Founders, funding rounds and exits reshaping the Gulf. From the seed deals you missed yesterday to the unicorns minting next quarter — covered with discipline by the region's most-cited startup desk.
The BNPL pioneer's latest round, led by Wellington with participation from PIF's growth vehicle, sets the highest mark to date for a MENA-headquartered fintech and clears the path for a domestic listing within 18 months.
DIFC and ADGM are pulling closer to parity as both jurisdictions roll out new founder visa programmes — and the headline number masks a meaningful shift in deal stage mix.
The corporate VC's portfolio now includes 47 active investments, with a clear pivot toward Saudi-headquartered B2B SaaS and vertical AI in the last two quarters.
Sovereign LPs are accounting for an unusually large share of late-stage rounds — and the resulting valuation pressure is starting to show up in mid-stage marks.
The first major foundation-model lab to plant a flag in the Kingdom signals a broader shift in where the next wave of model work will get done — and on whose data.
The first fully digital banking licence issued in the Kingdom paves the way for a wave of foreign and domestic challengers — and resets the competitive map for traditional banks.
The event's third edition formalised eight new fund commitments and surfaced a clear shift in LP appetite toward later-stage Saudi-headquartered companies.
Q1 FDI inflows hit a multi-year high as international corporates lock in long-duration commitments tied to the Kingdom's diversification roadmap.