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RIYADH: ��������Ƶ’s startup ecosystem has seen notable activity across multiple industries with local firms securing sizable funding rounds and venture capitals announcing dedicated funds. 

Domestic property technology firm Rize secured a $35 million series A investment funding round led by Raed Ventures, with participation from Nama Ventures, Hala Ventures, JOA Capital, Aqar Platform, and SEEDRA Ventures. 

“This investment represents a major turning point in our journey and reflects the investors’ confidence in our vision to develop the leasing sector,” said Ibrahim Balilah, CEO of Rize. 

Founded in 2021 by Balilah and Mohammed Al-Fraihi, Rize offers an innovative solution to eliminate bulky, one-time rental payments in ��������Ƶ. 

Adopting a rent now, pay later model, Rize offers tenants to pay their rent in flexible monthly installments as opposed to the nation’s standard of one-time payments on a year’s rent. 

This converts a single full payment to 12 monthly installments for tenants, while property owners get the full annual rent upfront. 

Speaking to Arab News in March, Balilah explained that this model has garnered significant interest with the company getting around SR330 million ($88 million) in requests at the time. 

Such an innovative solution requires large capital sums, meaning the company aims to utilize the series A round to accelerate its growth in Riyadh, as well as Jeddah and Dammam. 

“We have worked hard to develop our internal technologies to enable the automation process and make the rental experience smoother. This investment round is a significant step to enhance our technologies and accelerate the company’s growth,” said Al-Fraihi, chief technology officer at Rize. 

Omar Al-Majdouie, co-founder at Raed Ventures, stated: “We believe in Rize’s ability to bring about a transformative change in the real estate leasing sector, not only by offering innovative services but also by enabling digital transformation in this important field.” 

Mohammed Alzubi, founder and managing partner of Nama Ventures said: “Since our investment in Rize’s seed round, we were confident that it had the potential to be a leader in providing rent now, pay later solutions in the Kingdom We are proud of the remarkable achievements Rize has made so far, and are excited to continue supporting them in this new round.” 

Agritech Arable closes $2.55m in seed round 

��������Ƶ’s agriculture technology sector also saw a notable funding round with Arable, closing $2.55 million in a seed investment. 

Founded last year by Lawrence Ong and Christina Khalife, Arable aims to boost sustainable farming in the Kingdom’s harsh climate by designing and operating hydroponic farming systems. These systems are ideal for dry landscapes, which occupy most of the Middle East region, as they can produce yields while saving up to 90 percent water. 

“��������Ƶ offers an unparalleled ecosystem for startups like Arable to thrive. Thanks to the support of organizations such as the Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture, the Ministry of Investment, the National Technology Development Program, and the General Authority of SMEs, we’ve been able to scale rapidly and bring innovation directly into the Kingdom,” said Ong, CEO of Arable. The funding round attracted both institutional and private investors, with 90 percent of the capital coming from foreign investors. The funds will be allocated within ��������Ƶ to help advance the country’s agricultural sector, the company stated in a press release. 

The company also claimed that 80 percent of the components needed to create its systems can be sourced or manufactured locally. 

��������Ƶ’s Willow closes pre-seed round 

Digital transformation is taking shape in all corners of the Kingdom with Willow, a startup that offers laundry booking services through its app, closing a pre-seed investment round for an undisclosed amount. 

Founded in 2024 by Mohammed Al-Marri and Wijdan Al-otaibi, the company is leveraging technology to create a digital, seamless laundry experience through pickups and deliveries. Willow will further utilize the funding to cement its digital infrastructure and expand its customer base. 

SVC, Jada back US-based VC firm 500 Global’s new fund 

US-based venture capital firm 500 Global launched its new Middle East and North Africa-focused fund with backing from ��������Ƶ’s top limited partners. 

The fund saw support from Saudi Venture Capital Co., a subsidiary of the Small and Medium Enterprises Bank, which is part of the Kingdom’s National Development Fund, and Jada Funds of Fund, a Public Investment Fund company. 

