Startups flourish from Morocco to Saudi Arabia

Founded in 2023 by Thabet Al-Subaie, LYNK connects financial institutions, commodity markets, and beneficiaries through its Shariah-compliant services. (Supplied)
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Updated 18 November 2023
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Startups flourish from Morocco to Saudi Arabia

  • KSA’s fintech sector make significant stride with LYNK investment round

CAIRO: Startups across the Middle East and North Africa region managed to raise significant funding rounds, hailing a rebound in the venture capital space.

Saudi Arabia’s fintech sector marked a significant stride with LYNK successfully securing an investment round.  

This financial boost came from notable backers Al Fozan Holding and Ramla Holding Group, although the investment amount remains undisclosed.  

Founded in 2023 by Thabet Al-Subaie, LYNK connects financial institutions, commodity markets, and beneficiaries through its Shariah-compliant services.

This latest infusion of funds is set to catalyze the company’s growth, facilitating the introduction of new financial products and expanding its footprint both locally and globally. “LYNK is considered a leading company in the fintech industry. LYNK is dedicated to expanding its scope of work and strengthening its position among prominent financial institutions by establishing strategic partnerships aimed at meeting the aspirations of customers and fulfilling market needs,” Al-Subaie said.

Since its launch by BIM Ventures’ Saudi Venture Studio, LYNK has demonstrated remarkable performance in automating financial transactions. The platform has efficiently processed over SR100 million ($26 million) in Murabaha transactions.

The company claims to handle up to 15,000 transactions daily, each executed in less than a minute, and collectively valued at over SR5 billion.

Saudi BNPL Tamara raises $250m in debt financing

Saudi Arabia’s buy now, pay later giant Tamara managed to secure an additional $250 million in debt financing, bringing its total facility to $400 million.

The investment consists of an up to $200 million senior debt contribution from Goldman Sachs, complemented by a $50 million tranche by Shorooq Partners.

Co-founded in 2020 by Abdulmajeed Al-Sukhan, Turki bin Zarah, and Abdulmohsen Al-Babtain, Tamara’s offers its consumers the opportunity to purchase products in installments.  

Last March, the company successfully raised a $150 million debt financing round, also from Goldman Sachs. This consistent backing from prominent financial institutions underscores Tamara’s growing influence in the fintech sector. 




Co-founded in 2020 by Abdulmajeed Al-Sukhan, Turki bin Zarah, and Abdulmohsen Al-Babtain, Tamara’s offers its consumers the opportunity to purchase products in installments. (Supplied)

“We are pleased to announce this significant debt financing, a testament to our excellent operational performance to date and our future growth outlook,” Stefan Marciniak, Tamara’s chief financial officer, said.

“In a challenging economic climate, we are grateful to Goldman Sachs and Shorooq Partners for their support. These funds will catapult us forward, enabling us to further develop our flagship BNPL product and invest in new, innovative products and services, which will further strengthen our position as a leader in the industry,” Marciniak added.

The strategic utilization of this new financing is set to catalyze Tamara’s expansion. With its capital, the company is poised to invest in developing new products and services, further cementing its position in the competitive BNPL market.  

Saudi Arabia’s VMS invests in Egypt’s Akhdar

Egyptian educational technology company Akhdar has successfully completed a six-figure funding round, led by Saudi Arabia’s venture studio, Value Maker Studio. This strategic investment is aimed at bolstering Akhdar’s expansion efforts into the Saudi market.  

Established in 2016 by Mohamed Osama and Shady Ahmed, Akhdar has carved a niche in the education technology space by providing a wide array of Arabic-language educational materials.

Their offerings encompass over 2,500 pieces of content, including audio and written books, comprehensive book reviews, and engaging podcasts.  

This diverse range of educational resources caters to a vast audience, with the app being utilized by 1.5 million users across 174 countries globally.  

The recent funding underscores the growing interest in edtech solutions and reflects the confidence of investors in Akhdar’s potential for growth and impact.  

“This strategic partnership will greatly support our expansion plans into the Gulf Cooperation Council region, with a particular emphasis on Saudi Arabia. Additionally, it will enable us to fuel our growth and further enhance our technology to effectively address the challenges faced by today’s learners,” Osama said.

This investment acts as a stepping stone for Akhdar to strengthen its presence in the Middle East, starting with Saudi Arabia.

Saudi cybersecurity startup COGNNA raises $2.25m

Saudi Arabian cybersecurity startup COGNNA has successfully secured $2.25 million in a seed funding round led by IMPACT46 and saw contributions from Vision Ventures, Faith Capital, along with other investors.  

