Moroccan startups raised $70 million in 2024, ranking fifth in Africa for funding. Despite a decline compared to previous years, the country remains a key player in the African tech ecosystem. The government’s new plan to support innovation aims to foster growth, create jobs, and attract foreign investment.
Newlab has expanded into Saudi Arabia with a strategic partnership to foster critical-tech startups. The new Riyadh hub, set to open in 2025, will support commercialization, offering essential infrastructure and innovation programs. The first program, The Mining Innovation Studio, focuses on tech solutions for challenges in the mining sector.
The +92Disrupt conference in Karachi brought together tech leaders, entrepreneurs, and investors, showcasing Pakistan’s growing startup ecosystem. Over two days, key topics such as AI fintech, gaming, and entrepreneurship were discussed, with emerging startups presenting their ideas to investors. The event fostered collaboration and provided valuable insights for innovators.
Forty-six deep-tech startups graduated from the KACST Venture Program in Riyadh, representing sectors like energy, healthcare, and renewables. The program, backed by the National Technology Development Program, supports emerging technologies and aims to transform research into marketable products. The new phase will involve partnerships with Saudi universities.
The +92Disrupt conference gathered over 850 tech leaders to highlight Pakistan’s potential in IT and innovation. The event focused on how technology can drive economic transformation and foster collaboration between startups. A girls’ team from NED University won the AI Challenge, emphasizing the role of youth in global tech advancement.
Ma’an will provide resources, mentorship, and incentives, including the Social Certificate, to Hub71’s social startups.
Katalyst Labs hosted the two-day +92Disrupt conference, gathering tech startups, investors, and industry experts to discuss Pakistan’s IT and fintech potential. The event showcased the country’s youth-driven innovation, with discussions on AI and fintech, along with an AI Challenge competition won by a female team from NED University.
Revibe, a UAE-based startup specializing in refurbished electronics, raised $7 million in Series A funding to expand its business. The company, which has sold over 80,000 devices, plans to accelerate growth in emerging markets and enhance customer service. It currently operates in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa.
Harvard graduates Nicole Mao and Yiwei Zhu have built a successful startup in Bangladesh, creating a battery-swapping network for electric rickshaws. This innovative network, which aims to reach 1,000 stations next year, is gaining rapid popularity and is helping transform urban transportation in the country.
Asyad Group and Omantel launched the ASYAD Accelerator to support local tech startups in Oman’s logistics sector. The programme nurtures innovative digital solutions, focusing on cold chain logistics and operational efficiency. Four startups were selected for their scalability and potential to drive Oman’s logistics innovation in alignment with Vision 2040.
