INFOGRAPHIC: Startup Funding in Africa and the Middle East — Week 17, 2025
Here are the venture funding activities we tracked in the Middle East and African region this week – including Sentra, Cynomi, Miggo, Lattica, Resolv Labs, Hana Network, Lori Systems, and VOVE ID.
Investor appetite in the Middle East, particularly in Israel, is showing no signs of slowing down. With strong government support, a highly skilled workforce, and a culture of innovation that has matured into a globally respected tech ecosystem, Israel continues to prove why it's a magnet for serious capital, even amid ongoing geopolitical complexities.
This week, Israeli startups took the spotlight with a flurry of funding activity, especially in the cybersecurity and AI sectors. Sentra, a data security firm focused on AI-era risks, raised $50 million in Series B funding. The round was led by Key1 Capital and included big names like Bessemer Venture Partners, Zeev Ventures, Standard Investments, and Munich Re Ventures. It’s a clear sign that investors are doubling down on companies helping to secure data in a rapidly evolving tech landscape.
Close on its heels was Cynomi, a virtual CISO platform catering to managed service and security providers. Cynomi secured $37 million in Series B funding, led by Insight Partners and Entrée Capital, with continued backing from Canaan, Flint Capital, and S16VC. With this fresh round, the company aims to expand globally while consolidating its leadership in the vCISO market.
Meanwhile, Miggo, a relatively new player founded in 2023 by Daniel Shechter and Itai Goldman, announced a $17 million Series A round. The funding, led by SYN Ventures and YL Ventures, will help the company strengthen its presence in the telecom and consulting sectors, especially across the US and Europe. It’s impressive how quickly Miggo has gained traction, proving that there's still room for new players with the right focus and timing.
Even at the pre-seed level, Israeli startups are attracting attention. Lattica, an AI startup based in Tel Aviv, raised $3.25 million in a round led by Konstantin Lomashuk's Cyber Fund, with additional backing from angel investor Sandeep Nailwal, co-founder of Polygon Network. The funds will go toward expanding the team and building product development capabilities.
While Israel surged ahead in cybersecurity and AI, the UAE maintained its momentum in the Web3 and crypto space. Resolv Labs, a startup focused on crypto infrastructure for institutional asset managers, secured $10 million in seed funding. The round was led by Cyber.Fund and Maven11, with contributions from notable investors like Coinbase Ventures, SCB Limited, Arrington Capital, Animoca Ventures, and others. This funding will allow Resolv Labs to scale its strategies and deepen its integration with traditional finance players entering the digital asset space.
Adding to the region’s Web3 energy, Hana Network closed a $6 million “No More CEX” funding round. With its sights set on a full mainnet launch, the UAE-based company is positioning itself as a major player in decentralized technology.
Meanwhile, in Africa, things were noticeably quieter. After a solid run of funding activity in the previous week, this time, the region seemed to take a breather. Still, there were a couple of noteworthy developments. Kenyan logistics startup Lori Systems, backed by Google, raised $2 million in a bridge round. What made headlines wasn’t just the funding, but the steep drop in valuation. Once valued at around $120 million, Lori is now priced at $5 million in this latest round led by Delta40, with participation from Future Africa, FP Capital, and others. Despite the markdown, Lori has now raised over $46 million in total, and its ability to pull in funding in a tough market speaks volumes about its long-term viability.
In Morocco, regtech startup VOVE ID quietly secured new investment from The Baobab Network. The amount remains undisclosed, but the funding will help the company pursue its expansion goals in the identity verification space.
This week showed strong momentum in the Middle East, with Israel clearly leading in cybersecurity and AI, while the UAE cemented its foothold in crypto and Web3. Africa, though relatively subdued this week, still showed signs of life through strategic, if modest, deals. It's a reminder that while funding may ebb and flow, the entrepreneurial energy across this region remains steady, and the stories are still unfolding.
