Startup Wrap: Contemporary capital flows into MENA gaming, fintech and AI startups 

RIYADH: The newest wave of startup exercise throughout the Middle East and North Africa spanned new funding rounds, regulatory approvals and product launches in development expertise, gaming, monetary providers, insurance coverage, schooling and digital healthcare. 

Companies are directing contemporary capital towards expertise improvement, market growth and new merchandise throughout the area and internationally. 

Saudi-based development expertise platform Fitting raised $1.1 million in its second seed spherical, with participation from an undisclosed strategic investor from the contracting and actual property improvement sector. 

Founded in 2025 by Mohammed Al-Mubayed and Abdulaziz Al-Mubayad, Fitting develops digital instruments to automate development provide chains and streamline procurement amongst suppliers, contractors and actual property builders. 

The firm will use the funding to broaden throughout key Saudi markets, develop its expertise infrastructure, and strengthen its technical and operational capabilities. 

Saudi recreation studio Majestic Mind Games raises $1.45m

Game improvement studio Majestic Mind Games has raised $1.45 million in a funding spherical co-led by Merak Capital and Impact46. 

Founded in 2023 by Lujain Al-Bukhari and Majed Anbar, the Neom-backed, Jeddah-based studio develops unique video games primarily for private computer systems, with chosen titles additionally launched on consoles and cell platforms. 

The funding will help the event of latest titles for worldwide markets as the corporate seeks to broaden Saudi Arabia’s presence within the international gaming business. 

Investment platform OORI secures CMA license forward of launch 

Saudi-based personal markets funding platform OORI has acquired a license from the Capital Market Authority to conduct arranging and advising actions and is getting ready to start operations. 

Founded in 2023 by Elie Nasr and Naif Al-Ajmi, OORI gives certified traders within the Kingdom with regulated entry to Shariah-compliant personal market alternatives, initially concentrating on expertise firms from pre-seed to pre-initial public providing phases. 

The firm raised a seven-figure greenback pre-seed spherical in 2024 from strategic traders, household places of work and angel traders throughout Saudi Arabia, the Gulf Cooperation Council and Europe. 

Participants included Bunat Ventures and RZM Investments. 

The funding was used to develop OORI’s expertise platform, full the licensing course of and put together for its operational launch. 

The firm plans to broaden into extra different asset courses, with its longer-term roadmap together with tokenization, good contracts and digital funding infrastructure. 

Qatar’s Rasmal Ventures joins Yuno’s $45m sequence B 

Qatar-based Rasmal Ventures has invested in Colombia-headquartered funds infrastructure firm Yuno as a part of its $45 million sequence B spherical, because the fintech establishes Qatar as its Gulf Cooperation Council hub. 

Rasmal joined GrowthX Capital and Further Ventures within the spherical, which was led by Global PayTech Ventures and included participation from Andreessen Horowitz, Tiger Global and different traders. 

Founded in 2022 by Juan Pablo Ortega and Julian Nunez, Yuno connects companies to greater than 1,000 fee strategies throughout 190 nations via a single utility programming interface. 

The firm has expanded its Gulf presence via regulatory certification in Saudi Arabia and partnerships with Tap Payments and Tabby. 

UAE mobility fintech Naran raises $10m

Mobility fintech Naran has raised $10 million in fairness and debt financing from UAE funding agency Landel to broaden its fleet and enter new markets, together with the Middle East and North Africa. 

Founded in 2025 by Bayaskhalan Alexeev and Alexander Gubarev,  the UAE-based Naran gives rent-to-own financing for automobiles and bikes to ride-hailing and supply drivers. 

The firm operates in Colombia, Peru, Senegal and Cote d’Ivoire and plans to enter Paraguay in September. It may also use the funding to introduce new monetary expertise merchandise. 

Naran plans to supply its fleet administration expertise to third-party operators as a Software-as-a-Service product and supply asset-backed financing for fleet growth. 

Bahrain-based Soor secures pre-seed funding 

Insurance expertise startup Soor has secured an undisclosed pre-seed funding from Spring, a enterprise studio and ecosystem builder backed by London-based Salica and Bahrain’s Al Waha Fund of Funds. 

Founded in 2024 by Mahmood Dhaif and Qasim Al-Baqali and based mostly in Bahrain, Soor operates a digital platform that permits customers to check and buy insurance policies from a number of insurers via a single utility. 

The startup is licensed by the Central Bank of Bahrain and seeks to offer higher transparency round obtainable insurance policies, pricing and protection choices. 

Soor will use the funding to develop its platform, broaden partnerships with insurance coverage suppliers and enhance the shopper expertise whereas strengthening its presence in Bahrain. It can also be exploring growth into different regional markets. 

UMAMI launches AI studying system backed by $1m plan 

Egypt-based schooling expertise firm UMAMI E-Learning Solutions has launched its Learning Operating System, backed by a phased funding plan exceeding 50 million Egyptian kilos ($1 million). 

Founded in 2019 by Ahmed Seif El-Din, UMAMI develops digital studying and workforce improvement options for governments, academic establishments and enterprises. 

The synthetic intelligence-powered system connects studying, abilities, workforce readiness, efficiency and institutional decision-making inside a single platform. 

The funding will help the system’s improvement and rollout as UMAMI expands its studying infrastructure providing throughout Egypt and the broader MENA area. 

UAE buyer intelligence startup Cobi raises $1m 

Customer intelligence startup Cobi has raised $1 million in a pre-seed spherical led by Lunara Partners, with participation from Plug and Play, Annex Investments and Spring. 

Founded in 2024 by Darren Edmund and Botlhale Mosoane, Cobi develops an AI-powered platform that analyzes behavioral, transactional, product and engagement information to establish modifications in buyer exercise and advocate enterprise actions. 

The funding will help enterprise deployments throughout the Middle East and worldwide markets, strengthen the platform’s buyer intelligence and advice capabilities, and additional automate workflows connecting buyer information with enterprise choices. 

Arab Therapy raises $2m to broaden in Saudi Arabia and Middle East 

Berlin-based, Jordanian-founded digital psychological well being startup Arab Therapy has raised $2 million in a pre-series A spherical led by Manara Ventures, with participation from Anara Impact Fund and Value Makers Studio. 

Founded in 2021 by Jordanian entrepreneurs Tareq Dalbah and Hekmat Al-Hasi, Arab Therapy gives Arabic-language psychological well being care via on-line periods with licensed specialists, psychological well being content material and synthetic intelligence-powered instruments. 

The startup serves particular person customers and company prospects and can use the funding to broaden in Saudi Arabia and throughout the broader Middle East whereas scaling its AI-enabled providers. 

Arab Therapy beforehand closed a $1 million seed spherical in April 2024, led by Flat6Labs and Vision Health Pioneers.