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Inwi and the Ministry of Youth launched a $10,000 gaming startup challenge. 
The scheme aims to turn young developers’ concepts into “scalable businesses”. 
Winners gain funding and growth support, tackling early-stage gaps in backing. 
The move reflects telecoms becoming “catalysts for digital innovation” with government partners. 
Morocco signals gaming matters, tapping youth talent and rising demand for local content.

Salesforce is bringing enterprise-grade AI tools to small GCC businesses. 
SMEs can automate workflows and sharpen customer insights without heavy technical burden. 
The move supports regional digital transformation and economic diversification strategies. 
Access alone isn’t enough; training and clear strategy remain crucial. 
Smaller firms could gain real growth if AI delivers practical value.

Dubai startup Ray launches powerbank-sharing service, raising $1,2 million in seed funding. 
Stations let users rent chargers via “Tap-to-Pay” in about 15 seconds. 
Plans target 2,000 UAE locations, expanding across the GCC next. 
Demand driven by heavy smartphone use and Dubai’s cashless, “smart city” push. 
Founders bet solving a “dying phone” headache can build a scalable business.

Ruya launches a Shariah-compliant cashback card with a flat 2% reward. 
No minimum spend, no tiers, “no hoops to jump through”. 
Users track and redeem cashback instantly via the mobile app. 
The digital Islamic bank targets customers wanting clarity over clever marketing. 
In a crowded UAE market, it bets on simple, predictable savings.

Mashreq and Toothpick launch the UAE’s first fully digital clinic-based loan solution. 
Patients can secure up to AED 150,000, with funds paid directly. 
Financing is embedded in the care journey, cutting the usual bank “back-and-forth”. 
The move supports Mashreq’s Banking-as-a-Service push and wider embedded finance strategy. 
Expansion beyond dental and aesthetic clinics is planned, pending a careful rollout.

GCC Exchange and Abhi launch instant wage access with remittance services in the UAE. 
Workers can withdraw earned pay early and send it home immediately. 
The move targets expatriates juggling “school fees, medical expenses, rent” abroad. 
ABHI brings its Earned Wage Access technology and 1 million users. 
Supporters praise “financial flexibility”, while critics warn about fees and overreliance.

Tabby secured a UAE SVF licence, allowing it to hold customer funds. 
It can now launch spending accounts, cards and money tools. 
The move shifts Tabby beyond BNPL towards a full-service financial app. 
It strengthens regulatory footing across Saudi Arabia, UAE and Kuwait. 
Rising GCC competition means execution must be seamless to keep users loyal.

Aya secured $7 million in Series A backing from major Gulf investors. 
The Riyadh startup uses a data-led engine to design fashion quickly. 
It launched with abayas, a $3 billion Gulf segment. 
Aya reports 500,000 monthly active users and strong early traction. 
Funds will support regional expansion, tech hiring, and supplier growth.

The UAE ranks second globally for AI optimism in wealth management. 
It leads on “momentum”, ready to replace traditional research tools. 
Saudi Arabia tops the index, with the Middle East leading overall. 
Many “Untapped Believers” trust AI but lack access to tools. 
A “great research migration” could quietly reshape investing within a year.

stc pay Bahrain partners with Global Payment Services to strengthen payment infrastructure. 
The deal aims to ensure transactions go through “smoothly — every single time”. 
GPS brings 20 years’ expertise to boost reliability, security and scalability. 
The move supports Bahrain’s ambitions as a regional fintech hub. 
Execution will be key to delivering secure, seamless payments at scale.

PMaestro and Saudi’s Safari Group plan EGP 2 billion entertainment investment in Egypt. 
They will form CEC Egypt Holding to expand Chuck E. Cheese nationwide. 
The model uses SPVs, “institutional-grade” governance, and income-generating asset structures. 
Leaders cite Egypt’s “promising market”, young population and improving investment climate. 
The project aims to create jobs, boost supply chains, and deepen Arab–Arab cooperation.

Dubai has launched an AI+ programme to train 50,000 government employees. 
The aim is to embed AI into everyday work, not a “shiny add-on”. 
Tailored tracks span leaders, Chief AI Officers, managers and general staff. 
Officials say staff will become partners designing smart, proactive public services. 
The move supports Dubai’s D33 agenda to cement its status as a leading digital city.

