Author: Arabian Media staff

BRKZ, a leading Saudi B2B managed marketplace, announced the completion of its $17 million Series A funding round. The funding includes an $8 million Series A2 round closed in January 2025, $1 million in venture debt from Capifly and the initial $8 million Series A1 round in December 2023, the company said. All existing investors such as BECO Capital, Aramco’s Waed, 9900 Capital, Better Tomorrow Ventures, RZM Investment, Class 5 Global, MISY Ventures, Knollwood Investment Advisory, and Fluent Ventures participated in the funding, it said. The latest investment takes the total funding to $22.5 million and will be deployed to scale…

The Abu Dhabi Registration and Licensing Authority (ADRA) revealed significant growth in business licences and compliance indicators in the Emirate’s mainland and non-financial economic free zones during 2024. The number of new economic licences in the Emirate’s mainland increased by 16 per cent compared to 2023, underscoring Abu Dhabi’s attractiveness as a destination for local and international businesses and investments due to its business-friendly ecosystem and world-class transparency and governance standards. Additionally, Abu Dhabi witnessed a remarkable growth of 22 per cent of active licences in the non-financial economic free zones. Abu Dhabi business growth The number of “Real beneficiary”…

The Israeli leader thought he had a plan from the U.S. president that would have represented total victory over Hamas. Suddenly, it looks as though he might not get everything he wants. Source link

Abu Dhabi will allow businesses from across the UAE to operate in the capital without needing business premises. The Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED) has introduced new flexibilities to support business expansion and growth across the emirate. New regulations now allow firms registered in other emirates of the UAE, and their respective free zones, to open branches within Abu Dhabi without requiring physical premises for the first year. Abu Dhabi business offer The decision streamlines business processes and gives firms easy access to the many business opportunities across the growing economy. It aims to reflect the city’s commitment…

MANSA, the Dubai-based global fintech innovator in cross-border payments, announced the successful closure of its $10 million funding round. The company said it has raised $3 million in a pre-seed funding round led by Tether and co-led by Polymorphic Capital with participation from other prominent investors. The fintech company said it has also secured an additional $7 million in liquidity funding from institutions, including corporate investors, quantitative funds, and alternative investment firms. The funds will support MANSA’s further market expansion into Latin America and Southeast Asia, alongside the rollout of bespoke liquidity and ancillary solutions tailored to address complex cross-border payments needs, the company…

UAE-based venture builder Disrupt.com announced a $100 million commitment to build and back AI-first technology ventures globally. The firm’s $100 million commitment targets five strategic sectors: artificial intelligence as a cross-cutting theme, plus cybersecurity, Web 3.0, automotive technology, and retail innovation. The company said it primarily targets pre-seed to Series A stage startups that demonstrate strong organic growth potential and clear paths to profitability. The announcement comes as regional funding has declined sharply, with MENA venture capital investment down 29 per cent to just under $2 billion in 2024, according to Magnitt. Global AI venture funding Disrupt.com said its current…

GEMS Education has launched the “Next Billion Innovation” startup fund, a new initiative designed to empower and support GEMS students in delivering the next big solutions with the potential to make a global impact. The $1m fund will initially be made available to students at GEMS’ newest school, GEMS School of Research and Innovation (SRI), opening in Dubai in August 2025. SRI pupils will also have priority access to hands-on support and direct pathways to global startup ecosystems thanks to GEMS’ partnership with innovation platform Plug and Play Tech Centre, which provides an incubator programme for the most promising student…

UAE entrepreneurs are being offered funding support to cover business startup and expansion costs. The Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development (KFED) announced the continuation of its existing funding programmes by offering new financial package to support Emirati entrepreneurs with both emerging and established projects in Abu Dhabi’s priority sectors. KFED continues to accept applications for medium and long-term loans designed to fulfil the requirements of innovative business ventures in the UAE. Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development in the UAE The funding programmes include the Startup Funding Programme and the Scale-up Funding Programme for existing projects, aimed at enhancing the concept…

The new fund, Yango Ventures, will focus on seed to Series B investments primarily in online-to-offline (O2O), B2B software-as-a-service, and financial technology sectors, with plans to scale its capital base as entrepreneurial ecosystems expand in these high-growth markets. “We’re more than a tech company; we are an ecosystem committed to empowering entrepreneurs worldwide,” said Daniil Shuleyko, CEO of Yango Group. “Through Yango Ventures, we’re sharing our expertise and network to help startups scale, thrive, and drive meaningful change in their communities.” The fund’s creation represents a significant expansion of the Group’s operations beyond its core business of adapting global technology…

The UAE has been named the best place in the world for entrepreneurs as foreign ownership rules, government support and finance options make it easier than ever to launch a business in the country. The UAE has ranked first globally for the fourth consecutive year in the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) Report 2024/2025. The report also ranked the UAE as the best place for entrepreneurship and small and medium-sized enterprises among 56 economies assessed this year. UAE tops entrepreneur ranking The UAE secured the top position among high-income countries in 11 out of 13 key indicators based on expert assessments…