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Saudi & UAE Drive Record MENA Startup Surge: $783M Raised in July 2025

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July 2025 marked a watershed moment for MENA’s startup ecosystem. Startups across the region raised $783 million across 57 deals — a 1,411% jump vs. June.

Saudi Arabia led with $396.5M (16 deals), while the UAE closely followed at $359M (22 deals). Together, the two markets captured nearly 98% of regional funding.

The surge was fueled by two mega rounds in e-commerce and deeptech, highlighting investor appetite for scaling regional champions.

Early-stage activity remained steady by deal count, but the headline growth came from late-stage rounds, supported by sovereign funds, corporate venture arms, and institutional investors.

What this means:

  • Sovereign-led capital continues to anchor the region’s growth.

  • Volatility remains high — with a few mega-deals driving most monthly totals.

  • Structured products (venture debt, secondaries, co-invests) are becoming critical for investors to balance risk and returns.

The outlook for H2 2025 is promising but concentrated: sustainable growth will depend on broadening Series A/B pipelines beyond Saudi & UAE and ensuring healthier cross-border scaling.



 
 
 

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