Established in 2022 by Ibrahim Al-Shamrani and Ziyad Al-Shehri, COGNNA specializes in leveraging artificial intelligence and sophisticated data analysis to identify and neutralize threats in customers’ systems and networks.  

Notably, COGNNA was part of the first-ever Cybersecurity Accelerator Program initiated by the Saudi National Cybersecurity Authority in August 2022, underlining its commitment to advancing cybersecurity solutions.

UAE’s fintech startup Mafhoom Technologies raises $1.36m  

Mafhoom Technologies, a UAE-based fintech startup, has successfully raised $1.36 million in a pre-seed funding round by Al-Wafra Al-Thanya for Investments, complemented by contributions from various angel investors.  

Established in 2022 by founders Ahmad Khatib and Ziad Melhem, Mafhoom is designed to empower users to manage their finances more effectively.  

It offers tools to optimize spending, reduce bills, clear debt, and enhance financial literacy, while also helping users to meet their saving and investment goals. 

This strategic partnership will greatly support our expansion plans into the Gulf Cooperation Council region, with a particular emphasis on Saudi Arabia.

Mohamed Osama Akhdar, cofounder and CEO

“Mafhoom Technologies is at the forefront of financial innovation, and we are delighted to have the support of esteemed investors who share our vision for a financially empowered future,” said Khatib.    

This fresh injection of capital will enable Mafhoom to expand its team and facilitate its growth plans in Saudi Arabia.

Morocco’s CloudFret raises $2.1m

CloudFret, a Morocco-based logistics startup, has successfully raised $2.1 million in a funding round jointly led by AfriMobility and Azur Innovation Fund.  

Launched in 2021 by Driss Jabar, CloudFret leverages an AI algorithm-based platform to facilitate connections between shippers and carriers across Mediterranean shores.  

With this new capital, CloudFret aims to significantly expand its operations. The company has set ambitious targets to double its workforce by the end of 2024, a move that is poised to enhance its service offerings and broaden its network of shippers and partner carriers.  

UAE’s logistics startup Wize raises $16m

Wize, a UAE-based logistics startup, has successfully secured $16 million in a pre-seed funding round predominantly backed by angel investors.  

Established in 2022 by Alexander Lemzakov, Wize is carving a niche in the logistics sector with its eco-friendly last-mile transportation solutions.

The company operates on two primary fronts, firstly, as a marketplace for electric motorcycles, and secondly, as a subscription platform that enables businesses to efficiently manage their own fleets.  

In a bid to support sustainable transportation, Wize offers a unique battery-as-a-service model, along with swapping stations.  

Additionally, it has developed the Battery Swap App, designed to aid drivers in locating and reserving batteries, while also keeping them updated on charge levels.

With the injection of this new capital, Wize is set to accelerate its product development initiatives.  

The funding will also facilitate the company’s expansion within the UAE, and enable it to explore and establish new partnership opportunities across the broader MENA region.


World Economic Forum adds Aramco facility to its Global Lighthouse Network

Updated 15 January 2025
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World Economic Forum adds Aramco facility to its Global Lighthouse Network

  • The network recognizes industrial sites that use advanced technologies to boost performance, operations and sustainability
  • North Ghawar Oil Producing Complex is the 5th Aramco facility to earn a place in the network

LONDON: The World Economic Forum has added Aramco’s North Ghawar Oil Producing Complex to its prestigious Global Lighthouse Network.

It is the fifth Aramco facility to earn a place in the network. The company said the addition honors its efforts to enhance operational and environmental performance.

Nasir K. Al-Naimi, the company’s upstream president, described the achievement as testament to the company’s focus on innovation and operational excellence.

“It validates our journey towards a truly digital and lower-carbon-emissions future, where technology empowers us to optimize our processes, reduce our environmental impact, and deliver exceptional value to our customers and shareholders.”

The Global Lighthouse Network, established by the forum in 2018 in collaboration with management consultancy McKinsey & Company, recognizes industrial facilities worldwide that have leveraged Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies to achieve measurable improvements in financial performance, operations and sustainability, and reduce environmental impacts.

The Aramco facility was one of 17 industrial sites worldwide added to the network on Tuesday. It now comprises 189 facilities worldwide, and Aramco is the only energy company represented by more than three facilities. The North Ghawar site is located in Al-Ahsa Governorate in the Eastern Province.


