Startup Wrap – Saudi startup ecosystem leads regional funding activity

Startup Wrap – Saudi startup ecosystem leads regional funding activity
Yalla Plus has served thousands of entrepreneurs across 11 countries and plans to scale its reach to 100,000 entrepreneurs in 50 countries. (Supplied)
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Updated 25 August 2024

Startup Wrap – Saudi startup ecosystem leads regional funding activity

Startup Wrap – Saudi startup ecosystem leads regional funding activity
  • Resal, a Saudi-based e-gifting platform, has successfully raised $9 million in a series A round to fuel its growth

RIYADH: ’s startup ecosystem continues to see robust growth, with a diverse range of sectors attracting significant investment.

Companies across food technology, fintech, and loyalty platforms have secured funding to accelerate their expansion, both domestically and internationally.

Resal, a Saudi-based e-gifting platform, has successfully raised $9 million in a series A round to fuel its growth.

The round was backed by prominent investors, including Derayah Ventures Fund, Al-Wafrah AlThanya Investment Co., and Venture Souq FinTech Fund, as well as ADDiriyah Asset Management, Nomad Holdings, Bugshan Investment Group, and several family offices, alongside angel investors.

Founded in 2016 by Fouad Al-Farhan and Hatem Kameli, Resal provides digital solutions designed to connect merchants, companies, and individuals through a unified platform.

The company offers services that facilitate the management and exchange of loyalty points, prepaid cards, and vouchers across various sources.

The latest funding will be used to accelerate Resal’s business expansion within .

“Our success in securing these investments is a significant testament to the investors and partners’ belief in Resal’s role and its team’s efforts in developing an effective digital ecosystem that contributes to providing innovative solutions in loyalty programs, digital rewards, and alternative payments, in alignment with ’s Vision 2030,” Kameli, the company’s CEO, said.

He further claimed that the company recently doubled its sales growth and has increased the number of beneficiaries to more than 1.5 million users and over 1,000 entities and organizations across more than 15 sectors.

’s Yalla Plus secures $2.7m seed funding for POS innovation

Yalla Plus, a Saudi food tech startup, has closed a $2.7 million seed investment round led by Merak Capital.

The round also saw participation from Khwarizmi Ventures, Isometry Capital, and a mix of regional and international angel investors.

Established in 2022 by Abdullah Al-Rabeh and Bader Al-Nasser, Yalla Plus provides an integrated point-of-sale system that encompasses payment management, customer feedback processing, and delivery solutions.

The company has reportedly served thousands of entrepreneurs across 11 countries and plans to scale its reach to 100,000 entrepreneurs in 50 countries, spanning the Middle East, Europe, and Southeast Asia.

Mithu raises $500k pre-seed to aggregate loyalty programs

Saudi-based Mithu, a loyalty platform aggregator, has raised $500,000 in a pre-seed funding round led by Web3 venture builder Adaverse.

Founded in early 2024 by Mohsin Qureshi and Asif Ali, Mithu aims to streamline loyalty programs by consolidating them into a single, gamified app.

It is designed to boost customer engagement, particularly in the food and beverage sector.

Mithu claims to have already secured agreements with around 200 restaurants in Riyadh. The company’s gamification strategy is positioned to help businesses increase customer retention through enhanced loyalty interactions.

Asas secures $320k for AI-driven developer-sharing platform

’s Asas Specialized Information Technology has raised $320,000 in a pre-seed round for its flagship product, Resquad AI.

The round was backed by angel investors, and the investment will be used to expand the company’s operations within the Kingdom.

Founded by Abdullah Abdulaziz Al-Jafaari in 2024, Resquad AI facilitates flexible collaboration among software development firms by allowing them to share developers with other companies or external clients.

Asas plans to enhance its platform and drive growth in the Saudi IT sector with the new capital.

UAE-based Meteora Developers acquires property crowdfunding platform Maisour

UAE-based real estate developer Meteora Developers has acquired Emirati property crowdfunding platform Maisour in a multimillion-dollar deal.

Founded in 2022 by Praveen Sharma, Meteora has developed a diverse real estate portfolio across the UAE.

Maisour, launched in 2021 by Ahmed Nour, Haytham Assaal, and Sari Safi, offers global investors the opportunity to participate in the UAE’s real estate market through fractional ownership.

With this acquisition, current and future investors on the Maisour platform will gain access to Meteora’s extensive offerings, further expanding their opportunities in the UAE property sector.

Falcon Gate Ventures launches $100m Web3 innovation fund

Singapore-based Gate Ventures, the venture capital arm of Gate.io, and the Blockchain Center in Abu Dhabi have teamed up to launch a $100 million fund to promote Web3 innovation globally.

