Startup investments across the Middle East and Gulf recorded unprecedented growth across more than eight strategic sectors during the period from September 1 to September 20, 2026.
According to the weekly consolidated investment report issued by entArbi, total disclosed investments exceeded $1.6 billion, covering 22 announced deals out of 24 transactions during the first 20 days of the month.
The leading sectors included fintech, artificial intelligence, e-commerce, logistics, legal technology, recycling technology, gaming, and education and training technology.
Key Sector Investments
Theartificial intelligence sector attracted the largest share of investment, with six new deals worth $900.69 million, accounting for56.3% of total disclosed investments.
Fintechranked second, with eight disclosed companies out of nine transactions, raising a combined more than $651.5 millio**, equivalent to 40.7% of total investments.
E-commerce** came third, with two companies raising a combined $13.2 million, representing less than 1% of total investments. Logistics followed with $10 millionraised by one company, while education and training technology attracted $5 million across two deals.
The gaming sector recorded\$1.5 million\ in funding for one company.
Saudi Arabia Leads the Investment Landscape
Saudi Arabia led startup investment activity during the first three weeks of September, recording approximately $675.4 million, equivalent to 42.21% of total investments.
The funding covered four major sectors, including fintech, artificial intelligence, e-commerce, gaming, and logistics, across nine announced deals.
The Kingdom accounted for more than **$624.5 million** in fintech investments through more than four transactions.
Qatar Captures Major AI Investment
Qatar secured a major position in the artificial intelligence sector through a single financing transaction involving theQatar Investment Authority (QIA) in Positron AI, worth $875 million, representing approximately 54.7% of total investments during the period.
The United Arab Emirates** ranked lower during the period, recording approximately $16.5 million across two deals—one in fintech and another in artificial intelligence—representing 1.03% of total investments.
Egypt ranked fourth, with three transactions, Cairo’s activity included the recycling technology sector through Bekia’s $675,000 funding round, bringing Egypt’s total disclosed investments to approximately $13.657 million, or less than 1% of the overall investment volume.
Key Investment Deals
- Saudi gaming company Takahouse secured$1.5 million in funding fromImpact46 to support the development of new games and products.
- Egyptian startup 3C Coding School, which specializes in teaching programming, technology, and artificial intelligence to children and young people, closed a $3 million Seed roundled by MRG Economic Group and a group of angel investors. The funding will support the company’s expansion plans in Saudi Arabia.
- Saudi fintech platform Rabeh raised $8.5 millionfrom a group of angel investors to support its expansion in the Saudi market.
- Saudi AI-powered human resources technology company ZenHR raised$6 millionin a Bridge round led by Impact46.
- The funding will be used to develop the company’s products and support its expansion across regional markets.
- Saudi online car marketplace Syarah secured a $12 million investment from Impact46 to expand its new and used vehicle sales services across the Kingdom.
- Saudi digital logistics company Sardab closed a $10 million Series A round led by Elm, BECO Capital, Y Combinator, COTU Ventures, D Global Ventures, and a group of angel investors.
- The funding aims to reshape supply chain management, warehousing, and transportation operations across the Saudi and Gulf markets.
- Saudi company Edraj, which specializes in AI-powered solutions for the listing process, closed a $598,000 Pre-Seed round led by Asab Legal Technology, aiming to bridge the gap between companies’ growth ambitions and listing requirements.
- Saudi social commerce and live-auction platform Rwaj raised $1.2 million in a Pre-Seed round to accelerate platform development and support its expansion across Middle Eastern markets.
- Fintech platform Sav raised $3.5 million in a pre-Series A round led by Phoenix Venture Partners, supporting its expansion in Saudi Arabia and the development of its AI-powered technologies, with participation from a number of investors.
- Kuwaiti medical education and training platform Dawraty secured a $2 million investment from Qatar Development Bank as part of a Seed round expected to continue through the end of November. The deal brings the company’s valuation to approximately $10 million and aims to expand its model across Gulf and Arab markets.
- Saudi enterprise AI company Gaya closed a $1.5 million Pre-Seed round led by Sidra Ventures. The funding will support the development of its sovereign platform, enabling companies to securely search, access, and leverage their internal data and knowledge.
- Saudi platform Fitting closed a $1.1 million second Seed round, with participation from a strategic investor, to support its growth plans in the Saudi market.
- The company also plans to introduce new services, including shipment tracking, AI-powered solutions, and a smart catalog for building materials.
- Egyptian fintech startup Zeal raised $10 million in a new funding round to support the expansion of its technology solutions linked to point-of-sale devices across Middle Eastern, European, and African markets. The participating investors were not disclosed.
- The Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) participated in a $875 million Series C round for US-based Positron AI, which develops AI inference hardware.
Read the article in