Four Seasons Beirut to reopen in 2026 after reconstruction

Updated 14 January 2025
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Four Seasons Beirut to reopen in 2026 after reconstruction

JEDDAH: The Four Seasons Hotel in Beirut is set to reopen in the first quarter of 2026 after undergoing a comprehensive rehabilitation, according to a statement from Kingdom Holding Co.

“On the occasion of a new era for Lebanon, and under the leadership of His Excellency President Joseph Aoun, I am pleased to announce that the Four Seasons Hotel, Beirut, which Kingdom Holding built, will be entirely reconstructed and refurnished by Kingdom Beirut S.A.L and will reopen to the public in Q1 of 2026,” Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, chairman of KHC, wrote on his X account on Tuesday.

Prince Alwaleed further noted that the hotel, located adjacent to Beirut’s Zaitunay Bay marina, would be upgraded to the highest international standards. The revamp is expected to position the property as one of the premier urban resorts worldwide.

The timing of the announcement follows recent diplomatic developments, including a call from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to congratulate Lebanon’s new president, with an invitation to visit the Kingdom.

The Four Seasons Beirut was severely damaged in the 2020 Beirut Port explosion, which devastated much of downtown Beirut, an area once popular with Gulf tourists.

The region has since been affected by geopolitical tensions, including Hezbollah’s involvement in the Syrian war and its support for Houthis in Yemen.

Four Seasons, one of the world’s leading luxury hotel chains, has been privately owned by KHC and Cascade Investment, the investment vehicle controlled by Bill Gates, since 2007. Both KHC and Cascade own 47.5 percent stakes in the company, with the remaining 5 percent held by Triple Holdings, which represents Four Seasons’ founder, Isadore Sharp, according to KHC’s website.

KHC’s relationship with Four Seasons dates back to 1994, when the company first recognized the brand’s potential and invested in a minority stake through a private equity deal.


Saudi Arabia, Pakistan to announce major collaborations in mining, minister reveals

Updated 14 January 2025
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Saudi Arabia, Pakistan to announce major collaborations in mining, minister reveals

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are set to announce major collaborations in the mining sector, with a particular focus on copper and gold assets, according to a top official.

Speaking to Arab News on the first day of the Future Minerals Forum 2025, taking place in Riyadh from Jan. 14 to 16, the South Asian country’s Minister for Petroleum Musadik Malik explained that the two nations are also exploring collaboration prospects in additional sectors including energy, food security, and industrial.

This falls in line with Pakistan seeking to strengthen trade and investment ties with the Kingdom, whose leadership reaffirmed its commitment this year to expedite a $5 billion investment package for the country.

“Well, we are hoping and expecting the year 2025 to be a year of big announcements, particularly between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. As you know, we are in advanced stages of conversations about a very large asset, and we have done all the homework that was needed. We’ve done the commercial due diligence, we’ve done the legal deed due diligence. We’ve done the financial due diligence. Both sides have come up with valuation frameworks,” Malik said.

“In mining, it’s going to be the mining assets, particularly the copper mining assets, copper and gold mining assets. So, we are very hopeful about that,” he added.

The senator said the valuation ranges are in place, and both teams are now empowered to negotiate.

“Right now, we are under non-disclosure, so I can’t give you the details, but suffice to say that we are expecting very big announcements very soon,” Malik said.

“In the industrial areas, as you know, there are about $2 billion worth of commercial MoUs (memorandums of understandings) and contracts already signed between the Saudi companies and Pakistani companies, and many of them have become the actual contracts, and the trade has started. So, that’s a big chunk of commercial activity as well as industrialization activity,” he added.

“We also have ongoing conversations about very large energy projects, in terms of refineries and so on and so forth. So, it depends upon whether it’s food security. We have things going on, whether it’s commercial trade, there are things going on, whether there’s industrial activity and investments there are things going on,” the senator said.

Malik went on to highlight the benefits of the ministerial roundtable held at the Future Minerals Forum, which saw participation from 89 countries.

“I think the most interesting and intriguing part of this ministerial roundtable is that everyone is focused on the future. We’re not just talking about right now. It’s almost like we’re sitting together and writing the history of future. That’s what we are trying to do,” he said.

“We are thinking not just about where the assets are, but we are also thinking about where how these assets are going to create value and we are not only limited to creating value, but we are also thinking about value capture. So, from asset to value creation to value capture, everything is getting discussed, and it’s getting discussed in a manner which ensures sustainability of mining,” he added.

The senator also highlighted the growing focus on sustainable mining, communities, the circular economy, and how resource-rich countries are positioning themselves to participate in downstream activities, capture value, and navigate the geopolitics and emerging industrial policies shaping the future.