Named Falcon Gate Ventures, the fund aims to accelerate the adoption of decentralized technologies and infrastructure.

It will focus on fostering innovation in regions such as the US, Asia, Europe, and the MENA region, targeting key areas of Web3 development.

Both Gate Ventures and the Blockchain Center intend to leverage their combined expertise to support emerging talents and advance the digital economy.

Pakistan’s PostEx raises $7.3m to drive expansion into the GCC

Pakistan-based fintech startup PostEx has secured $7.3 million in a pre-series A round led by Conjunction Capital, alongside Dash Ventures, Sanabil500, VSQ, FJ Labs, and Zayn VC.

Founded in 2020 by Muhammad Khan, PostEx offers upfront payments to e-commerce businesses while providing a reliable delivery network.

Prior to this round, the company had raised $8.6 million from investors such as Global Founder Capital, MSA Capital, and Shorooq Partners.

The company intends to utilize the fresh capital to expand its services into the Gulf Cooperation Council region, further bolstering its fintech and logistics solutions.

Egypt’s NoorNation secures investment from KBW Ventures for clean energy solutions

Egypt-based climate tech startup NoorNation has received an undisclosed investment from KBW Ventures, founded by Saudi Prince Khaled bin Al-Waleed.

NoorNation, which was launched in 2021 by Ragy Ramadan and Mohamed Khaled, focuses on delivering decentralized energy and water infrastructure to off-grid areas across Egypt and Sub-Saharan Africa.

NoorNation’s flagship product, LifeBox, provides clean energy and safe water to rural communities, farms, and tourism businesses at affordable prices.

The company has gained recognition for its work, including being named Best Green Tech Startup of the Year in Northern Africa by the Global Startup Awards 2024. This marks KBW Ventures’ first investment in Egypt’s startup ecosystem.

UAE fintech Yuze raises $30m for SME financial inclusion

UAE-based fintech startup Yuze has raised $30 million in a funding round led by Osten Investments.

Founded in 2022 by Rabih Sfeir, Yuze offers business accounts tailored to startups, micro, and small enterprises, with a focus on financial inclusion in emerging markets.

The company plans to utilize the funds to expand into new markets and aims to reach one million small and medium-sized enterprise and professional customers within the next five years.

Yuze’s expansion strategy is intended to bridge the financial inclusion gap for underserved businesses across various regions.


Electric vehicle sales growth eases to 21% in July, research firm says

Electric vehicle sales growth eases to 21% in July, research firm says
Updated 13 August 2025

Electric vehicle sales growth eases to 21% in July, research firm says

Electric vehicle sales growth eases to 21% in July, research firm says

LONDON: Global electric vehicle sales grew 21 percent year-on-year in July, the slowest rate since January and down from 25 percent in June, as momentum in plug-in hybrid sales in China slackened, market research firm Rho Motion said on Wednesday.

China is the world’s biggest car market and accounts for more than half of global EV sales, which in Rho Motion’s data include battery-electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids.

Its overall car sales growth slowed in July, with BYD , the world’s largest EV maker, recording its third monthly drop in registrations.

The relatively muted slowdown in overall EV sales, however, shows other markets are taking up some of the slack, with European sales, for one, benefiting from incentives aimed at speeding up decarbonization.

Global sales of battery-electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids rose to 1.6 million units in July, Rho Motion data showed.

China’s EV sales growth, which averaged 36 percent a month in the first half, eased to 12 percent in July as the previously booming market was dampened by a pause in some 2025 government subsidy schemes for EV and plug-in hybrid purchases, Rho Motion data manager Charles Lester said.

Chinese sales reached around one million vehicles. European sales surged 48 percent to about 390,000 units, while North American sales climbed 10 percent to more than 170,000. Sales in the rest of the world jumped 55 percent to more than 140,000 vehicles.

“Despite regional variations, the overall trajectory for EV adoption in 2025 remains strongly upward,” Lester said.

Chinese car sales are expected to return to strong growth from August as new funds become available for its subsidy schemes, while a cut in US tax credits for buying or leasing new EVs at the end of September will hurt demand there, Lester added.


Saudi EXIM Bank’s H1 credit facilities surge 44% to $6.29bn

Saudi EXIM Bank’s H1 credit facilities surge 44% to $6.29bn
Updated 13 August 2025

Saudi EXIM Bank’s H1 credit facilities surge 44% to $6.29bn

Saudi EXIM Bank’s H1 credit facilities surge 44% to $6.29bn
  • Export financing disbursements rose 26.2% to SR8.87 billion
  • Gowth supports bank’s mandate to help double Kingdom’s industrial exports

RIYADH: ’s Export-Import Bank boosted credit facilities by 44 percent in the first half of the year, reaching SR23.61 billion ($6.29 billion), as the state lender stepped up efforts to accelerate non-oil export growth. 

