RIYADH: Investment momentum in the Middle East and North Africa region remained steady last week, despite ongoing market uncertainty caused by the US-led conflict with Iran.
This positive momentum continues from the record $7.5 billion raised by MENA startups in 2025, which marked a 225 percent surge compared to the previous year, according to Wamda data.
A separate report released by Magnitt earlier this week revealed that Saudi Arabia’s venture capital ecosystem experienced a slowdown in the first half of 2026, with total funding reaching 219 million dollars across 72 transactions.
This represents a 74 percent year-on-year decline in funding and a 41 percent drop in deal volume compared to the first half of 2025, primarily due to the absence of mega-deals over $100 million and broader global and regional market caution.
The Kingdom maintained its strong position in the MENA region, ranking as the second-most active market by transaction volume with a 34 percent share of regional deals, consistent with the first half of the previous year.
