INFOGRAPHIC: Startup Funding in Africa and the Middle East—Week 36, 2025

This week's funding across Africa and the Middle East has once again shown that capital is still continuously flowing into the region. Maybe not as high as the last two weeks, but they’re still significant and, more importantly, they underline the fact that investors remain confident in the innovation happening here.

Leading the pack is Intella, a Riyadh-based Arabic speech intelligence company, which pulled in a $12.5 million Series A round. Prosus led the raise, with 500 Global, Wa’ed Ventures, Hala Ventures, Idrisi Ventures, and HearstLab joining in. Intella plans to double down on enterprise capabilities, expand across MENA, and push R&D for its Arabic-first conversational AI.

Sharing the top spot, WheelsOn, the UAE’s mobile-first car rental platform, also closed on $12.5 million. The round included $2.2 million in equity from private MENA-focused investors, $6.5 million earmarked for fleet expansion, and $4 million in local bank financing. This puts the startup’s valuation close to $30 million as it gears up for the next phase of growth.

Next up, South Africa’s The Invigilator secured about $11 million (R195 million). Known for its AI-based remote proctoring software that works even in low-bandwidth environments, the company is looking to expand into North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. The fresh capital will help scale product development, add multilingual support, and build local teams to support global ambitions.

Also landing $11 million is Nigeria’s Koolboks, a cleantech startup revolutionising cold storage with solar-powered freezers. The funds will support expansion across Africa and establish its first local assembly plant in Nigeria, a big step toward scaling sustainable refrigeration on the continent.

On the agritech side, Nigeria’s Babban Gona secured $7.5 million in debt financing from British International Investment (BII). The funds will go directly into providing working capital for smallholder farmers in northern Nigeria, extending the reach of its AI-driven support platform.

Egypt’s Munify, a cross-border digital bank for Egyptians abroad, followed with a $3 million seed round led by Y Combinator. Founded in 2024, the startup enables instant, low-cost transfers back home, US bank account opening, debit card issuance, and FX tools to help manage currency volatility. The new funds will go into engineering, compliance, and market expansion.

Dubai-based Seraya raised $1.8 million in seed funding, bringing its total to $2.15 million. Focused on premium serviced accommodation, the company is positioning itself as a new player in Dubai’s booming short-term rental market. The round included backing from a prominent KSA-based family office, DLL from Germany, and strategic angels.

In Morocco, Justyol raised $1 million in a funding and financing package to grow its cross-border fashion marketplace. The platform connects Turkish suppliers with MENA consumers, tapping into the region’s appetite for affordable, stylish fashion.

Finally, Tunisia’s Addvocate.AI welcomed a strategic investment from 216 Capital. The Franco-Tunisian startup uses AI to improve sales outcomes by automating prep work and surfacing actionable insights. Founded by veteran sales leader Ridha Mami, it’s looking to scale from his own hard-won experience of pipeline challenges.

Taken together, this week’s deals show a balanced spread, from AI and fintech to cleantech and hospitality. The amounts may not have set records, but the activity highlights a region where bold ideas continue to meet willing backers.