Weekly Market Highlights
27th of November 2025
This week continued to showcase the growing strength of the MENA innovation landscape, with exciting funding updates, strategic partnerships, and major moves shaping the future of technology in the region.
Ecosystem & Strategic Announcements
Venture Capital Company (SVC) announced a $267 million (SAR 1 billion) commitment into 17 U.S.-managed VC, private equity, and private debt funds, reinforcing Saudi–U.S. investment partnerships. The initiative focuses on advancing high-growth strategic sectors including advanced technology, AI, supply chains, and the digital economy, in alignment with Vision 2030.
Startup Fundraising Rounds
UAE-based AI SaaS startup Kingpin has secured $3.5M in seed funding from investors including Infinity Ventures, Red Swan Ventures, Mu Ventures, COTU, Outliers, and Hub71.Founded in 2021 and part of Hub71 in Abu Dhabi, Kingpin offers an AI-driven global B2B retail platform that integrates product discovery, pricing, sales, fulfillment, and operations. The new funding will support team expansion, enhanced AI capabilities, and geographic growth into Europe and North America.
Egypt-based HRtech startup bluworks raised $1M in seed funding from A15, Enza Capital, Beltone Venture Capital, Acasia Ventures, and strategic angels. Founded in 2022, the company offers workforce management solutions for blue-collar employees, including scheduling, attendance, payroll, and real-time salary disbursement tailored to Egyptian labor regulations. The new capital will drive deeper SME market penetration in Egypt, expand service partnerships, and support regional MENA growth. This round follows a $1M pre-Seed raise in 2024.
Buildroid AI has raised $2M in pre-seed funding led by Tim Draper and launched its AI-powered block-laying robot. The platform integrates BIM and multi-robot automation to boost construction productivity and reduce costs. Pilots are underway in the UAE, targeting its $42.75B construction market. The startup will scale commercial deployments starting Q2 next year.
STAMP, a Saudi regtech startup, has raised $2M in pre-seed funding to accelerate its AI-powered compliance platform. Founded in 2021, the company streamlines licensing, incorporation, and regulatory processes into a unified dashboard. The funding will support advanced AI capabilities and platform expansion. STAMP aims to enhance corporate governance and simplify regulatory management for Saudi companies.
FAST Ventures has launched FAST Foundry, a $3M venture studio to support early-stage startups across MENA. The fund targets adtech, retail, creator economy, AI and marketing solutions with global potential. Selected startups will receive investment, workspace in Dubai or Riyadh, and hands-on support across product, marketing, and AI. FAST Foundry aims to accelerate scalable, homegrown technologies built in the region for worldwide markets.
Strataphy, a Saudi deeptech startup, has raised a $6M seed round led by Outliers VC with participation from Shorooq and PlusVC. The company develops geothermal cooling systems that significantly lower energy use for data centers, gigaprojects, and cities. Funding will support technology advancement and regional deployment across Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Strataphy claims up to 49% electricity cost reduction, addressing rising cooling demand in high-temperature markets.
Revibe, a UAE-based refurbished electronics marketplace, has raised $17M in a round led by Partech with participation from major regional investors. Operating in KSA, UAE, Kuwait, and South Africa, Revibe focuses on high-quality refurbished devices with warranties and strict inspection standards. The funding will support product quality improvements and international expansion. Revibe aims to make sustainable, renewed electronics a mainstream choice across emerging markets.
Mnzil, a Saudi proptech startup focused on worker-housing solutions, has raised $11.7M in a Series A round led by Founders Fund — their first investment in Saudi Arabia — alongside COTU Ventures. Founded in 2024, Mnzil operates 60+ buildings across 13 cities, serving over 100 corporate clients. The funding will support further expansion, including a new 22,000 sqm development of six workforce-housing buildings. The investment highlights rising global confidence in Saudi Arabia’s infrastructure and services sector under Vision 2030.
Propeller, an AI-focused VC firm with roots in Jordan, has launched a $50M Fund III to back startups developing AI infrastructure and AI-native software in the U.S. and MENA. Already operating across Amman, Riyadh, Boston, and Silicon Valley, Propeller has made five investments selling into the U.S. market. The fund aims to connect MENA founders with global growth opportunities and scale ambitious software companies beyond the region. Propeller builds on a portfolio of 30+ startups from its previous funds backed by SVC and ISSF.
See you next week with more stories shaping the region's future.
