Author: Editorial Board

Dubai is set to take another major step toward its smart mobility ambitions, with autonomous taxis expected to begin operating as early as March, according to the CEO of Dubai Taxi Corporation (DTC). Mansoor Rahma Alfalasi confirmed that DTC will soon sign a deal with “one of the biggest operators,” marking the company’s first official autonomous taxi trip in its history. While details of the partner have not yet been disclosed, the rollout is expected to begin with 50 to 100 vehicles operating across three to four high-density zones in Dubai. Initial Rollout: Driver-Assisted Before Full Autonomy The first phase…

Validfor, an Estonia-based regtech startup founded by Turkish entrepreneurs, has secured $1.2 million in funding in a round led by DOMiNO Ventures. The round also included participation from Curiosity VC and several undisclosed angel investors. The newly raised capital will be deployed to further enhance Validfor’s AI-powered digital validation platform and accelerate its global expansion across the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical sectors. Digitising Compliance in Highly Regulated Industries Founded in 2024 by Ömer Çimen and Uğur Metinol, Validfor operates at the intersection of artificial intelligence and regulatory technology. The company is building digital infrastructure for companies operating in highly regulated…

Saudi Arabia’s IPO market is showing renewed signs of activity, with at least four prominent companies reportedly preparing listings on the Saudi Exchange. The Kingdom has yet to witness a major IPO this year, a slower start compared to the same period last year when at least three sizeable listings had already reached the market. However, new transactions currently in the pipeline could signal a rebound in activity. Energy and Industrial Players Eye the Market Among the potential offerings is AlKhorayef Petroleum, a subsidiary of AlKhorayef Group. The company has reportedly appointed Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase, and BSF Capital to explore…

Moroccan fintech WafR has secured $4 million in an oversubscribed seed round to accelerate its mission of expanding last-mile financial services across the country. The round was co-led by LoftyInc Capital through its newly launched LoftyInc Alpha Fund, alongside Attijariwafa Ventures and Almada Ventures. Returning investors UM6P Ventures and First Circle Capital also participated in the round. Founded to address gaps in financial access, WafR is digitising Morocco’s vast network of neighborhood corner stores—known locally as hanouts—by transforming them into financial service hubs. The platform currently operates through nearly 20,000 active stores, enabling services such as airtime top-ups and bill…

Talabat Bahrain has signed a new partnership with Lazer Car Services, one of the Kingdom’s largest car service and vehicle inspection providers, to introduce exclusive automotive benefits for its tPro subscribers. Under the agreement, tPro users will receive a 10% discount across all Lazer Car Services offerings, including vehicle washing and inspection services. The benefit is available exclusively to tPro members and can be redeemed at all 10 Lazer Car Services locations across Bahrain. The collaboration marks talabat’s continued push to expand the value proposition of its subscription product beyond food and grocery delivery, integrating services that align more closely…

Egypt-based fintech EasyKash has crossed a major milestone, processing more than EGP 1 billion in transactions over the past year, as the company prepares to expand into GCC markets within the next 12 to 18 months. Founded to empower small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), EasyKash delivers digital payment solutions combining ease of use, strong security standards, and competitive pricing. According to CEO Mourad El Ashry, the platform currently serves over 15,000 active merchants and more than 500,000 end users across Egypt. But EasyKash’s ambitions go far beyond operating as a traditional payment gateway. “We are building a fully integrated digital…

US-based healthtech startup Patientdesk.ai has secured $1 million in pre-seed funding in a round led by Y Combinator, with participation from E2VC. Founded by Emre Kaplaner, Öncel Özgül, and Fikri Şan Köktaş, Patientdesk.ai is building voice AI-powered solutions to automate patient intake processes for healthcare clinics. The company plans to use the new funding to accelerate product development and expand its international integrations. As part of its growth roadmap, Patientdesk.ai is also preparing to open a Seed round in the near future. Y Combinator is known for backing global technology leaders such as Airbnb, Uber, and Stripe at early stages…

Cloud kitchen operator Paket Mutfak has secured $3.8 million in fresh funding, bringing its total capital raised to $12.3 million as it continues to scale its delivery-native food ecosystem in Istanbul. Founded by Tali Salhon and Eytan Nahmiyas, the company operates a multi-brand cloud kitchen network built exclusively for delivery — a segment that continues to grow rapidly across Türkiye, yet often struggles with operational consistency and quality control. The round saw continued backing from existing investors including Nokta Yatırım Holding A.Ş., ÜNLÜ & Co, and Fırat İşbecer, alongside new investors such as Ali Sabancı, Sip & Bite GSYF, Robert…

Moroccan legal tech startup Charikaty has secured MAD 1.5 million (approximately $150,000) during Season 3 of “Qui Veut Investir Dans Mon Projet?”, the country’s leading startup investment show broadcast on national channel 2M. The investment came from Ilan Benhaim, co-founder of Veepee and Chairman of Endeavor Morocco, alongside Karim Amor, President of MeM by CGEM and founder of Epineon.ai, following a pitch that spotlighted Charikaty’s rapid growth and the scale of opportunity in Morocco’s company formation market. Founded by Amr Mouaqit (CEO) and Driss Sijelmassi (COO), Charikaty offers fully digital company formation and compliance services in Morocco. The platform manages…

Egypt-founded e-commerce logistics and enablement platform Flextock has secured $12.6 million in Series A funding, led by TLcom Capital, with participation from Conjunction Capital, Capria Ventures, Access Bridge Ventures, Foundation Ventures, BY Venture Partners, JIMCO, Alter Global, and MSA Capital, among others. Founded in 2021 by Mohamed Mossaad and Enas Siam, Flextock is building what it describes as a unified operating system for e-commerce merchants. The platform integrates fulfilment, last-mile delivery aggregation, cross-border trade enablement, marketplace access, and embedded merchant financing under one technology layer. Currently operating across Egypt and Saudi Arabia, Flextock enables merchants to manage logistics, sales channels,…