MENA Startups Raise $2.3 Billion In 2024, UAE Leads With $1.1 Billion

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

January 31, 2025

The startup ecosystem in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region demonstrated notable resilience in 2024, despite a 42% year-on-year decline in overall funding, according to the latest report from Wamda. MENA startups secured $2.3 billion in investments, with the UAE leading the way, raising $1.1 billion across 207 startups. The region also saw an increase in deal volumes and sectoral diversity, highlighting the maturing nature of the ecosystem.

Key Facts

Despite a significant drop in total funding, deal volumes rose by 3.5%, with 610 deals closed in 2024.
Saudi Arabia followed the UAE, raising $700 million across 186 deals, while Egypt secured $334 million in 84 deals.
Oman made a notable leap, climbing from 10th place in 2023 to 4th in 2024 with $41.5 million raised.
GCC countries led the funding with Oman, Bahrain, and Kuwait securing investments in smaller yet growing startup ecosystems.

GCC Leads The Way

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries emerged as the highest-funded in the region. Oman saw significant growth, while Bahrain and Kuwait secured $29 million and $22 million, respectively. Smaller ecosystems like Jordan, Qatar, and Lebanon also showed promising development, with Jordan raising $15 million, marking a notable increase from $9 million in 2023.

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Sectoral Insights In The UAE

In the UAE, three sectors dominated funding: fintech, Web 3.0, and proptech. Fintech led with $265 million raised across 47 transactions, followed closely by Web 3.0 startups with $255 million raised in 19 deals. Proptech attracted $197 million across 13 transactions. The UAE’s growing interest in these sectors aligns with the country’s global appeal, diverse population, and wealth.

Fintech Dominates Regionally

Fintech remained the most funded sector in MENA, securing 30% of the total investment, amounting to $700 million. In Egypt and the UAE, fintech led the charge, while in Saudi Arabia, software-as-a-service (SaaS) startups attracted the most attention. Web 3.0 and e-commerce startups followed closely, with $256.8 million and $253 million raised, respectively.

Early-Stage Startups Lead Investments

Early-stage startups dominated investments in 2024, attracting over $1.2 billion across 300 startups from pre-seed to Series A stages. Later-stage startups saw $332 million in funding across 10 deals, while only two startups secured pre-IPO funding, raising $143.3 million.

Investor Shifts To B2B Model

A significant shift in investor appetite was observed, with a preference for B2B models. B2B startups raised $1.2 billion across 325 companies, while B2C startups secured $717 million. Startups operating in both B2B and B2C models, as well as direct-to-consumer (D2C) startups, received the remaining investments.

Challenges And Opportunities

The MENA region’s startup ecosystem faces challenges, particularly with the decline in funding for foodtech and the underrepresentation of female-founded startups, which raised just $27.6 million, although this marked an improvement from 2023. However, the growing diversity in sectors and investor interest in B2B models present opportunities for continued growth.

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EU Agrees On Major Overhaul Of Financial Market Supervision

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

October 9, 2026

European Union finance ministers have reached agreement on a sweeping package designed to strengthen oversight of the bloc’s financial markets, in a move aimed at reducing fragmentation and improving the flow of capital across borders.

A Push To Deepen Capital Markets

The Market Integration and Supervision Package, or MISP, would grant the European Securities and Markets Authority direct supervision over major market operators that are currently regulated by national authorities. The reforms are intended to make Europe’s capital markets more integrated, more efficient and better able to channel savings into productive investment.

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According to the Irish presidency, the package is meant to help savings and investments move more freely across the European Union, improving access to finance for companies while giving households broader opportunities to earn returns on their savings.

What The Reform Would Change

Under the new framework, ESMA would take direct oversight of key trading venues, clearing houses, securities settlement bodies and crypto-asset service providers. The package would also establish a permanent, independent executive board within the regulator, strengthening its institutional capacity.

Market operators would be able to opt into a new EU-wide operating framework. In parallel, the reforms would seek to make national supervision more consistent and update rules governing trading, transaction completion, investment management and the use of blockchain technology.

Why The Agreement Matters

Supporters of deeper capital markets argue that Europe has long paid a price for regulatory inconsistency. While many rules are harmonised across the bloc, differences in enforcement and supervision have contributed to a patchwork system that can make cross-border investment slower and more costly.

A more integrated framework, proponents say, could lower costs for companies seeking funding and broaden the menu of investment options available to savers and institutional investors alike.

Outstanding Questions Remain

Despite the broad agreement, some important details remain unresolved. Trading venues operated by Deutsche Börse, the company behind the Frankfurt stock exchange, may remain outside ESMA’s direct supervision.

Euronews previously reported that Germany had secured an exemption for Deutsche Börse’s domestically focused trading venues, leaving part of the system under regional supervision. The latest announcement did not clarify whether that arrangement will stand.

A Step Forward For The Savings And Investments Union

Dutch Finance Minister Eelco Heinen welcomed the deal, calling it a major advance for the Capital Markets Union and saying Europe had made more progress in 10 months than in the previous 10 years.

The agreement is an important milestone in the Savings and Investments Union, the EU’s broader effort to channel more of Europeans’ savings into investments that can support growth, innovation and competitiveness across the bloc.

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