Makers, the construction technology (contech) accelerator launched by Flat6Labs in partnership with SIAC and Dar Al-Handasah (Shair and Partners), has announced that it will award the selected startups up to $100,000 each.

The programme will also grant access to pilot projects, industry experts, mentorship, business training, one-on-one consultations, coaching sessions, networking opportunities, and essential resources to cultivate and scale their businesses.

The programme will initially focus on Egyptian entrepreneurs, before expanding to Saudi Arabia and subsequently to the wider Mena region.

Press release:

Flat6Labs, the region's leading seed and early-stage venture capital firm, has launched the "Makers" ConTech Accelerator Program in partnership with SIAC and Dar Al-Handasah (Shair and Partners).

The program is the first-ever construction-focused accelerator program in the Middle East that aims to support advanced startups in the construction technology industry.

The "Makers" ConTech Accelerator Program will provide select startups with up to $100,000 in funding per startup as well as grant access to pilot projects, industry experts, mentorship, business training, one-on-one consultations, coaching sessions, networking opportunities, and essential resources to cultivate and scale their businesses.

The program will last 12 weeks, startups will be chosen based on their unique new technology, hardworking founders, and exceptionally promising products, presented at a minimum viable product (MVP) level or higher.

The launch of the new program follows Makers’ first pre-accelerator program, which ran in early 2023 and which aimed to promote construction industry innovation through connecting and engaging with various industry stakeholders with extensive expertise, thereby creating sustainable innovation ecosystems for resolving construction-related challenges within SIAC, Dar, and the industry at large.

The pre-accelerator program graduated nine of the most innovative ConTech startups in Egypt – including Reblox, Tawredaat, AION Innovation, Masafa, HomeLab, A.D Innovations, Makinahub, and JEEZAR.

During the pre-accelerator, these startups were offered strategic mentorship, entrepreneurship-focused business training, one-on-one sessions with subject matter experts, as well as other benefits that would empower them to develop and present their innovative ideas and solutions.

With the launch of the new accelerator program, Flat6Labs intends to provide ongoing support to construction technology startups. The program will initially focus on Egyptian entrepreneurs, before expanding to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and subsequently to the wider MENA region.

Commenting on the new Makers Accelerator Program, Faysal Shair, Head of Digital Solutions at Dar, said, “We are thrilled to continue our exceptional collaboration with SIAC and Flat6Labs to accelerate the transformation of the construction industry.

We believe that the program will promote innovation in the construction industry and foster talents in construction tech, empowering them to showcase their innovative solutions and work alongside industry leaders to bring those solutions to the market. We are looking forward to seeing what the selected startups will bring to the table."

"We are proud to be a part of the journey towards digitising the construction industry and unlocking more opportunities and potential for ConTech startups in Egypt," stated Seif Ragab, Deputy CEO at SIAC. “

The digital revolution of the construction industry is becoming more crucial than ever and we are excited to capitalise on this momentum and make major leaps. We are confident that the expansion of this program would essentially help the growth and development of the region's constructing industry."

"We are excited to announce the launch of an accelerator program in collaboration with SIAC and Dar Al-Handasah, with the hope that it will serve as a conduit for the development of cutting-edge innovation while driving growth and opportunities for promising startups," said Yehia Houry, Chief Programs Officer at Flat6Labs.

"We are proud of the success of the pre-accelerator program, and we believe that Makers will have a significant impact on the construction industry in Egypt, and eventually across the Middle East."

Compared to other sectors like fintech, the construction industry typically moves at a slower pace when it comes to embracing innovation or digitalisation.

The Makers program strives to equip construction entrepreneurs with the necessary support in order to provide innovative solutions and fresh technologies that optimise and automate construction industry processes, making them more efficient and sustainable while propelling the sector forward.

Source: Wamda

Bahrain - The total assets of the Future Generations Reserve Fund amounted to $614.3 million during 2022 and increased to $680.1m during the first half of this year, the Cabinet heard yesterday.

It discussed and approved a memorandum submitted by the Finance and National Economy Minister regarding the fund’s annual report and audited financial statements for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2022, with preliminary estimated performance indicators until June 30 this year.

