Technology news and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Technology News and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Zain Group has expanded its flagship Zain Great Idea (ZGI 2025) accelerator to six regional markets for the first time. Powered by Zain Ventures and ZainTECH, the program offers mentorship, investment opportunities, and a Silicon Valley intensive to help startups in fintech, AI, and digital services scale globally.
StartUp Bahrain hosted its latest Pitch series with Tamkeen and partners, awarding Wajba first place and Jaras second. The event showcased innovative Bahraini startups across e-commerce, education, food tech, and fitness, supporting Tamkeen’s 2025 priorities of enterprise growth, digitization, and private sector competitiveness.
The 47th round of Egypt’s Start IT programme has selected eight startups across health-tech, education, logistics, fintech, and e-commerce. Each will receive EGP480,000 support, while the newly launched Start IT Perks platform provides discounted digital tools and services to enhance efficiency and scaling potential.
Hypeo AI, a Moroccan AI startup, has secured investment from Renew Capital to expand its automated influencer marketing platform. Known for creating Kenza Layli—the world’s first Miss AI 2024 winner—Hypeo AI will scale operations, onboard more creators, and diversify into wellness coaching, bridging African and global markets.
Coraly.ai has raised $2M in pre-seed funding led by Salica Oryx Fund to expand its AI-powered real estate automation platform. The Dubai startup plans to grow in Saudi Arabia, launch pilots in France and the US, and deepen AI capabilities to help agents cut time and close deals faster.
Morocco has entered the MENA startup top five after Ora Technologies’ $7.5 million raise pushed it past Egypt in July 2025. The month saw record funding of $783 million across the region, with Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Iraq leading. Morocco’s momentum highlights its growing role as a rising tech hub.
Egypt’s TIEC continues to empower tech startups through its Start IT incubation program and new digital perks platform, while the Global Fatwa Index advances understanding of AI’s ethical use in Islamic legal rulings, underscoring Egypt’s leadership in innovation and religious scholarship in the digital era.
Visa’s 2025 Africa Fintech Accelerator program supports 22 startups across 12 countries tackling SME digitization, lending, cross-border payments, AI, and climate insurance, fueling financial inclusion and innovation across the continent.
Saudi startups Ninja and PetroApp raised $250M and $50M respectively, reflecting growing tech investment in Saudi Arabia and MENA, supporting rapid expansion, digital transformation, and Vision 2030 goals.
The Digital Cooperation Organisation’s Startup Country Guide 2024 highlights Oman’s evolving startup ecosystem, emphasizing Vision 2040, government incentives, and sectoral opportunities in fintech, AI, 5G, and IoT, supported by initiatives like the Oman Future Fund and OTF’s Techween.