OSN has offered to take Anghami private and delist it. 
The deal would fold the music platform into OSN’s wider entertainment business. 
It signals regional media groups are seeking scale and tighter integration. 
Private ownership gives OSN room to combine products, audiences and content libraries. 
The move highlights a maturing MENA tech scene and rising consolidation.

1001 raised $30 million to build sovereign AI across the GCC.
Funding targets local AI infrastructure and “data sovereignty” over foreign platforms.
Gulf governments’ push for digital independence is now matched by serious capital.
Founders worry where data sits; local systems could ease regulated growth.
Investors are backing deeper tech “rails”, not just flashy applications.

First 3D Printing Entrepreneurs Programme cohort graduates in Al Ain. 
Initiative offers training, mentorship and resources to turn ideas commercial. 
It backs wider UAE push into advanced, innovation-led manufacturing. 
Aims to build local capability and cut selected import dependence. 
Graduation is &#8220;only the start&#8221;; real test is viable businesses.

Cairo’s Grand Egyptian Museum hosted the 8th “Decision Makers” Conference on growth. 
Focus fell on investment, real estate and tourism as an economic “triangle”. 
Leaders urged faster adaptation to global shifts and tighter public-private coordination. 
Calls included simplifying procedures, boosting digital property markets and partnerships. 
Strong consensus said integration, clear roadmaps and execution will drive growth.

Revora secures $2 million to expand its AI conversational commerce platform. 
Its tools automate chat and voice sales, cutting costs and boosting conversions. 
MENA investors show rising appetite for practical, results-driven AI startups. 
Retailers want customers to buy and get support “in the same flow”. 
Revora must prove real scale as competition in AI tools intensifies.

Foodics has fully acquired Greek startup Norma AI; terms were undisclosed. 
The deal adds predictive analytics for “data-led forecasting” and sharper decisions. 
It signals regional unicorns pursuing “cross-border M&amp;A” as a proper strategy. 
Foodics shows global confidence, not “sitting on the sidelines” anymore. 
The lesson: scale means knowing when to “buy the tools”.

Tunisian startup RoboCare secured a six-figure investment from 216 Capital. 
The funding will drive its healthcare robotics expansion across MENA. 
It signals rising interest in North Africa’s healthtech and robotics scene. 
Local investors are backing deep-tech ventures that need patience, not hype. 
One deal will not transform the sector, but it adds momentum.

Nine startups won the Islamic Development Bank pitch competition in Baku. 
The event offers &#8220;visibility, mentoring&#8221; and potential funding from a major bank. 
It signals institutional appetite for innovation beyond usual startup hubs. 
Competitions are no cure-all; founders still need customers and patient capital. 
For many, this platform could be a real &#8220;turning point&#8221;.

ICIEC and ATFP launched an Islamic finance insurance framework for Arab trade. 
The plan aims to make cross-border deals “less risky” and smoother. 
It offers broader risk mitigation for regional trade and investment flows. 
Startups and SMEs may find expansion a little less “costly and complicated”. 
Real impact depends on execution and access beyond big corporates.

Knowledge Economic City secured $40m for the first IWD phase. 
Funds will build core infrastructure to attract tech firms. 
The hub promises practical space and support for startups. 
It aligns with Vision 2030’s shift towards a knowledge economy. 
Success depends on drawing talent, tenants and lasting activity.

ICD and the Turkic Investment Fund launched a $50m Sharia-compliant programme. 
It targets SMEs across MENA, offering growth capital within Islamic finance principles. 
The aim is boosting private sector growth, entrepreneurship and economic diversification. 
Access to funding could unlock projects and shift firms from cautious to ambitious. 
Success hinges on swift delivery to businesses most in need.

Syrian healthtech startup Moadna raised $50,000 in early-stage funding. 
The round, led by an undisclosed investor, backs digital health solutions. 
In Syria’s tough climate, even small cheques “carry more weight”. 
The deal hints investor interest in underserved markets has not disappeared. 
It may open doors for future capital and wider healthcare innovation.

Invest Qatar and MEDEF hosted French business leaders to highlight investment opportunities. 
Technology, energy and infrastructure were key sectors needing long-term capital. 
The move strengthens Qatar-Europe ties and targets more foreign direct investment. 
Closer links could boost cross-border collaboration across the wider MENA startup scene. 
Real impact depends on turning polished announcements into sustained projects.