Labeled 500 MENA L.P, it will primarily invest in startups with proven product-market fit — a key milestone in any business journey that demonstrates a specific solution has found and satisfied a strong market demand. 

MoneyHash secures $5.2m pre-series A  

US-based Egyptian fintech MoneyHash has raised $5.2 million in pre-series A funding. The round was led by Flourish Ventures, with participation from Vision Ventures, Arab Bank’s Xelerate, Emurgo Kepple Ventures, Jason Gardner, and existing investors, including COTU, RZM Investment, and Github founder Tom Preston-Werner. 

This follows a $4.5 million seed round in early 2024 co-led by COTU Ventures and Sukna Ventures. 

Founded in 2020 by Nader Abdelrazik, Mustafa Eid, and Anisha Sekar, MoneyHash provides a payment orchestration and operating system to address technological challenges faced by enterprise merchants. 

The newly raised funds will be used to accelerate its market penetration across the MEA region. 

Talent 360 secures six-figure funding  

Egypt-based human resources tech startup Talent 360 has closed a six-figure investment round led by ��������Ƶ’s C.STAR. 

The funding will support the company’s expansion efforts in ��������Ƶ, which it entered in mid-2024. 

Founded in 2017 by Heba Ayad and Mohamed Said, Talent 360 offers talent management, business training, and 360-degree organizational solutions tailored to business needs. 

Eyouth and EDT&Partners launch $6m skills program 

Egypt-based education tech Eyouth has partnered with Singapore-based education consultancy EDT&Partners to launch a $6 million program aimed at equipping 1 million youth in Africa and the Middle East with digital skills. 

The initiative will focus on critical areas like AI, coding, and data analysis, as well as digital marketing, and modern pedagogies. 

The program will combine Eyouth’s skills development platform with EDT’s AI-driven educational tools to provide training for youth aged 15 to 35 across the region. 

This partnership represents a significant step toward addressing digital skill gaps in emerging markets. 

Pluto raises $4.1 million pre-series A  

UAE-based fintech Pluto has secured $4.1 million in a pre-series A funding round led by a mix of existing and new investors, including Rhino Ventures, Born Capital, Goanna Capital, Evolution VC, Freesearch VC, and Tiferes VC. 

Founded in 2021 by Mohammed Ridwan, Mohammed Aziz, and Nayeem Zen, Pluto helps businesses streamline spending management through virtual and physical cards with customizable spend controls. 

The funding will support Pluto’s expansion in ��������Ƶ and the Gulf Cooperation Council region, as well as solidify the growth of its newly launched product, Pluto Connect. 

Pluto previously raised $6 million in a seed round in 2022, led by Global Founders Capital. 

DataQueue secures undisclosed funding  

The Netherlands and Palestine-based AI-training startup DataQueue has raised an undisclosed funding round from Ibtikar Fund and Flat6Labs Jordan Seed Fund. 

Founded in 2021 by Bashir Alsaifi, DataQueue specializes in providing annotated and labeled data for AI model training. 

The startup aims to position itself as a global AI partner for businesses by leveraging its expertise in data training and annotation. 

This marks its second funding round after raising an undisclosed amount from the Ibtikar Fund in August 2023. 

Sampo AI raises $750k  

Oman-based Software-as-a-Service provider Sampo AI has closed a $750,000 pre-seed funding round co-led by Omantel Innovation Labs and Waad VC, with additional participation from Hexnture and a group of Saudi angel investors. 

Founded in July by Saif Al-Essai and Khalifa Manaa, Sampo AI offers an advanced platform that helps e-commerce businesses optimize pricing strategies using data-driven insights, user behavior analysis, and A/B testing. 

The funding will drive Sampo AI’s expansion plans in ��������Ƶ and the UAE.

