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- MEA Tech & Startup Digest: Issue #109
MEA Tech & Startup Digest: Issue #109
Mehmet Gonullu
March 09, 2025
Welcome to the 109th edition of “The CTO Show’s MEA Tech & Startup Digest”!
From Saudi Arabia’s bold push into gaming to sustainable energy breakthroughs and fintech milestones, the region is buzzing with opportunity. Our featured story spotlights Lobah Games’ $12 million raise, a testament to the kingdom’s ambition to become a global gaming powerhouse by 2030—dive in for the latest updates!
Whether you're one of our 2472 subscribers or new to our community, we're excited to share these valuable insights into tech, startups, and entrepreneurship.
Grab your coffee and let's unpack what's making headlines!
Gaming & Entertainment 🎮
Lobah | لُعبة Games Raises $12M (Featured Story) Saudi gaming studio Lobah secured $12 million from the Social Development Bank during Leap 2025, boosting the kingdom’s gaming sector. The funding will drive game development and talent growth in the MEA gaming market. Read More
Surpass Games Secures $15M Turkish studio Surpass Games raised $15 million to innovate in the hybrid-casual puzzle gaming space. This investment underscores Turkey’s rising prominence in the MEA gaming landscape. Read More
Fintech & E-Commerce 💳
Tamara Gains SAMA License Saudi fintech Tamara became the first in the kingdom to secure a SAMA license for consumer finance and BNPL services. This milestone expands its offerings beyond $1,333, enhancing financial inclusion in MEA. Read More
ORA TECHNOLOGIES Raises $1.9M Morocco’s Ora Technologies secured $1.9 million to scale its digital payments and e-commerce platform. This funding strengthens Morocco’s role in North Africa’s tech evolution. Read More
talabat Acquires instashop Talabat, a leading MEA food delivery platform, acquired Instashop in 2020, a move now fueling its grocery delivery expansion. This deal bolsters e-commerce infrastructure in the region. Read More
FORAS AI Invests in Beban Crowdfunding Foras acquired a 36% stake in Bahrain’s Beban crowdfunding platform, enhancing startup funding access. This fosters entrepreneurship across the Gulf. Read More
Venture Capital & Investment 💰
Arāya Ventures Launches €22M Fund Turkey’s Araya Ventures debuted its €22 million fund to back early-stage tech startups in the region. This strengthens Turkey’s position as an MEA innovation hub. Read More
LoftyInc Capital Raises $43M Nigeria-based LoftyInc Capital secured $43 million for its late-seed fund to support African tech startups. The fund targets scalable ventures, boosting the continent’s ecosystem. Read More
Saudi VC Backs Artal Fund Saudi Venture Capital invested in Artal Capital’s Growth Opportunities Fund, supporting private equity in the kingdom. This partnership aims to accelerate tech and startup growth. Read More
IFC Boosts Revo Capital The IFC invested in Türkiye’s Revo Capital Fund to support tech startups in Türkiye and Central Asia. This global backing strengthens the region’s startup ecosystem. Read More
Cleantech & Agri-Tech 🌱
Arab Energy Fund’s $120M Platform The Arab Energy Fund and Hartree Partners launched a $120 million cleantech platform to advance sustainable energy in MEA. This initiative drives green tech innovation and startup growth. Read More
Haala Energy Raises $28M Saudi cleantech startup Haala Energy secured $28 million in Series A funding, led by Fakeeh, to advance renewable energy solutions. This bolsters Saudi Arabia’s green tech ambitions. Read More
Khula Raises $6.8M South African agri-tech startup Khula raised $6.8 million in Series A funding to scale its farmer-support platform. This drives agricultural innovation across Africa. Read More
Supamoto Secures $4.3M Zambian clean-tech firm Supamoto received $4.3 million from PIDG and EDFI to expand its clean cooking solutions. This supports sustainable tech growth in Africa’s energy sector. Read More
🔍 Worth cheching out:
China’s Zuchongzhi 3.0 Quantum Leap
· Details: China’s Zuchongzhi 3.0 quantum computer reportedly outperformed Google’s quantum chip by a factor of 1 million times, a claim echoed in X posts around March 6. While the exact announcement date isn’t always specified, some sources suggest this milestone was highlighted during early March, possibly tied to ongoing quantum research updates.
5G-A Humanoid Robot Debut
· Details: China Mobile, Huawei, and Leju unveiled the world’s first 5G-Advanced (5G-A) humanoid robot on March 5, 2025, aimed at industrial applications. This was showcased at an event possibly linked to MWC momentum, emphasizing real-time control and scalability.
Manus AI Breakthroughs
Manus AI, launched by the Monica.im team in China, emerged as a significant tech breakthrough this week, touted as the "world’s first fully autonomous AI agent." Unlike traditional AI models that generate responses, Manus autonomously executes complex real-world tasks, positioning it as a game-changer in the AI landscape.
🎙️Episodes Recap:
AI is transforming healthcare at an unprecedented pace, from medical imaging advancements to the potential of robotic-assisted surgeries and predictive medicine. In this episode, Dr. Robert Toth, Ph.D. , Founder of Thetat Tech AI, joins us to discuss how AI is revolutionizing radiology, diagnostics, and patient care, the ethical and regulatory challenges ahead, and what the future holds for AI-driven healthcare solutions.
In this episode, I sit down with John Cousins , a serial entrepreneur, investor, and educator, to discuss financial literacy, startup success, AI’s impact on learning, and the future of solopreneurship. With experience spanning MIT, IPOs, hedge funds, and AI-driven education, John shares powerful insights on navigating the world of business, investment, and entrepreneurship.
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Best, Mehmet