Author: Editorial Board

Egypt-based fintech platform Lucky has raised $23 million in a Series B round, combining equity and debt, as it doubles down on its ambition to become a leading neo-banking player across North Africa. The round saw participation from both existing and new investors, including Disruptech Ventures and DPI Venture Capital via the Nclude Fund, alongside strategic backing from Suez Canal Bank and OneStop, chaired by tech investor Mohamed Farouk, who now joins Lucky as Chairman of the Board. The funding follows a breakout year for Lucky, which reported 3x annual growth in 2025 and reached profitability by year-end, reinforcing its…

Saudi-based flash-sale platform Maison Safqa has secured $620,000 in pre-seed funding, backed by 500 Global through the Sanabil MENA 500 Accelerator Fund, alongside a group of regional and international angel investors. The round also drew strategic participation from retail and tech operators, including the founder of Ventes Exclusives, one of Europe’s largest flash-sale platforms, now part of Veepee. Founded in 2024 by Lea Mehaweg, Estelle Nasr, and Georgia Mehaweg, Maison Safqa is building a tech-enabled marketplace designed to help premium and luxury brands efficiently monetise excess inventory — without compromising pricing power or brand equity. The platform connects curated, high-intent…

UAE-based premium protein brand CarniStore has secured a AED 45 million ($12.2 million) strategic minority investment from Emirates Growth Fund (EGF), marking the fund’s first food-sector investment. Founded in 2018, CarniStore has built its position in the UAE’s premium protein market by combining heritage butchery know-how with proprietary production and a digital-first retail model. The company says the new capital will support industrial scaling, expansion into new product categories, and broader regional growth. For EGF, the deal reflects its strategy of backing high-potential UAE businesses in the so-called “missing middle” and helping them evolve into long-term national champions. Beyond capital,…

UAE-based hospitality platform Mezza has officially launched, introducing a model designed to help restaurants access upfront, debt-free capital while also driving customer footfall and repeat visits. Built for independent restaurants and hospitality groups, Mezza aims to solve two persistent challenges in the sector: securing growth capital without dilution, and attracting diners consistently in a competitive market. The platform provides restaurants with upfront funding in exchange for future food and beverage credit. Instead of taking on loans, paying interest, or giving up equity, partner venues receive immediate cash flow while Mezza distributes the credit gradually to its app members over time.…

Turkey-based eSIM startup Pocket eSIM has secured $1.5 million in seed funding as it accelerates its global growth ambitions. The round saw participation from Ziraat Portföy, Bacacı Yatırım Holding, Milenium VC, and Negmar Venture. Existing backers including Fonangels, UP Venture Capital, and Iz Yatırım Holding also took part, with Ziraat Portföy doubling down after joining the company’s pre-seed round. Founded in Bilişim Vadisi by Eymen Özkan and Akif Enes Kütük, Pocket eSIM develops eSIM-based mobile connectivity solutions that allow users to access affordable mobile data in more than 200 countries—without the need for physical SIM cards. The platform is particularly…

Saudi-based edtech startup GAGA has secured $2.5 million in a pre-Series A round led by Phoenix Venture Partners, with backing from family offices and individual investors. Founded by Abdullah Alkharsani and Eyad Alshabaan, GAGA offers live interactive online education for students aged 4 to 18, positioning itself as a more engaging alternative to both traditional tutoring and passive recorded-content platforms. The company says its platform now features more than 1,000 live programmes across 200 subjects, covering both academic and skill-based learning. Its model focuses on real-time teacher-student interaction, combined with gamified learning experiences designed to improve engagement and learning outcomes.…

AI startup zypl.ai has secured $5.5 million in a bridge round at an $80 million valuation, as the company accelerates its global expansion in financial services. The round was led by Carbide Ventures, with participation from prominent business leaders including Shukhrat Ibragimov. The funding marks a key milestone for the company as it scales its synthetic data-driven AI platform across international markets. zypl.ai is focused on helping financial institutions improve decision-making through advanced AI models trained on synthetic datasets. At the core of its technology is zGAN, a proprietary generative AI model designed to simulate outlier scenarios and enhance predictive…

Moroccan electric mobility startup GoSwap has secured its first seed investment from Azur Innovation Fund, giving the Casablanca-based company fresh momentum as it expands its battery-swapping infrastructure for electric scooters. Founded in Casablanca, GoSwap is building a battery-as-a-service model designed to tackle some of the biggest barriers to electric vehicle adoption, including high upfront costs, charging delays, and range anxiety. The startup is also preparing for a larger fundraising round of more than $2 million (over MAD 20 million) to support its next phase of growth. GoSwap’s model separates the battery from the scooter itself, allowing users to buy electric…

Central Eurasian Venture Forum Tashkent is an investment platform bringing together venture funds, private investors, institutional capital, corporations, and technology startups. The forum will take place on April 3, 2026, for the first time in Uzbekistan at the JW Marriott Hotel Tashkent in partnership with IT Park Uzbekistan. This is the place where participants find co-investors, originate and structure deals, form funds and syndicates, and launch educational and investment initiatives. The 2026 focus is Smart Capital — a sustainable, structured, and professional approach to investing in AI, fintech, and deep tech in the context of a new global reality. As…

The UAE today announced the launch of Phase 1 of its Research and Development (R&D) Tax Incentives Programme, marking an important step in strengthening the country’s innovation ecosystem and supporting sustainable, long-term economic growth. Under the first phase of the programme, businesses will be able to benefit from a non-refundable R&D tax credit of up to 50% on qualifying expenditure of up to AED 5 million. The measure is designed to encourage private-sector investment in research and innovation, while supporting the UAE’s ambition to become a global hub for advanced industries and emerging technologies. The initial design of the incentive…