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MENA startups are attracting significant investment, with notable funding rounds in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Egypt. Key highlights include CQR's $3 million for AI-driven cybersecurity, Flow48's $69 million for fintech expansion, and Fawry's $1.6 million investment in Egyptian fintech firms. The region's fintech sector has seen a 5.5x growth over five years, driven by digital transformation initiatives.
Startups in the MENA region are experiencing a surge in funding, particularly in fintech, cybersecurity, and AI. Notable investments include CQR's $3 million for AI-driven cybersecurity solutions, Flow48's $69 million for SME financing, and Fawry's $1.6 million in three Egyptian fintech firms. The region's economic growth is further supported by initiatives like Al Madinah Angels and Disrupt.com's $100 million commitment to AI-first startups.
In January 2025, Japan imported 34 million barrels of Saudi crude oil, making up 41% of its total oil imports of 82.99 million barrels. The Arab nations contributed significantly, with the UAE supplying 35.31 million barrels (42.6%), while imports from the US, Central and South America, and Oceania accounted for the remainder. Japan's energy strategy is influenced by geopolitical factors, including bans on oil imports from Iran and Russia.
Web Summit Qatar 2025 attracted over 25,700 attendees, significantly surpassing last year's numbers, and featured 723 investors and 1,520 startups, with a notable increase in women-founded companies. The event saw the signing of 56 MoUs and the issuance of 156 operating licenses, highlighting Qatar's growing role in the global tech landscape. Key innovations included AI-driven travel tools from Qatar Airways and the launch of the MENA region's first AR academy in collaboration with Snap Inc.
A Swedish delegation is visiting Qatar during Web Summit Qatar 2025 to enhance technology and sustainability collaboration, marking a significant step in the evolving Qatar-Sweden relationship. The visit includes meetings with key Qatari stakeholders and participation in innovation summits, focusing on areas like climate tech, AI, and medtech. Notably, a MoU between Graphmatech and AiSciA Informatics aims to advance sustainable materials innovation through a combination of graphene expertise and AI.
Arab stock markets experienced steady growth in January, marking a second consecutive month of gains, with the composite index rising by 0.97%. Casablanca's stock exchange led the way with a 9.98% increase, followed by Kuwait and Amman at 5.73% and 5.11%, respectively, driven by strong corporate earnings and supportive monetary policies.While most markets thrived, Egypt, Qatar, Palestine, and Dubai saw modest growth of less than 1%. Notably, the Palestinian market recorded a remarkable 261.4% surge in traded value, contrasting with declines in Dubai, Egypt, and Muscat.
Qatar is enhancing its economic ties with China by inviting more Chinese companies to invest, aiming to solidify its status as a global business hub. With over 250 Chinese firms already in Doha, the country is also focusing on a $2.5 billion investment in AI to create 26,000 jobs and generate $11 billion in revenue. The recent Web Summit Qatar showcased investment opportunities, attracting thousands of startups and investors, further emphasizing Qatar's commitment to fostering foreign investment.
Arab stock markets showed positive performance in January, with a composite index increase of 0.97%, driven by strong corporate earnings and supportive monetary policies. The Bourse de Casablanca led gains at 9.98%, while the Tunisian market faced a significant decline of 71.7%. Despite mixed trading values, investor sentiment improved, reflecting a broader global market rebound.
Web Summit Qatar concluded with the QRDI Council announcing the winners of the Rising Innovators Award, celebrating student projects that showcase innovation. The first place was awarded to the Modular Automatic Sorting Hub (M.A.S.H) from Doha University, while the AI-powered Sharia Bot and Electronic Medical Triage System (EMTS) secured second place. Additionally, QRDI signed MoUs with the Ministry of Labor and ITQAN to enhance healthcare innovation and streamline certificate authentication through blockchain technology.
Cauridor, co-founded by Oumar Rafiou Barry, has achieved over 90% revenue from its payment rails division, reaching a total payment volume of $500 million in 2024. With plans for expansion into Mali and Nigeria, the company is also exploring blockchain integration to enhance cross-border payments in Africa.Meanwhile, Libya's first B2B e-commerce platform, Alkremeya, has launched to modernize the grocery supply chain, aiming for regional expansion across North Africa and the Middle East. The platform connects retailers with importers, streamlining procurement and enhancing transparency.In Egypt, Souhoola has partnered with Visa to launch a new prepaid card aimed at promoting financial inclusion and improving the shopping experience for Egyptians, set to launch in 2025.
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mena startups attract significant funding and acquisitions in recent months
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mena startups attract record funding in fintech and technology sectors
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