Weekly Market Highlights

1st of January 2026

 This week’s activity highlights strong investor confidence across MENA’s tech ecosystem  with new funding rounds and strategic investments across AI, fintech infrastructure, cybersecurity, logistics, PropTech, and travel-tech, alongside major developments in global AI and digital entertainment.

Saudi AI startup Newera.ai has secured $2.1M (SAR 8M) in a pre-seed round led by Embark. Founded in 2023, the company develops enterprise generative AI solutions and will use the funding to support local expansion, R&D, and Saudi-focused product development, with a strong emphasis on data localisation and regulatory compliance.

Saudi fintech startup Oumla has extended its seed round to accelerate the development of its regulated digital asset and blockchain infrastructure in the Kingdom. The funding will support secure custody and transaction systems, as well as the launch of Saudi-hosted blockchain networks to enable data localization and operational sovereignty. Oumla will expand partnerships with banks and government entities, with applications in Sharia-compliant financing and real-estate asset tokenization.

UAE travel-tech startup V Booking has raised $5M to expand regionally and advance its AI travel technologies, including an AI concierge with AR features and its TuRbo AI operations engine used by 55 DMCs. The company also plans to launch a travel digital currency (TUSD) in 2026 and train 1,000 travel experts as part of a hybrid human-and-AI distribution model.

Falak Angels Network announced its investment in BookaHospi, a digital platform that connects healthcare professionals with medical institutions through an end-to-end process covering credential verification, licensing, and cross-border hiring. The platform aims to accelerate access to qualified medical talent and strengthen healthcare readiness through data-driven, AI-enabled workforce solutions.

Mirak Capital has invested SAR 203M ($54M) in DSShield, a Riyadh-based cybersecurity company providing consulting, system integration, and managed security services, with projects exceeding SAR 1.5B across critical sectors. The funding will support expansion and talent growth as Saudi Arabia’s cybersecurity market reaches SAR 15.2B and ranks #1 globally in the IMD cybersecurity index (2025).

Saudi cloud POS and accounting platform Rewaa has raised $45M in a Series B round led by Wa’ed Ventures, Idrisi Ventures, and Unity Ventures. The funds will be used to develop AI-driven operating tools and retail automation for SMEs.Founded in 2018, Rewaa has grown into a leading platform integrating POS, inventory, and accounting systems with real-time synchronization across branches and online stores.

Falak Angels Network has made a strategic investment in Ballurh, a data-driven platform helping restaurants and cloud kitchens improve profitability through AI analytics and smart operational tools. Ballurh serves 400+ restaurants and manages over SAR 1B in orders, as it builds an intelligent operating system for delivery-focused F&B businesses.

Falak Angels Network has invested in UNITS, a startup providing flexible storage spaces and integrated logistics solutions powered by smart storage technology and a proprietary warehouse management system. The platform helps businesses improve inventory efficiency and logistics operations, supporting scalable and resilient growth across the region.

Chinese AI startup MiniMax has secured cornerstone investor commitments from Alibaba and the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority for its planned Hong Kong IPO, which is expected to raise over $600M. Additional key investors include IDG Capital, Perseverance Asset Management, and Mirae Asset, though final deal size and timing may still shift as discussions continue. MiniMax is a global AI model company, comparable to OpenAI, developing advanced multimodal foundation models and enterprise AI platforms used by over 200M users worldwide.

PropteX a MENA-focused PropTech accelerator launched by Paragon, Adeer International, and B-maistro has introduced a $5M accelerator and investment fund to support early-stage real estate technology startups across Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the GCC, and the wider MENA region. The program will provide funding, mentorship, and business development support, with a focus on smart cities, digital transformation, and sustainable real estate innovation.

Anghami reported 97% revenue growth in H1 2025 following its OSN+ integration, with its paid subscriber base doubling to 3.54M. The performance was further supported by a $57M investment from Warner Bros. Discovery, which strengthened exclusive access to HBO and Max Originals content across the MENA region.

More funding news, partnerships, and ecosystem updates coming in next week’s roundup so,stay tuned.