“All of those very healthy discussions are taking place right now. But if you talk about the end game, the end game is to ensure that there’s a sustainable world, that the world is carbon neutral,” Malik said.


Saudi-Finland ties hold ‘almost unlimited potential,’ says Finnish minister

Updated 14 January 2025
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Saudi-Finland ties hold ‘almost unlimited potential,’ says Finnish minister

RIYADH: Mining presents significant opportunities for collaboration between Saudi Arabia and Finland, a senior Finnish minister stated, emphasizing the “almost unlimited potential” of their bilateral relationship.

In an interview with Arab News on the sidelines of the Future Minerals Forum in Riyadh on Jan.14, Wille Rydman, Finland’s minister for economic affairs, highlighted that Saudi Arabia’s partnership with Finnish companies could play a key role in achieving sustainability within the Kingdom's mineral sector.

Saudi Arabia already enjoys a robust relationship with Finland in the energy sector. In October 2024, the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding to accelerate collaboration in areas such as clean power technologies, stable electricity systems, and climate change mitigation solutions.

“I think that there is almost unlimited potential in our bilateral trade relations. As we are now meeting here in the Future Minerals Forum, the focus is heavily on the mining industry. And I think that’s one of the arenas where our countries can cooperate even deeper in the future,” Rydman said.

He added: “Finnish companies are very known for their sustainability, their ability for doing (a) sustainable mining industry. I’m very confident that they can also give a lot of know-how and business potential for Saudi Arabia’s mineral sector.”

Rydman further emphasized that Finnish collaboration in the mining sector would assist Saudi Arabia in meeting its energy transition targets. Strengthening the industry, he noted, is essential for achieving these goals, as minerals are crucial for the electrification of societies.

“It’s been globally very well recognized how important a role critical raw materials are playing in the future energy transition, and how important it is to maintain those critical supply and value chains when it comes to minerals and mining industry,” the minister explained.

He also pointed out that Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, which includes objectives like responsible mining and the use of green energy, presents valuable opportunities for Finnish companies to operate within the Kingdom.

“The aims and targets that Saudi Arabia has put for itself are actually kind of targets and aims where Finnish companies have been succeeding very well, especially when it comes to the mining industry, responsible mining, green energy, green and clean transition. And that’s why I think that Finnish companies entering Saudi Arabian markets can help Saudi Arabia to reach those targets,” Rydman said.

The minister also extended an invitation to Saudi investors to explore opportunities in Finland.


ACWA Power expands in China with $312m in renewable energy deals

Updated 14 January 2025
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ACWA Power expands in China with $312m in renewable energy deals

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s ACWA Power has solidified its position in China’s renewable energy sector with two major agreements valued at $312 million.

These agreements mark a significant step in the company’s global expansion strategy and underscore its commitment to driving the country’s clean energy transition.

The deals include a 132-megawatt solar photovoltaic portfolio in Guangdong province and a 200-megawatt wind energy project, according to a company statement. Both projects are central to ACWA Power's broader strategy in China, which was launched in 2023 to support the nation’s renewable energy goals.

Marco Arcelli, CEO of ACWA Power, expressed enthusiasm about the developments: “This is a significant milestone for ACWA Power in China, establishing our operational presence in renewable energy and water desalination. We are committed to working alongside our Chinese partners to contribute to the country's clean energy and water transition.”

Arcelli further emphasized the company’s long-term vision: “We are not only investing in renewable energy projects but also in Chinese expertise and building enduring relationships within the country.”

The solar project, ACWA Power’s first collaboration at the asset level with its long-term supply chain partner Sungrow Renewables, will span three separate sites in Guangdong. Additionally, the wind energy agreement, which was signed with Mingyang Smart Energy Group — a leading wind turbine manufacturer — opens the door for joint investments in China’s rapidly expanding wind sector.

ACWA Power’s formal entry into China’s renewable energy market was announced in December 2024, with the company planning to develop projects exceeding 1 gigawatt across multiple provinces.

Mohammad Abunayyan, founder and chairman of ACWA Power’s board of directors, commented: “Our entry into China’s renewable energy market represents a key milestone in our global strategy for a sustainable future. Our growth is not just about adding megawatts; it’s about forging lasting partnerships that accelerate the energy transition and create a cleaner, more prosperous world for future generations.”

These projects are part of an initial phase that will see ACWA Power expand its portfolio to more than 1 gigawatt of capacity in China. This move aligns with the company’s long-term ambition to triple its assets under management to approximately $250 billion globally by 2030.