His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, chaired the weekly meeting at Gudaibiya Palace.

The session also highlighted the importance of the meeting held between His Majesty King Hamad and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi in El Alamein city on Egypt’s northern coast.

The Cabinet noted the importance of bilateral co-operation to achieve common aspirations of development, stability, and prosperity.

The session congratulated Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, wife of His Majesty and Supreme Council for Women president, on the 22nd anniversary of the council’s establishment, which falls on August 22 of each year.

The Cabinet commended the achievements of Bahraini women and their remarkable contributions to government work, following the council’s adoption of ambitious programmes for them.

The Cabinet expressed its condolences to the US government and the families of the victims of the devastating forest fires in Hawaii, wishing a speedy recovery to those injured.

Source: Zawya

UAE-based crypto VC fund Illuminati Capital,  has raised $50 million for a fund that aims to invest in early-stage blockchain and Web3 gaming startups.

Founded by Vickaash Agrawal, Dhaval Parikh, Muhannad Abulhasan and Laura K. Inamedinova, Illuminati Capital aims to build a Web3 ecosystem, driving transformative shifts in decentralised technologies.

Illuminati Capital will focus on multiple verticals, including decentralised finance (DeFi), blockchain gaming, artificial intelligence, NFT infrastructure, and real-world assets (RWA).

Illuminati Capital has raised $50 million to invest in early-stage blockchain startups — including game companies. The hope is to bring its partners’ wealth of experience and expertise to the rapidly evolving Web3 arena.

The firm is based in Dubai and its partners have individually invested in blockchain startups worth over $1 billion, demonstrating impressive growth and valuation.

Setting itself apart from traditional investment firms, Illuminati Capital aims to offer more than just financial support. The venture capital firm is dedicated to building the global Web3 ecosystem and driving transformative shifts in decentralized technologies.

The team behind Illuminati Capital has collectively deployed $30 million, resulting in exits worth $150 million. The partners include blockchain investors, marketing experts, accomplished angel investors, and other talented individuals. The diverse backgrounds of the partners enable Illuminati Capital to provide targeted advice and actively engage with founders.

“We are witnessing a remarkable growth trajectory in Web3 venture investing,” said Vickaash Agrawal, partner at Illuminati Capital, in a statement. “With a track record of 120-plus successful blockchain investments in my investment portfolio, I will bring my expertise in data, infrastructure, regulation and mining.”

Illuminati Capital’s investment focus spans multiple verticals, including decentralized finance (DeFi), blockchain gaming, artificial intelligence, NFT infrastructure, and real-world assets (RWA). By strategically investing in pioneering sectors, Illuminati Capital aims to play a pivotal role in shaping the decentralized economy of the future.

“The possibilities of decentralized technology are endless,” said Dhaval Parikh, a partner at Illuminati Capital and blockchain investor with five-plus years of experience and a portfolio of leading Web3 high-end projects, in a statement. “With a background in VC, I will focus on due diligence, risk assessment, portfolio management, and deal flow while analyzing industry trends and key ecosystem insights.”

The firm’s partnership connections, coupled with its focus on Web3 companies backed by real-world assets, position Illuminati Capital to help portfolio companies grow. Illuminati Capital will provide hands-on assistance with listings, exchanges, business development, public relations, key opinion leaders (KOLs), and more to drive the success of its portfolio projects.

“By leveraging our trusted network and industry know-how, we commit to building a solid foundation for long-term success,” added Laura K. Inamedinova, a partner at Illuminati Capital and CEO of LKI Consulting, in a statement. “As a marketing expert with a portfolio of 250+ Clients, I will advise projects on community building, branding, positioning, marketing strategy, and user acquisition securing early-stage growth.”

Source: Wamda

• UAE sovereign investor Mubadala Investment Company has led a $76 million in equity and debt financing for Nigeria-based mobility fintech startup “Moove”.
• Founded in 2020 by Jide Odunsi and Ladi Delano, Moove offers revenue-based vehicle financing to mobility entrepreneurs globally, including Uber.
• Mubadala has led the $28 million in equity along with new and existing investors, while the $10 million in venture debt from funds and accounts was managed by BlackRock, and $38 million in previously undisclosed funds was raised during the prior 12 months.
• Moove will use the funding to expand and consolidate its position globally.
• Moove is a Wamda portfolio company. 