Startup Sync brokered Edafa Venture’s six-figure acquisition of recycling startup Cyclex in 2025. 
Cyclex turns “non-hazardous solid waste” into economic value, tapping circular economy demand. 
Startup Sync provided valuation, strategic guidance and hands-on negotiation support. 
Edafa deepens sustainability investments, backing Cyclex’s growth in waste management. 
The deal highlights rising Egypt–Saudi collaboration and structured support for green startups.

Adyen deepens its eight-year partnership with Careem Pay to scale UAE remittances. 
The focus is shifting from exchange houses to “mobile screens” nationwide. 
Adyen’s single platform offers unified settlement and smoother, more reliable transactions. 
Careem Pay sends money to 35+ countries, licensed by the UAE Central Bank. 
Rising competition means winners must pair sharp tech with transparent pricing.

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MasterMinds (27)

eToro launches an in-app marketplace, pushing a “builders economy” for investing. 
Developers can create, share and monetise trading tools for 40 million users. 
The App Store offers automation, social analytics and low-latency algorithmic trading. 
A no-code AI route lets non-coders build and publish their own apps. 
Quality control and trust will test this shift from platform to ecosystem.

Visa opens Cohort 6 of its Africa Fintech Accelerator, closing 17 May 2026. 
The programme has backed 104 startups, worth a combined $1,4 billion. 
Eighteen new ventures pitched at GITEX Africa, spanning 28 markets. 
Alumni partnerships showcase “commercial engagement” and real market access. 
Accelerators can’t fix regulation gaps, but offer startups an early push.

FAST Ventures launches MATTE to build a “digital workforce” for MENA marketers. 
It automates campaigns, reporting and optimisation, freeing teams from manual “faff”. 
The tools were refined across 10,000 campaigns on the Platformance system. 
Core automation is open-sourced, targeting agencies priced out of enterprise suites. 
MATTE integrates major platforms, unifying marketing and revenue data in one workflow.

Cairo fintech INVIA raised USD 1,2 million to support Egypt’s SMEs. 
It offers a “financial operating system” replacing disconnected accounting and management tools. 
Owners use text, voice notes or invoices, with “no complicated setup”. 
The roadmap expands into HR, POS and CRM as “one system”. 
Funding will boost development and reach underserved SMEs across Egypt.

Talabat mart and Elite Agro signed a deal for direct farm-to-door sourcing. 
The move cuts “middle steps” in the supply chain, boosting freshness. 
Both firms aim to “redefine the link” between production and consumption. 
Plans include demand planning and expanding local produce across dark stores. 
The partnership supports UAE food security and a resilient, tech-enabled ecosystem.

Creative Zone has launched WeThrive, a single hub for residency and business setup. 
It offers subsidised startup routes, CV referral support, and partner services. 
The aim is a “clearer, more connected starting point” for professionals and SMEs. 
Backers say it responds to demand for practical next steps. 
Its success hinges on cutting friction, not just “reshuffling existing services”.

ClearTax secures UAE accreditation as July 2026 e-invoicing deadline approaches. 
E-invoicing is shifting from a “tick-box” exercise to AI-driven tax oversight. 
Gupta urges “continuous compliance” over spreadsheets and patched integrations. 
A $50m UAE investment backs local teams and data-resident infrastructure. 
With 5,000 clients globally, structured AI-enabled reporting is becoming the norm.

Snoonu launches Startup Factory, shifting from operator to builder and investor. 
It invests $100,000 in Sufra AI’s ‘smart, AI-powered menu’. 
The platform personalises orders, streamlines payments, and boosts spending by 20–30 per cent. 
Startups gain capital, mentorship, and market access at Snoonu Technology Park. 
The move reflects Qatar’s maturing tech scene and Vision 2030 ambitions.

Saudi-based ESIT secures angel investment to grow its AI audit platform. 
“Edama Audit” automates processes, analysing data in real time. 
Funding will enhance features, expand regionally, and strengthen the technical team. 
Demand rises as regulators push for tighter risk controls and clearer reporting. 
Governance tech may become “essential” as digital transformation gathers pace.

Homegrown Ventures closed its debut fund at $22,8m, beating its $20m target. 
It targets early-stage “better-for-you” CPG brands across MENA and beyond. 
Founders long struggled to pitch niche products to tech or private equity investors. 
Backers bring operator experience, offering more than capital and retail know-how. 
Rising demand for local, transparent brands signals a regional consumer shift.