DAVOS: Technological innovation and its potential to reshape economies is inspiring growing optimism among business leaders despite a global backdrop of geopolitical tension, economic uncertainty, and the urgent challenges of climate change, the CEO of Publicis Sapient told Arab News.

Nigel Vaz, speaking at the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, said he sees a moment of both caution and opportunity for businesses worldwide. 

“In many ways, businesses thrive on certainty,” Vaz said. “After years of unpredictability, there’s now a sense of optimism about what lies ahead. Investments in technology, particularly in AI, are helping unlock new economic opportunities, from reducing costs to driving transformational growth.”

While acknowledging lingering concerns over inflation and the impact of macroeconomic policies such as tariffs, Vaz believes the focus is shifting toward pro-growth initiatives, including government-led reforms to alleviate pressure on businesses.

“Governments are increasingly exploring tax reforms and other measures to create a more favorable environment for growth,” he said. “And alongside that, investments in AI and digital innovation are starting to deliver real results, moving from proof-of-concept to large-scale implementation.”

With artificial intelligence the hot topic of the day, Vaz said enthusiasm around AI is no longer solely about its potential but also its measurable impact on businesses.

“Last year, AI was something everyone was interested in. This year, they’re seeing the economic benefits of it,” he said.

Vaz pointed to several ways Publicis Sapient is leveraging AI to accelerate transformation, with one significant area in marketing, where AI-driven platforms are enabling businesses to personalize their messages and reach audiences more efficiently.

Publicis Sapient has partnered with its parent company, Publicis Groupe, to invest $300 million in advanced marketing technologies.

“It’s not just about content generation anymore,” Vaz said. “AI is helping with everything from content audits to ensuring the right message gets to the right person at the right time. The ability to connect identity and tailor communication is driving incredible acceleration.”

AI’s influence is also being felt in operational areas traditionally weighed down by inefficiencies.

Publicis Sapient’s work includes modernizing mainframe systems — once seen as expensive and slow — through AI-driven solutions.

“We’ve taken what used to be 10-year migration projects involving millions of lines of code and compressed them into just three years,” Vaz said. “This is digital red-tape removal in action, and it’s allowing businesses to innovate far more quickly than they ever thought possible.”

Vaz also highlighted the Middle East as a critical player in the future of AI and digital transformation. He pointed to countries such as ��������Ƶ and the UAE, where governments are making significant infrastructure investments to foster innovation.

“The Middle East is laying the groundwork for a truly transformational moment,” Vaz said. “If you think of AI as the electricity of the 21st century, the investments being made here are akin to building the power grids of the industrial revolution. It’s about creating an environment where businesses can innovate and thrive.”

He also praised the region’s commitment to developing local talent to drive these initiatives.

“I was speaking with a minister (this week), and he stressed that while they’re putting the infrastructure in place, it’s Saudi talent that’s building and leading these projects. That’s a powerful message about the long-term vision here.”

Looking ahead, Vaz urged business leaders to abandon a “wait-and-see” approach to AI and instead embrace the transformative potential of the technology.

He said that 2025 will be a pivotal year, adding that “the gap between those who adopt AI and those who don’t is going to widen dramatically. Businesses need to act now to ensure they don’t get left behind.”

Vaz added that leaders should move beyond treating AI as a technical tool and instead reimagine their entire business models. “This is not just about technology — it’s about fundamentally rethinking how your business operates and delivers value.” 

As Publicis Sapient continues to expand its footprint in key regions such as the Middle East, Vaz is clear about his priorities for the future. “Our focus is on enabling businesses to learn and iterate in real-world applications,” he said. “Whether it’s in travel, financial services, or retail, we’re seeing tremendous benefits from these transformations. The key now is to keep moving forward.”

In a world still grappling with uncertainty, leaders such as Vaz see the promise of AI and digital transformation as a beacon of opportunity. “The future is here — it’s just a matter of who seizes it first,” he said.