Morocco has quietly but decisively stepped into the spotlight of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) startup scene. In July 2025, the country jumped to fourth place in regional entrepreneurial funding, surpassing Egypt and confirming its potential as a rising technology hub.
The breakthrough was driven by a $7.5 million funding round raised by Ora Technologies. Though modest compared to larger deals elsewhere, the investment was enough to secure Morocco’s entry into the MENA top five rankings compiled by Wamda and Digital Digest. Egypt, meanwhile, slipped to fifth place amid macroeconomic turbulence and currency instability.
This milestone reflects Morocco’s growing appeal to regional and international investors, especially in high-potential tech sectors. The deal signaled that Morocco is no longer on the periphery but an active participant in regional innovation and investment flows.
July 2025 also marked a record month for MENA startups overall, with 57 companies raising $783 million — a staggering 1,411% increase from June and more than double July 2024’s total. The surge was fueled by two mega-deals: e-commerce firm Ninja and deeptech player XPANCEO, together representing 56% of the monthly tally.
Saudi Arabia maintained its dominance with $396.5 million raised across 16 deals, followed closely by the UAE with $359 million across 22 startups. Iraq stunned observers by landing third place through InstaBank’s $15 million round. Morocco took fourth, while Egypt trailed in fifth with just $4 million across seven deals.
With startup funding in MENA already surpassing the 2024 annual total by mid-year, the ecosystem is showing signs of maturity and diversification. The rise of emerging markets like Morocco and Iraq underscores shifting investor priorities — blending immediate scalability with long-term potential.
Morocco’s new top-five ranking strengthens its path toward becoming one of Africa’s top 10 startup ecosystems, as reflected in the Global Startup Ecosystem Index 2025.