Export financing disbursements rose 26.2 percent to SR8.87 billion in the six months to June, while credit insurance coverage surged 58.8 percent to SR14.74 billion, the Saudi Press Agency reported. 

The growth supports the bank’s mandate to help double the Kingdom’s industrial exports from SR254 billion in 2022 to SR557 billion by 2030, and SR892 billion by 2035, in line with the National Industrial Strategy. 

“The leap achieved by the bank in the credit facilities provided during this year reflects the extent of the tireless efforts and strategic plans that seek to achieve all economic development goals,” said Saad bin Abdulaziz Al-Khalb, CEO of Saudi EXIM Bank. 

He added that the bank’s progress since its inception underscores its role in building a diversified and sustainable national economy. 

The lender launched the “Bridges Initiative” to align with the Kingdom’s industrial transformation to speed up access to industrial inputs and enhance export competitiveness. The program is expected to expand opportunities for Saudi non-oil exports and introduce more flexible financing solutions. 

“Among the achievements made during this period is the bank’s obtaining its first credit rating from Fitch International with an A+ rating, which reflects the bank’s creditworthiness and commitment to the highest standards of efficiency and transparency,” said Al-Khalb.

Fitch Ratings assigns an A+ rating to entities with an exceptionally strong capacity to meet financial commitments and a low expectation of default risk. The agency cited the bank’s strategic importance as a government-owned entity and its central role in export financing, guarantees, and insurance. 

Saudi EXIM Bank, affiliated with the National Development Fund, is working to diversify the Kingdom’s economic base by enhancing the efficiency of the national non-oil export system, bridging financing gaps, and reducing export risks. 

On the sidelines of the African Development Bank Group’s annual meetings in Cote d’Ivoire in May, the bank signed four agreements to strengthen trade and investment ties across the continent. 

The deals were signed by Al-Khalb with Africa50, the Ghana Export-Import Bank, Blend International Ltd., and Guinea’s Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation, according to SPA. 


Education spending drives Saudi POS transactions to $3bn as other sectors slump

Education spending drives Saudi POS transactions to $3bn as other sectors slump
Updated 13 August 2025

Education spending drives Saudi POS transactions to $3bn as other sectors slump

Education spending drives Saudi POS transactions to $3bn as other sectors slump
  • Pharmacies and medical supplies saw largest decrease
  • Total POS value stood at SR13.6 billion despite a 12.3% weekly drop

RIYADH: ’s point-of-sale transactions remained above the $3 billion mark for the second week in a row due to a 32.5 percent increase in spending on education in the week ending Aug. 9.

The sector recorded SR251.79 million ($67.09 million) in transactions despite a 3.2 percent dip, reaching 161,000. It was the only one to see a positive change during the monitored period.

The total POS value stood at SR13.6 billion with a 12.3 percent weekly drop, underscoring the resilience of consumer activity across the Kingdom, according to data from the Saudi Central Bank, also known as SAMA. 

The subcategory of pharmacies and medical supplies saw the largest decrease, dropping by 24.7 percent to SR278.94 million. Spending on freight transport and courier services ranked next, falling 23.8 percent to SR48.68 million. 

Food and beverages, the sector with the biggest share of total POS value, recorded a 17.8 percent decrease to SR1.93 billion. In comparison, the restaurants and cafes sector saw a 7.9 percent decrease, totaling SR1.75 billion and claiming the second-largest share of this week’s POS.

Spending on transportation ranked third despite a 14.5 percent decline to SR1.04 billion.

The top three categories accounted for approximately 34.4 percent of the week’s total spending, amounting to SR4.71 billion.

The smallest decline was seen in the hotels sector, which decreased by 1 percent to SR349.97 million, followed by expenditure on medical services, which saw a 6.6 percent dip to SR474 million.

Spending on apparel, clothing, and accessories saw a 10.7 percent dip to SR998.90 million, and recreation and culture decreased by 13.4 percent to settle at SR345.58 million.

Geographically, Riyadh dominated POS transactions, with expenses in the capital reaching SR4.58 billion, a 9.8 percent decrease from the previous week. 

Jeddah followed closely with a 9.7 percent dip to SR1.91 billion, while Dammam ranked third, declining 9.2 percent to SR634.68 million.

Al-Qatif saw the smallest decrease, down 3 percent to SR92.35 million, followed by Abha with a 5.5 percent drop to SR285.04 million.

Hail recorded 3.99 million deals in transaction volume, down 12.6 percent from the previous week, while Tabuk reached 4.49 million transactions, falling 10.5 percent.


