Author: Editorial Board

Bluedot, which provides access to more than 80% of public EV charging stations across the United States, has become part of Epic Charging, one of the country’s fastest-growing EV charging software platforms. EV charging software provider Epic Charging has acquired Palo Alto-based EV fleet charging management and payment platform Bluedot. As part of the deal, Bluedot’s brand, platform technology, intellectual property, customer contracts, and team members have joined Epic Charging. The acquisition was officially completed on May 1. Founded by Turkish entrepreneurs Ferhat Babacan and Selinay Parlak, Bluedot developed a unified payment solution for fleet drivers, eliminating the need to…

Türkiye-based mobile game studio Mindtail has closed a $2 million pre-seed funding round led by APY Ventures, with participation from Inveo Ventures and Ak Portföy GSYF. Mindtail plans to use the fresh capital to expand its team, further develop its AI-native production infrastructure, and accelerate marketing tests. The company also aims to triple the size of its team in the short term, while preparing to announce its first game in the near future. Founded by R. Tamer Özgen, Umut Yıldız, Sarper Karabağ, and Doğuşcan Öztürk, Mindtail is focused on building the next generation of hybrid casual puzzle games through an…

Day one of the inaugural GITEX AI Kazakhstan has officially wrapped up in Almaty, establishing what organizers are calling the most ambitious technology gathering across Central Asia and the Caucasus. Operating as the region’s largest AI-first technology, startup, and digital investment event, the conference is hosted by the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development Kazakhstan, in close partnership with Astana Hub and the Akimat of Almaty. Held under the patronage of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, H.E. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the summit marks a significant milestone for the rapidly growing Central Asian innovation ecosystem. The opening day was characterized by packed halls and high-stakes discussions, underscoring genuine momentum…

Siin, the fastest-growing live shopping marketplace in MENA, today announced new funding, bringing its total capital raised to $3 million. The round was led by VentureSouq and Shift Group, with participation from Plus VC, Oqal, and other prominent regional investors including Suhail Al Gossaibi, Mussab Al Hakami, and Abdulla Al Hashmi. Siin is also backed by leading regional programs, including Hub71, part of Abu Dhabi’s global tech ecosystem, and InspireU, the accelerator program by Saudi Telecom Company (stc). Founded in 2024 by seasoned marketplace operators, Hesham AlSaati (ex-Delivery Hero), Ahmed Allawi (ex-Tap Payments), and Khaled Albalooshi (ex-Telp). Siin is bringing…

Saudi-based healthtech startup Madeed has closed a $925,000 pre-seed round to accelerate the development of its personalised preventive healthcare platform. The round saw participation from SEEDRA Ventures, Unity Investment Partners, and Seen Growth, alongside previously announced backers including Vision Ventures and a group of Saudi angel investors. The fresh capital will be used to further build Madeed’s product offering and expand its clinical and laboratory partnerships, with an initial focus on scaling across Saudi Arabia. Founded by Dr. Adam Batayneh, Madeed is positioning itself at the intersection of AI, longevity, and preventive care. The platform leverages advanced lab data and…

Saudi digital health startup Metafare has secured $1 million in its first funding round, backed by Harmonics Ventures and a group of family offices, as it looks to scale its AI and virtual reality-driven healthcare platform. The investment will be used to accelerate growth across Saudi Arabia, enhance the company’s AI-powered personalisation capabilities, and expand its health content library. Metafare also plans to enter broader Gulf markets in the near future. Founded to redefine how healthcare is delivered, Metafare combines artificial intelligence with virtual reality to create immersive, remote health experiences—removing the need for traditional clinic visits. Its platform offers…

Uzbekistan-based SaaS startup AliPos has secured a new $200,000 investment round at a $3.5 million valuation, with backing from Imkon Ventures and Nexus Capital Management Angel Club. The round was led by Imkon Ventures, marking continued investor confidence in AliPos as it scales its digital solutions for the HoReCa sector. The participation of Nexus Capital Management Angel Club — one of the country’s first structured angel groups operating with a portfolio-driven approach — signals a broader shift in how early-stage capital is being deployed in Uzbekistan. Founded in Samarkand by Mukhammad Ali Akbarov, Jonibek Miralimov, and Komil Khamidov, AliPos provides…

Vodafone Qatar has announced the acquisition of Maktapp LLC through its subsidiary Infinity Fintech Ventures, marking a continued expansion beyond telecom into financial and operational services for businesses. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Founded in 2014, Maktapp provides a cloud-based platform designed to help SMEs manage payments, invoicing, and daily business operations. Its fintech arm, Fatora, focuses on simplifying payment collection and financial workflows for businesses across the region. The acquisition aligns with Vodafone Qatar’s broader strategy to build an integrated digital ecosystem. By combining connectivity, fintech, and business software, the company is positioning itself as a…

Dubai-based gifting platform Udora has raised $10 million in a private funding round, as it looks to scale its operations across the Middle East and expand into Saudi Arabia later this year, according to Entrepreneur Middle East. Founded in 2014, Udora connects customers with local florists, confectioners, and artisan sellers through a marketplace that operates across more than 50 markets and 1,500 cities. The platform has built its model around enabling SMEs to fulfil orders directly, removing the need for sellers to invest in their own digital infrastructure. The new capital will be deployed to expand the platform’s product catalogue, deepen…

The MENA e-commerce landscape is often discussed in terms of “last-mile delivery” and “payment gateways”. However, for the thousands of social e-commerce merchants across Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the GCC, the real bottleneck starts much earlier: at the source. Today, Taager, the Cairo-founded e-commerce empowerment platform, is announcing a strategic pivot to address this gap. By opening its first dedicated supply office in China, the company is moving beyond being a software layer to becoming a vertically integrated infrastructure provider for cross-border commerce. Shortening the Distance to the Source In the traditional e-commerce entrepreneurship model, merchants often face a “sourcing…