محمد يحي
The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region witnessed notable momentum in startup investments and acquisitions during January 2026, with strong focus on financial technology (FinTech), artificial intelligence (AI), healthcare, e-commerce, education, and financial services, alongside strategic acquisition deals in the Saudi market.
According to the Startup Investments and Acquisitions Report issued by “entArbi” startup funding and M&A activity across the region accelerated during January, exceeding USD 4.014 billion across more than 25 companies, spanning multiple sectors.
Investments and Deals by Country
| Country | Number of Companies | Company Names | Total Investment Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saudi Arabia | 11 | LAB7/Halide, BookaHospi, Ballurh, DSShield, Rewaa, Qirat Advisory, Resquad AI, Governata, Yamm, Madeed, NowPay/NowAccess | USD 1.724 billion + acquisitions |
| United Arab Emirates | 3 | V Booking, Upscale AI, Eat App | USD 216.7 million |
| Morocco | 2 | Woliz, Yakeey | USD 17.2 million |
| Egypt | 2 | Business For Teens, AFS Egypt | USD 6+ million |
| Bahrain | 1 | Flous | USD 22 million |
| Oman | 1 | eMushrif | USD 7.5 million |
| China | 1 | Manus (Meta acquisition) | USD 2.0+ billion |
| United States / Jordan | 2 | Breez AI, NowPay | USD 21.3 million |
According to the report, total disclosed investments by country reached approximately USD 4.014 billion, excluding additional undisclosed deals across 23 companies.
Investments and Deals by Sector
| Sector | Number of Companies | Company Names | Total Investment Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy & Energy Storage | 1 | LAB7/Halide | Undisclosed |
| Travel & Tourism | 1 | V Booking | USD 5 million |
| Artificial Intelligence | 4 | Meta/Manus, Rewaa, Resquad AI, Governata | USD 2.2395+ billion |
| Cybersecurity | 1 | DSShield | USD 54 million |
| Digital Retail | 1 | Woliz | USD 2.2 million |
| Healthcare Recruitment & Services | 1 | BookaHospi | Undisclosed |
| Cloud Kitchens & Food Delivery | 1 | Ballurh | Undisclosed |
| Financial & Operational Solutions | 1 | Qirat Advisory | Undisclosed |
| Education Technology (EdTech) | 1 | Business For Teens | Six-figure round |
| Financial Technology (FinTech) | 3 | AFS Egypt, Mal, NowPay/NowAccess | USD 252+ million |
| Preventive Healthcare | 2 | Madeed, L-Nutra | USD 36.9 million |
| Voice AI | 1 | Breez AI | USD 1.3 million |
| Restaurant Technology & Reservations | 1 | Eat App | USD 10 million |
| Geospatial Data / GeoAI | 1 | GBT | USD 1.33 million |
| AI Ticketing Solutions | 1 | Knot Technologies | USD 1 million |
| AgriTech | 1 | Grove | USD 5 million |
| Digital Wealth Management | 1 | Vennre | USD 9.6 million |
| Insurance Technology (InsurTech) | 1 | Mantas | USD 1.77 million |
| Financial Infrastructure & SME Solutions | 1 | UPFRONT | USD 10 million (previous funding) |
| Business Solutions & Facilities Management | 1 | Qoyod / Flavours | Acquisition |
The total number of companies by sector reached 27 startups, with total disclosed investments amounting to USD 4.014 billion, excluding undisclosed transactions