UAE sovereign investor Mubadala Investment Company has led a funding round that secured $76 million in equity and debt for Moove, a Nigeria-based mobility fintech that offers vehicle financing to drivers of ride-hailing companies including Uber.

In a statement on Thursday, Moove said the funding consists of $28 million in equity from new and existing investors, in a process led by Mubadala, $10 million in venture debt from funds and accounts managed by BlackRock, and $38 million in previously undisclosed funds raised during the prior 12 months.

Faris Sohail Al Mazrui, Head of Ventures & Growth at Mubadala, who will join the fintech's advisory board, said: “Moove has built a highly scalable tech-enabled platform to serve mobility entrepreneurs globally by providing them access to credit and other financial services previously unavailable to them. This is a hugely underbanked and underserved market that we believe has significant long-term potential.”

Ladi Delano, Co-founder and Co-CEO of Moove said: “We are excited to be partnering with Mubadala and BlackRock to double down on our already profitable markets including the UAE, India, UK, and South Africa, as well as continuing to invest in our customer experience and accelerate our product development to deliver group-wide profitability within the next 12 months.”

Moove, which was founded in 2020, will use the funding to expand and consolidate its position globally. It operates in 13 markets across Africa, the Middle East, Europe and Asia, and is Uber's largest vehicle supply partner across EMEA. It is the second largest vehicle partner in India and operates the largest EV fleet by supply hours in UAE, the statement claimed.

Last year, Moove raised $30 million from a debut sukuk issuance to fund the building of an EV ride-hailing fleet in the MENA region.

Source: Wamda

UAE-based DeFi platform ZKX has raised $4.5 million in Seed funding from StarkWare, Alameda Research, Amber Group, Huobi and Crypto.com.

Founded in 2021 by Eduard Jubany Tur, Naman Sehgal, and Vitaly Yakovlev, ZKX is a decentralised finance platform that helps make faster transactions and keeps gas fees low, and is built on StarkNet.

The funding will go towards further development of its open-source protocol, DAO funding and growth of the ZXK ecosystem.

Dubai-based DeFi platform ZKX raised $4.5 million in seed funding today from StarkWare, Alameda Research, Amber Group, Huobi, Crypto.com and others.

The decentralised finance platform helps make faster transactions and keeps gas fees low, and is built on StarkNet. These funds were raised in spite of a cryptocrash in particular and funding winter in general

“The downturn is driven by the Federal Reserve tightening interest rates and driving de-risking across asset classes. Alameda, Crypto.com, and our other partners have been actively fostering and building the Web3 ecosystem for years. This should only strengthen the ecosystem in the long run by cleaning up the bad apples and focusing on the strongest players,” said Eduard Jubany Tur, Founder at ZKX.

The funding will go towards further development of its open-source protocol, DAO funding and growth of the ZXK ecosystem.

ZKX was founded in 2021 by Eduard Jubany Tur, Naman Sehgal, and Vitaly Yakovlev. The team has hired from Flipkart, PayTM, and Byju’s, with decades of shared experience in venture building and scaling technology startups in over eight countries.

It had earlier received investment from Sandeep Nailwal, co-Founder, Polygon, and Ashwin Ramachandran, General Partner, DragonFly Capital.

The platform aims to address some of the key challenges of the DeFi market, such as over-reliance on centralized entities, scalability, high gas fees for traders and painful user experience.

“We are determined to build an exchange that breaks down the barriers to using DeFi by building a protocol that enables trading derivatives of assets on StarkNet. Our goal is to expand our reach across emerging markets, enabling users to have fair representation within a DAO,” said Jubany.

Source: Business Insider

By: Mohammed Shabani

Supy, UAE- based B2B food company, has announced that it has raised more than $8 million in a seed funding round, from BECO capital with many participations include Valia Ventures, COTU ventures, Global Ventures and AMK investment Office. According to the founders The fresh funds will be used to improve its technology, as well as strengthen its product offering, scale- out its Sadia Arabia presence, and launch its settlement and payment solution to help suppliers reconcile invoices while allowing restaurants to better manage their payables and cash flow.