Oil Updates — prices steady as market awaits inventory data, US-Russia meeting

Oil Updates — prices steady as market awaits inventory data, US-Russia meeting
Updated 13 August 2025

Oil Updates — prices steady as market awaits inventory data, US-Russia meeting

Oil Updates — prices steady as market awaits inventory data, US-Russia meeting

SINGAPORE: Oil prices were little changed on Wednesday as investors awaited US inventory data, while eyeing an upcoming meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Brent crude futures dipped 3 cents, or 0.05 percent, to $66.09 a barrel at 9:11 a.m. Saudi time, while US West Texas Intermediate crude futures edged down 8 cents, or 0.13 percent, at $63.09. Both contracts settled lower on Tuesday.

Trump and Putin are due to meet in Alaska on Friday to discuss ending Russia’s war in Ukraine that has shaken oil markets since February 2022.

Oil investors are in a “wait-and-see mode” ahead of the meeting, said ING commodity strategists.

“The outcome could remove some of the sanction risk hanging over the market,” the ING strategists added.

Investors also awaited further cues after an industry report showed US crude stockpiles climbed last week.

Crude inventories in the United States, the world’s biggest oil consumer, rose by 1.52 million barrels last week, market sources said, citing American Petroleum Institute figures on Tuesday. Gasoline inventories dropped while distillate inventories gained slightly.

Should the US Energy Information Administration data later on Wednesday also show a decline, it could indicate that consumption during the summer driving season has peaked and refiners are easing back their runs. The driving season typically runs from the Memorial Day holiday at the end of May to the Labor Day holiday in early September.

Analysts polled by Reuters expect the EIA report to show crude inventories fell by about 300,000 barrels last week. Outlooks issued by OPEC and the EIA on Tuesday pointed to increased production this year, which also weighed on prices. But both expect output in the US, the world’s largest producer, to decline in 2026, while other regions will increase oil and natural gas production.

US crude production will hit a record 13.41 million barrels per day in 2025 due to increases in well productivity, though lower oil prices will prompt output to fall in 2026, the EIA forecast in a monthly report.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries’ monthly report said global oil demand will rise by 1.38 million bpd in 2026, up 100,000 bpd from the previous forecast. Its 2025 projection was left unchanged.

The White House on Tuesday tempered the expectations for a quick Russia-Ukraine ceasefire deal, which may lead investors to reconsider an end to the war soon and any easing of sanctions on Russian supply, which had been supporting prices.

“Trump downplayed expectations of his meeting with President Putin ... However, expectations of additional sanctions on Russian crude continue to fall,” ANZ senior commodity strategist Daniel Hynes wrote in a note. 


Closing Bell: Saudi main index closes in red at 10,770

Closing Bell: Saudi main index closes in red at 10,770
Updated 12 August 2025

Closing Bell: Saudi main index closes in red at 10,770

Closing Bell: Saudi main index closes in red at 10,770
  • Parallel market Nomu lost 91.69 points to close at 26,144.11
  • MSCI Tadawul Index edged down 0.26% to 1,391.13

RIYADH: ’s Tadawul All Share Index slipped on Tuesday, shedding 21.98 points, or 0.20 percent, to close at 10,769.66. 

The total trading turnover on the main index reached SR4.08 billion ($1.09 billion), with 94 stocks advancing and 159 declining. 

The Kingdom’s parallel market Nomu also fell, losing 91.69 points to close at 26,144.11, while the MSCI Tadawul Index edged down 0.26 percent to 1,391.13. 

The best-performing stock on the main market was Red Sea International Co., whose share price jumped 9.96 percent to SR45.72. BAAN Holding Group Co. rose 4.98 percent to SR2.32, while Astra Industrial Group gained 4.71 percent to SR149. 

The share price of Methanol Chemicals Co. dropped by 9.92 percent to SR10.62. 

On the announcements front, Saudi Electricity Co. reported a net profit attributable to common shares of SR1.86 billion after deducting profit attributable to Mudaraba instruments for the second quarter, up 113 percent from SR0.87 billion a year earlier. 

The company’s net profit before Mudaraba payments stood at SR6.25 billion, compared to SR5.24 billion in the same quarter of 2024, reflecting a 19.26 percent increase. 

The utility’s share price slipped 0.61 percent to SR14.61. 

First Milling Co. announced it had completed the acquisition of a 100 percent stake in Jeddah-based Al Manar Feed Co. in a deal valued at SR77 million. In a Tadawul filing, the company said the acquisition aligns with its strategy to boost feed production capacity. 

With the purchase, First Milling Co. will add a daily production capacity of 450 tonnes in the feed segment, bringing its total feed output to 1,350 tonnes per day. 

The company’s share price rose 0.28 percent to SR53.20.