Startups across the Middle East and North Africa are continuing to attract strong investor interest, with fresh funding rounds announced in multiple sectors including AI, gaming, fintech, proptech, and mobility.
Intella raises $12.5m Series A
Saudi-headquartered AI startup Intella, originally founded in Egypt, has secured $12.5 million in Series A funding led by Prosus, with participation from 500 Global, Wa’ed Ventures, Hala Ventures, Idrisi Ventures, and HearstLab. The round brings Intella’s total funding to $16.9 million.
Co-founded in 2021 by Nour Al-Taher and Omar Mansour, Intella builds AI models tailored for Arabic dialects, powering transcription, analytics, and customer engagement. The funds will support regional expansion and product development.
Sheba Joy secures $293k pre-seed
Saudi gaming studio Sheba Joy has raised $293,000 pre-seed from Merak Capital. Founded in 2021, the company relocated headquarters to Riyadh and operates hubs in Dubai and India. It has published two games and plans to launch four more in 2025, aligning with Saudi Vision 2030’s gaming ambitions.
Seraya raises $1.8m seed
UAE-based proptech Seraya closed a $1.8 million seed round (equity + debt) led by a Saudi family office and Germany’s DLL, bringing its total to $2.15m. Founded in 2024, Seraya offers premium serviced apartments with a design and wellness focus, aiming to scale to 50 units by end-2025.
Munify raises $3m seed
Egyptian fintech Munify raised $3 million seed funding led by Y Combinator, with BYLD and Digital Currency Group also participating. Founded in 2024, Munify offers affordable remittances to Egypt, as well as US bank account services, debit cards, and FX hedging.
WheelsOn secures $12.5m
UAE car rental startup WheelsOn raised $12.5 million in equity and debt, including $6.5m for fleet growth and $4m in bank financing. Founded in 2023, WheelsOn runs a digital, deposit-free car rental platform and will invest in AI-powered features and contactless rentals.
Addvocate.AI wins strategic investment
Tunisia- and France-based Addvocate.AI received backing from 216 Capital. Founded in 2024, it offers an AI-native “Sales Performance OS” to boost productivity and address pipeline stagnation in sales organizations.
Justyol secures $1m
Moroccan fashion e-commerce Justyol raised $1 million through a mix of equity ($400k from an angel) and $600k in inventory financing from Turkey’s Danis Group. Founded in 2022, Justyol links Turkish fashion brands to MENA markets.
Basata eyes $7m expansion
Egypt’s Basata Holding for Financial Payments announced plans to invest $7 million in 2026 for regional expansion, including Saudi Arabia, Morocco, and Kurdistan. Formed through the merger of Masary and Bee, Basata specializes in bill payments, mobile money, and supply chain solutions.
QIA joins Anthropic’s $13bn Series F
Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) has joined Anthropic’s $13 billion Series F round alongside ICONIQ, Fidelity, and Lightspeed. The investment will fuel Anthropic’s enterprise AI expansion and research into safe, aligned AI systems.