Supy in brief

Supy was co-founded in February 2021 by Dani El-Zein and Ibrahim Bou Ncoula, and works on digitizing the communication process between restaurants and suppliers.

Their software is available on web and mobile and helps restaurants improve profit margins by providing them with insights on their purchasing trends at both an ingredient level and a supplier level.

Supy Aiming to reach Global

In his comment on the lasts funding round, Dani El-Zein, Co-Founder and CEO of Supy said “We are on a mission to become a global leader in this space, and our growth since our pre-seed funding round is a testament that we are on track with the right set of partners” and about his company new aim to reach to the Saudi Arabia market, He said “KSA is the perfect location for our first international expansion outside the UAE and into the global market. Supy was created to solve a crucial problem for one of the most dynamic industries, and we can’t wait to expand our software offerings to our customer base”.

source: News

 Translated by: Fairouz Alnajem

May witnessed start-ups' funding decline in the Middle East and North Africa by about 40% compared to April, as the mentioned start-ups earned only $176 M, in return, the number of start-up transactions rose by 31% over the same period.

Geographical Distribution of Start-Ups' Deals in Size and Number

For the first time, Egyptian start-ups raised the largest funding in the Middle East and North Africa. Egyptian start-ups' funding amounted to about $81 M, as a result of 11 transactions held in May, this also placed it at the forefront of the region's start-ups for the number of transactions.

While Saudi and UAE start-ups were ranked second and third with $46 M and $45 M respectively. In the same order, Saudi and UAE companies came in the 9th and 8th respectively in the number of transactions.

The Egyptian startups' lead was influenced by the Paymob transactions, which successfully raised $50 million in a Series B funding round, which is a huge increase in the funding for this year's leading financial services company, with a 135% increase compared to last year.

The ranking of start-ups on the list of the most collectible funding companies for May was also influenced by the big transaction in which financial technology activist Hyperpay collected $36.7 M funding.

For the amount of funding received by Egyptian, Saudi and UAE start-ups, the total amount collected by startups in other countries is no more than $5 M! That is, its share of funding rate for May is about 3%. This obviously indicates the continuous concentration of funding for startups in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which is worth mention as it often creates the false impression of the average size of finance transactions. by excluding other countries' startups, the average transaction size is about $6 M, on the other hand, the average size of the transaction for startups, excluding Egyptian, Saudi and UAE companies, is about $ 360 K!

Sectoral distribution of size and number of startups' deals

The sectoral distribution was not far from the influence of the transactions collected by the aforementioned start-up. While the fintech sector came first with about $ 112 M as a result of 6 funding transactions, the most important of which was Paymob's transaction, which collected to the sector $ 50 M. The second was logistic services, with about $15.7 M followed by the mobility sector with about $12.6 M

Investment Stages in Start-Ups

Early-stage investment has captured about 28% of total start-up financing in May, with 10% increase compared to April. On the other hand, recent-stage investment witnessed a significant decline compared to the same period.

Distribution of transactions by gender

For the second month on row, female-and-male-run start-ups were able to obtain more than 12% of the total start-ups' funding transactions. However, male-run companies continued to dominate the start-ups fundings, reaping 87.4% of the total funding, compared to 0.04% for women-run companies.

Translated by: Pirween B. Sido 

Startups in the Middle East and North Africa succeeded in obtaining investments worth 297 million dollars from 29 deals in April this year. The volume of investments represents a growth of more than 60% compared to the same period last year.

Geographical distribution of the number and size of startups' deals

There is nothing new in April in terms of the geographical distribution of the value and number of deals. Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt, respectively, continue to lead the startup financing scene in the region. These countries collectively reaped a total of $195 million, or more than 65% of the total value deals. In terms of deal distribution, UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt have captured about 82% of the total deals, which is a large concentration in terms of number and volume of deals for April compared to previous periods. On the other hand, there has been significant difference in the volume of deals acquired by Saudi companies compared to startups in other countries, reaching more than $195 million. In terms of investment trend in the startups, it has been observed unprecedented increase in the average transaction size, as it recorded more than 10.2 million dollars in April, which is twice the average transaction size for 2021.

