MENA startup funding jumps to $375 million in August 2026

Startup funding across the Middle East and North Africa more than doubled in August 2026, even as dealmaking slowed sharply, with 27 startups raising a combined $375 million. The total was 117% higher than July and 11% above August 2025. Yet the deal count fell 40% month-on-month, highlighting how heavily the month’s performance depended on a small number of large transactions. The biggest was Moove’s $250 million Series C, which alone accounted for two-thirds of all capital deployed