CNTXT AI secures $60 million Series A to scale secure AI infrastructure. 
The round signals rising investor trust in MENA deep tech ventures. 
Sovereign AI, with stronger data control, is “one of the areas to watch”. 
Funding accelerates global rollout but raises pressure to deliver at scale. 
The deal shows the region is building innovation, not just consuming it.

Safran signed a GenNext missile partnership with a UAE defence entity. 
The deal focuses on “advanced defence technologies” and deeper French‑UAE ties. 
A key goal is localisation, shifting manufacturing and know‑how into the Emirates. 
It promises technology transfer, skills development and high‑value local jobs. 
The move reflects a wider Gulf push to co‑develop systems, not just buy them.

Customer support has shifted from managing chats to letting AI “solve the problem.
Companies are rethinking tools, seeking platforms that execute tasks, not just reply.
Mando AI acts as a digital assistant, completing actions within the conversation.
The debate is no longer popularity, but which tool resolves issues fastest.

Beltone is teaming up with Telda to streamline investing via mobile apps. 
Users can buy stocks, bonds and mutual funds &#8220;straight from their phones&#8221;. 
The tie-up blends digital-first users with established market know-how. 
It reflects fintech and traditional finance no longer moving separately. 
Access may widen, but trust and clear education remain crucial.

Orbio raised $21 million to expand its frontline hiring platform into MENA. 
It automates recruitment and onboarding, removing repetitive “faff” for employers. 
Retail and logistics firms need faster hiring and lower staff turnover. 
Many still rely on clunky systems and manual processes. 
Expansion will test Orbio against varied rules and labour dynamics.

“Seeing Ourselves” brings Zayed University photography students to Bassam Freiha Art Foundation until August 2026.
The work explores identity, place and belonging through architecture, landscape and portraiture.
Students learned by doing, shaping artworks and handling exhibition design, display and organising.
The show sits beside Philippe Ducap and collection pieces, giving “emerging voices” stronger context.
It reflects a wider UAE shift, building confidence, networks and “stronger roots” for young creatives.

Egypt is deepening African trade ties through talks with DP World. 
Plans focus on ports, cargo movement and smoother logistics networks. 
Stronger infrastructure could cement Egypt as a regional trade hub. 
Startups in logistics and e-commerce may gain from better connectivity. 
Success depends on real delivery, not just polished infrastructure headlines.

Talabat has launched “Predict and Enjoy” to turn World Cup guesses into vouchers. 
Users pick win, loss or draw, with rewards unlocked through correct predictions. 
The game is live across eight countries and sits directly in the app. 
Existing users can join now; new users qualify after their first order. 
Talabat hopes this “bit of fun” boosts engagement and spending during the tournament.

Saudi Venture Capital has backed Khwarizmi Venture Capital Fund 2 for Saudi startups. 
The move boosts local funds with more “firepower” to back growth. 
It supports Vision 2030 and a stronger pipeline of institutional capital. 
More funding aims to ease access for founders looking to scale. 
The real test is how fast capital reaches high-potential sectors.

Game Expo wrapped up after three busy days, drawing thousands to Dubai World Trade Centre. 
Cosplay, e-sports and over 300 games kept the place buzzing throughout. 
Themed zones like &#8216;New Tokyo&#8217; gave it more character than standard booths. 
A Jetour T2 giveaway added drama and kept crowds hanging around. 
Backed by major brands and institutions, Dubai gaming looks less niche now.

Mabiati and Al Jabal Agriculture secured six-figure backing from unnamed Iraqi investors. 
The deals signal rising local confidence in Iraq’s emerging agritech space. 
Both aim to make farming “smarter, faster or less wasteful”. 
Local capital backing homegrown startups marks a shift beyond oil reliance. 
Though details are vague, the funding could boost food security and jobs.

lucy-2

Lucy 2

Mohammed Kamal

Mohammed Kamal, Author at Arageek

Home

Archives for Mohammed Kamal

Arageek: MENA&#039;s Tech Pulse — Web3, AI &amp; Startups

Arageek

https://cdn.arageek.com/en-magazine/Untitled-design-85.png

https://en-backend.arageek.com/wp-content/uploads/en-magazine/avatar_user_10_1768403743.jpg