Sectoral distribution of the number and size of startups' deals

The sectoral distribution of the volume of deals for startups was affected by a few huge deals, most notably FOODICS, a platform specialized in financial technology and restaurant management. This company raised more than 170 million dollars in April, and given that the company’s specialization is classified as “service software.” This sector took the lead with $171 million from two deals. The e-commerce sector came in second place with $37 million, also affected by the second largest financing deal, in April, of the UAE company Millennial Brand, which raised $35 million. The real estate technology sectors came in the third place, with $20 million in funding, followed by the agricultural technology sector, in the fourth place, which received $18 million in funding. On the other hand, the financial technology sector fell to the fifth place with $9.8 million funding, from 4 deals. Although the financial technology sector came in the fifth place in terms of the volume of deals, it is in the first place in terms of the number of deals, which indicates that financial technology companies have maintained a significant share of deals, in spite of its relative decline compared to other sectors in terms of the volume of deals.

Stages of investment in startups

Although seed and pre-seed financing phases acquired most of the deals of startups in April, with 58% of the total number of deals, the largest volume of financing went to deals in advanced stages, of which the most important is the category (C) financing phase, that is the funding that went to the FOODICS startup, which raised $170 million, as mentioned earlier.

Distribution by gender

Startups founded by men still dominate the startup financing scene in the region. They obtained about 87% of the total deals of startups in April, while the funding obtained by female startups did not exceed the 1%. On the other hand, the jointly managed startups succeeded in obtaining 12% of total funding thanks to the Millennial Brand’s deal.

2021 can be described as the year of startups par excellence, as it was an exceptional year for startups at all levels. Despite all the difficulties and challenges related to the spread of the Corona virus epidemic, what startups in the Middle East and North Africa achieved in 2021 did not achieve in all previous years!

In this article, we will take a comprehensive look at the state of startups in the region, and tell you everything you need to know about the state of startups in the Middle East and North Africa in 2021.

First: the development of investments in start-ups

During more than a decade, the business environment for emerging companies has developed in the Arab region, especially in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, specifically the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, which have worked to develop the business environment to incubate entrepreneurship through a wide range of incubators and accelerators of the business sector and the governmental sector. Egypt has also witnessed a remarkable development in the business environment. The development in the Arab entrepreneurship ecosystem is reflected in improving the legislative and legal environment and in launching a large number of startup incubators, including Flat6Labs, Falak and Injaz Egypt.

The development in the business environment for startups in the region has translated into a huge increase in the number and size of investment deals in startups, as the total volume of deals for start-ups increased by more than 1280% between 2013 and 2021, and with a growth rate of 312% compared to 2020, which witnessed a slowdown in the growth rate due to the direct repercussions of the spread of the Corona epidemic.

In terms of the number of investment deals in startups, it also increased significantly between 2013 and 2021, and while the number of deals for startups in 2013 did not exceed 148 deals, in 2021 it amounted to 561 deals. The following figure shows the development of investment in companies in the region between 2013 and 2021 in terms of the volume and number of investment deals.

As shown in the figure, the volume of investments in 2021 alone is equivalent to the volume of investments in emerging companies in the region during the period 2017 and 2020 combined. This indicates the significant development that occurred in 2021.

Second: Startups in the Middle East and North Africa for 2021

The following chart shows the volume of deals for startups during 2021 and their growth on a monthly basis. The figure shows the upward curve of investment in startups throughout the past year. The quarterly growth of the volume of deals for startups reached 48%, 32% and 104%, respectively, while the growth rate for the last quarter of the same year decreased by 74%. This decline can be explained by the exceptional rise in the third quarter of the year, specifically in July, when the total volume of deals reached more than 632 million dollars. As for the semi-annual growth level, it reached about 91%. In general, the data before us heralds new levels of investment in start-up companies. The number of startup deals in the second half of 2021 also increased by 28% compared to the first half. This rise is accompanied by a growth in the average size of one deal, which rose from about $3.7 million in the first half to more than $5.6 million in the second half.

