Constellation, BECO Capital, Silicon Badia, and Waseel Investments.…

Egypt’s consumer finance market is growing rapidly, but access to formal credit remains out of reach for millions of people. Blnk believes it can change that. The Egyptian fintech startup has raised $37.1 million in fresh funding, comprising $12.5 million in Series A equity financing and $24.6 million in local debt facilities, as it seeks to expand access to point-of-sale financing and bring millions of underserved consumers into the formal credit ecosystem. The Series A round was led by Algebra Ventures, with participation from SANAD Fund for MSME, Endeavor Catalyst, and Emirates International Investment Company (EIIC). Debt financing was secured…