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📰 Important News
- Emirates partnered with OpenAI to roll out generative AI, train staff, build an AI center, and improve operations and customer experience.
- The UAE Ministry of Finance partnered with Tabby, so users can pay federal fees and fines in installments, improving payment flexibility.
- Bayut and dubizzle signed a Memorandum of Understanding with PRYPCO Mortgage to embed home financing tools in their platforms.
- Beyon Solutions and Bahrain FinTech Bay signed an MoU to drive cloud adoption and support fintech startups.
- Humanoid and QSS AI & Robotics opened MENA’s first humanoid robotics showroom in Riyadh, showcasing advanced robots.
💸 Top Funding Rounds
- Erad secured a $125 million asset-backed facility led by Jefferies to scale embedded SME financing across the GCC and widen sector coverage.
- Revibe secured $17 million in a round led by Partech to scale its refurbished electronics marketplace across the Gulf with high quality, warrantied devices.
- Mnzil raised $11.7 million in funding led by Founders Fund to expand its tech-enabled worker housing model across Saudi Arabia.
- Mastiska landed $10 million from GCC sovereign funds to build sovereign-focused AI chips and high-memory FPGA accelerators from the UAE.
- Strataphy raised $6 million to scale its subsurface cooling tech for AI and industrial sites, expanding PrimeLoop projects across the Middle East.
💰️ Notable Exits
- Rocket Doctor AI signed an agreement to acquire Alea Health to expand its AI-driven mental health and digital care platform, gain a GCC foothold and integrate Alea’s conversational AI tech, although the deal had not closed.
🏦 About Investors
- Propeller launched a $50 million Fund III to back AI infrastructure and software startups across the U.S. and MENA.
- FAST Ventures launched FAST Foundry with $3 million to support early MENA startups through capital, venture-building support and expert resources.
- Aramco Ventures will open a Paris office in 2026 to expand European investments in AI, quantum computing and cybersecurity.
- Seedstars and SANAD TAF launched the Elevate Her program to support 40 women-led startups in the Middle East and Africa.
🚀Startup of the Week
Introducing our Startup of the Week 🏆
Revibe
Founded in 2022 in Dubai by Hamza Iraqui and Abdessamad Ben Zakour, Revibe is rapidly becoming one of the region’s most influential players in renewed consumer tech. The startup operates a high-quality marketplace for refurbished smartphones and devices, each undergoing a rigorous 50-point inspection and backed by a one-year warranty. Fresh off a $17 million round led by Partech, with support from e& capital and Burda Principal Investments, Revibe is accelerating its expansion across the GCC and Africa. With Egypt powering operations and Dubai steering strategy, the company is redefining how consumers buy devices, aiming to make refurbished tech the smarter, more sustainable default in emerging markets.
💼 Investor of the Week
Introducing our Investor of the Week 🏆
Propeller
Propeller, a Jordan-rooted venture firm founded to back technically ambitious software and AI startups, has entered a new chapter with the launch of its $50 million Fund III, targeting AI infrastructure and AI-native applications across the United States and MENA. Led by Zaid Farekh and strengthened by the addition of Hani Azzam as Partner, the firm has already deployed capital into early U.S. focused companies including Codemod, Netpreme, Stealthium, Pebble, and Ciphero AI. Operating from Amman, Riyadh, Boston, and Silicon Valley, Propeller positions itself as a vital bridge between regional founders and global markets, aiming to help MENA talent shape the next wave of AI innovation while linking regional capital to high growth international opportunities.
🤑 Opportunity Radar
Call for Applications: The Imagine H2O Accelerator
The Imagine H2O Accelerator is now open for applications until December 19, 2025, offering a zero-equity program designed to help early-stage water and climate tech founders scale globally. Startups gain access to world-class mentorship, pilot funding, investor networks, and a strong industry ecosystem, with participation open to teams worldwide, including all African markets. The 2026 program cycle begins soon, supporting innovators developing breakthrough solutions across water management, quality, access, and sustainability. Apply now to accelerate your technology and enter new markets.
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