Third: Distribution startups financing by country for 2021

The Emirati startups continued to dominate the scene in terms of startup financing, as Emirati companies accounted for about 52% of the total investments received by emerging companies during 2021, followed by the Saudi startups, which came in second place with 24% of the total investments, then Egypt with 15%, and in fourth place, came Jordan with 4% of the total investments. Despite the continued dominance of the UAE in the forefront, and then Saudi Arabia and Egypt, in terms of investments in startups in the Arab region, this year witnessed the entry of new countries to the list, which was limited to 7 to 9 countries at best in the past. The list expanded to include 15 Arab countries , the most recent of which was Sudan, which ranked last on the list. In terms of absolute figures, new regions showed remarkable growth, specifically the Maghreb region, the Levant countries, specifically Jordan and Palestine, in addition to Iraq, which is witnessing a growth in the volume and number of deals for startups.

Fourth: Distribution of the number of startup deals by country 2021

In contrast to the distribution of the volume of investments by countries, which shows a strong concentration on the UAE, the distribution of the number of startup deals shows less concentration on the UAE, which despite issuing the largest number of startup financing deals, about 72% of the deals are distributed to emerging companies from outside the UAE, most notably Egypt, which came in the second place with 25% followed by Saudi Arabia with 24%, then Jordan with 7%, Morocco with 4%, and Tunisia and Bahrain with 3% each.

Fifth: The annual average of the volume of deals for startups by countries for the year 2021

The size and number of startups deals is reflected in the average size of a single deal, and while it is a good indicator of the development of investments in startups, it must take into account the anomaly value that may mislead the reader, as we can see from the graph that the highest rate of average one deal size is for Algerian startups at $15 million per deal. However, this number hides the significant decrease in the number of deals for startups in Algeria, which was limited to only two deals! While the average size of one deal in the UAE can be considered more reflective of the development and growth of the volume of investment in emerging companies, in which the size of one deal amounted to more than 8.8 million dollars. The same applies to the case of Saudi startups, whose average transaction size is about $4.8 million.

Sixth: Distribution of startup investments by sector for 2021

2021 was a distinguished year in terms of distributing the investments of emerging companies by sector. The food technology sector appeared for the first time to top the list of investments distribution, with 26% of the total investments, followed by the financial technology sector with 21%, a sector that has witnessed steady growth since the year 2019, while the e-commerce sector ranked third with 16%, this sector is experiencing a relative decline, as we have indicated on more than one occasion. The decline of the e-commerce sector is due to the state of saturation that the main Arab markets have reached, although this does not mean that this sector has completely disappeared. E-commerce in the Arab region still needs more expansion and development, but competition in this sector has become more difficult with the rise of many companies that occupied large sectors of the market, and finally the entry of the e-commerce giant Amazon to the most important Arab markets (Saudi Arabia and the UAE) and last year it entered the Egyptian market.

Seventh: Distribution of the number of startup deals by sector for 2021

In contrast to the distribution of the volume of deals of emerging companies that focus on food technology, the distribution of the number of deals for emerging companies was less concentrated among the main sectors on the one hand, and on the other hand, the large number of sectors in which startups succeeded in obtaining financing rounds are, most notably the agricultural technology sector, artificial intelligence, environmentally friendly technology, and other sectors. This distribution indicates the existence of promising opportunities for emerging companies that are active in areas far from the main sectors that have always reaped the largest share of funding, and perhaps the most evidence of this is the decline of the e-commerce sector in favor of the financial technology sector in the past two years, and the displacement of the food technology sector by the technology sector, which took the lead in 2021. So it will not be surprising that companies operating in different sectors are competing for funding this year.

Eighth: Investment stages for start-up companies during 2021

Investment deals in start-up companies in 2021 focused on the initial funding stage (1), with more than 32%, and in the pre-incorporation stage by about 15%, an increase of 2% over the first half of the same year, while the stage of “accelerated growth companies” came in the third place with 15%, and fourthly, financing of category “A” with approximately 9%, while the pre-financing stage of category “A” (2) accounted for about 7%.

