- Saudi Arabia Leads Startup Investments, While Egypt Competes for Regional Leadership
- Weekly Report | June 15–23, 2025
Between June 15 and 23, 2025, the Middle East witnessed a surge in investment and acquisition activity, spanning sectors such as artificial intelligence, fintech, digital education, and interactive content.
Saudi Arabia and Egypt emerged as central players in this momentum, alongside notable moves from the UAE and Algeria, while Gulf sovereign funds demonstrated a strong presence in major global funding rounds.
Saudi Arabia Maintains Leadership: Innovation Support and Strategic Acquisitions
- The ninth batch of Sanabil Accelerator kicked off in Riyadh, hosting 10 high-potential startups in key sectors.
- Darwinz AI secured new funding to expand “Dima,” its AI-driven PR and marketing analytics platform.
- iSchool acquired SEEDS to boost AI education for children across the Kingdom.
- Thmanyah won exclusive broadcasting rights for Saudi sports leagues through 2031.
These developments highlight Saudi Arabia’s integrated strategy across early-stage funding, education, and sports media rights.
Egypt: Operational Investments and Startup Enablement
- Octane raised $5.2 million to scale its fleet expense management platform.
- Outsourcy hosted the HR for Startups event, equipping early-stage founders with HR tools and strategies.
Egypt’s moves reflect a clear push toward strengthening operational infrastructure and optimizing the digital business environment.
UAE and Algeria: Sector Diversification and Regional Expansion
- UAE-based SaturnX raised $3 million to expand its crypto payments infrastructure across Southeast Asia.
- Prop-AI secured $1.5 million to digitize real estate markets using AI-powered analytics.
- Creative agency Hoko acquired Everdome to enhance its presence in the metaverse with interactive content experiences.
- 216 Capital invested in Algerian HRtech platform Talenteo, focused on SME workforce management.
These transactions reflect growing sectoral and geographic diversification in the region’s innovation ecosystem.
Gulf Funds Back One of the World’s Largest AI Rounds
- US-based Applied Intuition raised $600 million in a Series F round, with participation from Qatar Investment Authority, Abu Dhabi Investment Council, BlackRock, and Kleiner Perkins.
This signals the Gulf’s deepening involvement in shaping the future of global AI and defense technologies.
Full Table of Investments and Acquisitions (June 15–23, 2025)
| Country | Company / Deal | Deal Type | Funding (USD) | Sector | Notes |
| Saudi Arabia | Sanabil Accelerator | Acceleration Program | Not disclosed | AI, Fintech, ClimateTech | 10 startups selected in partnership with 500 Global |
| Saudi Arabia | Darwinz AI | Investment | $325K | AI / PR & Marketing | Dima platform for media analysis |
| Saudi Arabia | iSchool × SEEDS | Acquisition | Not disclosed | AI Education | Expanding coding education for kids in Saudi Arabia |
| Saudi Arabia | Thmanyah × Broadcast Rights | Rights Deal | Not disclosed | Sports Media | Exclusive broadcasting through 2031 |
| Egypt | Octane | Investment | $5.2M | Fleet Tech / Operational SaaS | Digital expense management for vehicle fleets |
| Egypt | Outsourcy – HR for Startups | Enablement Event | Not disclosed | Human Resources | Event to support startup team building |
| Algeria | Talenteo × 216 Capital | Investment | Not disclosed | HR / SaaS | HR platform for African SMEs |
| UAE | SaturnX | Investment | $3M | Crypto Payments / Fintech | Targeting Southeast Asian markets |
| UAE | Prop-AI | Investment | $1.5M | Real Estate Tech / AI | AI-driven analytics for real estate |
| UAE | Everdome × Hoko | Acquisition | Not disclosed | Metaverse / Interactive Content | Everdome merged into HumAIn Assets initiative |
| USA (Gulf-backed) | Applied Intuition | Series F | $600M | AI / Defense Tech | Backed by QIA, Abu Dhabi, BlackRock, Kleiner Perkins |
Conclusion
- Saudi Arabia is leading with a blend of accelerators, education, and media investment.
- Egypt is strengthening its digital infrastructure and enabling operational excellence for startups.
- The UAE continues to solidify its position as a regional innovation hub.
- Algeria is showing growing potential in the African startup scene.
- Gulf capital is asserting its influence in shaping global tech trends, especially in AI.
