- The MENA startup ecosystem raised $279 million across 42 deals in December 2024, with $156 million remaining when excluding debt financing.
- UAE startups led with $217 million raised, including ALLO’s $100 million debt financing, followed by Saudi Arabia with $30 million and Bahrain with $25 million.
- Fintech dominated the funding landscape with $93.5 million, while foodtech and edtech secured $25.1 million and $16 million, respectively.
- Early-stage startups attracted strong investor interest, with $59 million for seed rounds, $7.7 million for pre-seed, and $53 million for Series A.
- Male-founded startups dominated the funding, raising $263 million, while female-led startups received only $12.6 million.
The startup ecosystem across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region experienced a slowdown in December 2024. Startups secured $279 million across 42 deals. However, debt financing made up 44% of the total raised.
When excluding debt financing, the funding drops significantly to $156 million. While this reflects an 8% increase from November 2024, it still marks a substantial 76% decline compared to the same period last year.
Capital Distribution Across the Region
In December 2024, startups based in the UAE attracted the highest capital, raising $217 million across 18 deals. ALLO played a significant role in this total, securing $100 million through debt financing.
Saudi Arabian startups followed, raising $30 million through 11 deals. Bahrain secured the third spot, driven by Calo’s $25 million Series B funding round. Unipal also raised funding but chose not to disclose the exact amount.
Other countries saw lower investment activity. Egyptian startups had a particularly weak month, raising only $2 million across five deals. Collectively, startups in Morocco, Jordan, Tunisia, and Qatar secured a modest $4.4 million in funding.
Sector Performance
The fintech sector regained prominence in December, securing $93.5 million through seven deals. Although Web 3.0 startups led the month in total funding, a significant portion of this capital came from ALLO’s debt financing, making FinTech the most funded sector when excluding debt.
Foodtech saw a resurgence, raising $25.1 million across two startups. Edtech also showed signs of recovery, attracting $16 million across five funding rounds.
Investment Stages and Funding Models
Investors remained focused on early-stage startups in December. Seed-stage startups attracted $59 million, while pre-seed startups raised $7.7 million across seven deals. Six Series A startups secured $53 million. Calo was the only startup to close a later-stage funding round during the month.
The business-to-consumer (B2C) model led in funding, with 18 startups securing $128.4 million. Meanwhile, the business-to-business (B2B) model saw 22 startups raise a combined $124.6 million.
Gender Distribution in Funding
Startups led by men continued to dominate funding, securing $263 million across multiple deals. Women-led startups received significantly lower funding, with only four startups raising $12.6 million. Meanwhile, two startups co-founded by both genders managed to secure $1.5 million.
Key Insights
The MENA startup ecosystem showed a mixed performance in December 2024. While UAE startups secured the highest funding, other countries lagged significantly. Fintech and foodtech showed strong performance, while early-stage investments continued to attract investor interest.
However, the disparity in funding between male- and female-led startups remained evident, highlighting the need for more diverse investment distribution in the region.
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