Ninth: Distribution of investments by startup companies for 2021 by gender

The share of funding received by startups founded by females is still small compared to the companies founded by males, as the share of funding received by companies founded by females to the total funded startups did not exceed 1.2%. The year 2021 made significant progress, as a number of distinguished financing deals for women-led companies emerged, perhaps the most important of which were the iMile and BitOasis deals, through which the two companies raised $40 million and $30 million, respectively. It is worth noting that the UAE ranked first in terms of the volume of funding and the number of deals of women-led startups, as Emirati startups received investments worth $187 million through 46 deals. Saudi Arabia ranked second, where startups founded by a team of men and women succeeded in raising about $14 million through 9 deals. Egypt came in third place, with total investments of nearly $12 million through 20 deals.

Explanatory notes:

• Initial financing or financing coming from family and friends, is one of the ways of offering securities, where some parties related to the new startup invest an amount that enables the startup to start its business and continue in the market, until it reaches the stage of being able to finance itself or being able to creating value that makes the startup attractive for investors to invest in. It should be noted that seed funding may be a form of crowdfunding.

• Series A Financing, also known as A Round Financing. It is the first round of financing offered to a startup company in which venture capitalists participate, and it comes after the seed round stage. This is usually done when outside investors are given ownership of the company for the first time. This financing is usually provided in the form of preferred shares, and may include anti-reduction provisions in case of more financing being provided, or in the form of common shares or preferred shares in the future.

Sources:

- Press releases issued by start-up companies.

- Wamda Foundation.

Jordan-based Arabic mobile games publisher Tamatem Games, has raised $11 million in a Series B funding round led by South Korea-based video game developer KRAFTON Inc.,with participation from Venture Souq, Endeavor Catalyst and existing investors including Wamda and 500 Global.

Founded in 2013 by Hussam Hammo, Tamatem works with international game developers to localise and publish mobile games in the Arabic-speaking market. The startup has leveraged 100 million game downloads, one million monthly active users and over 50 published games.

The investment will be used to fuel its expansion strategy across the region with initial focus on Saudi Arabia where it will hire local talent.

Plans of launching a gaming academy to train, educate and elevate employment in the industry are also on the horizon for Tamatem.

Press release:

Tamatem Games, leading Arabic mobile games publisher, raises $11 Million in Series B funding round led by South Korean video game developer KRAFTON, Inc. The round that was led by KRAFTON, Inc., makers of the phenomenally popular battle royale game PUBG, also saw participation from Venture Souq, Endeavor Catalyst and existing investors.

Tamatem has seen great successes since its launch, leveraging over 100 million game downloads and gaining widespread international recognition for its publishing efforts in the region.

With the investment in play and following its previous publishing successes, Tamatem plans on amplifying its efforts even further by bringing a wider selection of games with bigger and more popular titles to the Arabic speaking market. “The demand for relatable and enjoyable mobile games is higher than ever and our mission is to provide our region with the best gaming experience possible” CEO & Founder Hussam Hammo.

MENA’s leading publisher will also carry out its growth strategy of increasing its presence in the region by expanding offices in Saudi Arabia to hire local Saudi talent and have a stronger foothold in the country that harbors 70% of its users. Alongside its expansion efforts in Saudi Arabia Tamatem also plans to expand into more countries in the region.

Plans of launching a gaming academy to train, educate and elevate employment in the industry are also on the horizon for Tamatem in pursuit of pushing market growth and maturity. “Big things are happening for the mobile games industry in the region, we are reaping the rewards of our past successes and pushing forward with more experience and more grit.

We are at the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the massive potential of mobile games in MENA and I am always super elevated when more people invest in the industry and the region” - CEO & Founder Hussam Hammo Tamatem is recognised as one of the most funded gaming startups in the region, raising over $17 million in funding since its establishment in 2013.

Commenting on the investment, Anuj Tandon, Head (India and MENA), Corporate Development, KRAFTON, Inc. said, ‘We see huge potential in the MENA region and are happy to have started our investment journey here with a prolific publisher like Tamatem. We are committed to the MENA region and willing to take more bets in the overall Media and Entertainment Sector, and this investment is aligned with our efforts to strengthen our commitment to the startup ecosystem.

This is just the beginning of our many investments in this region.’ He further added, ‘As we continue our focus to provide the best experience for our MENA users of our various games including PUBG:NEW STATE, Tamatem’s deep understanding of the local landscape and this collaboration will be very helpful.’

Source: Wamda