The week spanning 16 to 23 August 2025 witnessed a remarkable wave of activity in the Middle East and North Africa’s (MENA) startup ecosystem.
Funding rounds and acquisitions accelerated across multiple sectors, including gaming, fintech, artificial intelligence, hospitality, and digital marketing.
This report, issued by “entArabi” for the period 16–23 August 2025, highlights the key deals, their aggregated value, and the distribution by sector and country, alongside analytical insights into the region’s evolving investment landscape.
Key Deals of the Week
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Starvania Studios (Saudi Arabia) raised $1.1 million to expand console and PC gaming development.
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Jahez International (Saudi Arabia) secured $40 million in bank financing from the National Bank of Bahrain and completed a $245 million acquisition of 76.56% of Qatar’s Snoonu.
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Jather In (Saudi Arabia) closed a Series B round of $72 million (SAR 270 million) led by Sanabil Investments.
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Future Women in Tech Accelerator selected 10 Saudi female-led startups, awarding grants totaling $45,000.
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Professional.me (UAE) closed a $3.1 million Seed round.
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Hypeo Ai (Morocco) secured an investment from Renew Capital (amount undisclosed).
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Zaher AI (Egypt) raised $150,000 in early-stage funding.
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Aalo (US, with UAE participation) closed a $100 million round, with participation from Crescent Enterprises Ventures.
Total Announced Value
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Combined announced funding (excluding undisclosed deals): $461.395 million.
Investments by Country
| Country | Number of Deals | Announced Value (USD million) |
|---|---|---|
| Saudi Arabia | 3 + accelerator program | 358.1 |
| UAE | 2 | 103.1 |
| Egypt | 1 | 0.15 |
| Morocco | 1 (undisclosed) | — |
| Qatar (via Jahez acquisition) | 1 | 245 (counted under Saudi) |
| Global (US) | 1 with UAE participation | 100 |
Investments by Sector
| Sector | Key Companies | Announced Value (USD million) |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | Starvania Studios | 1.1 |
| Hospitality & Tourism | Jather In | 72 |
| Delivery & Logistics | Jahez + Snoonu acquisition | 285 |
| Banking & Financing | Jahez (bank facility) | 40 |
| HR & Recruitment Tech | Professional.me | 3.1 |
| Artificial Intelligence | Zaher AI | 0.15 |
| Digital Marketing | Hypeo Ai (undisclosed) | — |
| Nuclear Energy Tech | Aalo (with UAE participation) | 100 |
Insights & Analysis
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Saudi Arabia leads the week, driven by mega-rounds such as Jather In, Jahez’s financing, and its Snoonu acquisition.
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The UAE strengthens its global footprint with both local investments and participation in advanced nuclear energy ventures.
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Egypt and Morocco show growing traction in AI and marketing technologies, though with smaller ticket sizes.
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Sector diversification highlights the broadening scope of MENA’s startup ecosystem, moving beyond traditional e-commerce and logistics toward AI, gaming, and sustainable energy technologies.
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