Author: Editorial Board

E-commerce and digital shelf analytics startup Mindsite has announced the completion of a $2 million investment round, marking another milestone in its growth journey. The round attracted strong participation from both existing and new investors, including Technology Investment under TTGV, Sharks & Partners, Finberg, the Technology and Innovation Fund operating under Türkiye Kalkınma Fonu, Vestel Ventures, Gelecek Etki Fonu managed jointly with Tacirler Portfolio Management, TT Ventures GSYF, Leap Investment, and angel investor Ömer Hayrı Erkmen.Notably, a significant portion of the company’s existing investors also participated in the round. Founded in 2020, Mindsite was selected among 14 startups for the…

Mal, an AI-native financial services platform positioning itself as the world’s first Islamic digital bank, has announced the closure of a $230 million seed funding round led by BlueFive Capital, with participation from a group of strategic investors and global family offices. The substantial seed round will support Mal’s mission to deliver ethical, intelligent, and inclusive financial services, combining AI-first infrastructure with the core principles of Islamic finance. The platform is targeting underserved and underbanked communities worldwide, including the more than 2 billion Muslims globally. Founded by Abdallah Abu-Sheikh, Mal aims to address a major gap in global finance. “Islamic…

Saudi-based post-purchase automation platform Yamm has closed a seed funding round, co-led by Vision Ventures and Arzan Venture Capital, with participation from 2Pi Ventures, Plus VC, F6 Ventures, and a group of strategic angel investors. The round follows Yamm’s pre-seed funding in October 2024. Founded in late 2023 by Sultan Alsubhi, Mohammed Alshalati, and Hamadah Alkhaldi, Yamm is tackling one of e-commerce’s most persistent pain points: returns, refunds, and exchanges. The platform enables customers to initiate returns and receive instant refunds or exchanges in seconds, while giving merchants access to analytics, logistics integrations, and flexible settlement tools—all through a fully…

Defy, an AI-driven RegTech startup focused on regulatory compliance technologies, has secured $400,000 in funding in an investment round led by ŞirketOrtağım Melek Yatırımcı Ağı. Existing investors Finesta Yatırım and Sertaç Özinal also participated in the round. Headquartered at Ege Teknopark, Defy plans to allocate the newly raised capital toward accelerating product development and expanding into international markets. Defy provides AI-powered compliance solutions focused on anti-money laundering (AML), transaction and transfer monitoring, and investigation processes—serving primarily institutions operating within the crypto assets and broader financial ecosystem. The platform aims to unify regulatory compliance, risk monitoring, and case management workflows under…

Doushesh, a Syria-based digital classifieds marketplace, has closed a pre-seed funding round in early 2026, marking a notable step forward for the country’s emerging startup ecosystem. Founded in 2025 by Alaaeddin Zarzour and Zafer Odabashi, Doushesh operates a multi-category online marketplace covering real estate, vehicles, electronics, furniture, jobs, and local services. The platform is built to digitise and organise Syria’s largely informal and fragmented buying and selling environment, offering users a more structured and accessible alternative to traditional channels. The newly raised capital will be deployed to expand Doushesh’s presence across Syria, while strengthening trust and safety across the platform.…

Saudi PropTech startup Aamar has closed a seed funding round exceeding $4 million, as it accelerates its mission to digitise and automate leasing and asset-finance operations across the Kingdom. The round attracted participation from Aqar App, RZM Investment, Al Majdiah Investment, Blom Invest, alongside a group of angel investors. The fresh capital will be used to scale Aamar’s AI-powered platform and expand its footprint within Saudi Arabia. Founded to simplify the rental journey end to end, Aamar automates traditionally manual and fragmented processes, offering a fully digital experience for both landlords and tenants. By leveraging artificial intelligence and integrations with…

Chinese AI startup MiniMax is preparing for a major Hong Kong listing, with backing from global heavyweights Alibaba Group and the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority as cornerstone investors. According to Bloomberg, MiniMax is targeting to raise more than $600 million through its initial public offering, positioning it among the most significant AI-focused IPOs to emerge from China in recent years. The company is expected to begin taking investor orders imminently, ahead of a potential listing in Hong Kong scheduled for January. Beyond Alibaba and ADIA, the IPO has attracted a strong lineup of international institutional investors. Reported cornerstone participants include…

Business For Teens has closed a six-figure pre-seed funding round, marking an important milestone in its mission to equip teenagers with entrepreneurship and financial literacy skills across Egypt and the Gulf. The raise follows strong early traction. Since launch, the edtech startup has partnered with more than 10 schools in Egypt and Saudi Arabia, engaging over 600 students aged 10 to 16 through hands-on, project-based entrepreneurship programmes. Beyond classroom learning, Business For Teens has organised multiple student bazaars and exhibitions, where young participants presented real business ideas to hundreds of visitors—transforming theory into practical experience. The round was led by…

Tunisia is moving to modernise its investment framework as part of a broader push to strengthen its startup and innovation ecosystem.Prime Minister Sarra Zaafrani Zenzri chaired a cabinet meeting in Tunis to review the country’s Investment Law and assess new opportunities aimed at accelerating economic growth and enterprise formation. The proposed overhaul aligns with the national development vision of President Kais Saied, focusing on social justice, balanced regional development, and a more inclusive economic model. Officials stressed that investment remains a cornerstone for job creation, competitiveness, and long-term economic resilience. While Tunisia has introduced multiple investment frameworks since independence—including reforms…

VentureSouq has led a $2 million seed round in MilkStraw AI, backing the young startup’s mission to make cloud optimisation simpler, faster, and more accessible for early-stage and scaling companies. The round also saw participation from Ibtikar Fund and M Capital, underscoring growing investor appetite for infrastructure-layer AI solutions across the region. Founded in 2023, MilkStraw AI focuses on helping startups gain visibility and control over their cloud spend without the complexity typically associated with cloud optimisation tools. Since launching, the platform has onboarded more than 100 startups, signaling strong early traction and clear product-market fit. Its customer roster already…