VC React Podcast (Episode #22)

In this week's episode of the VC React Podcast, we had the opportunity to sink our teeth into some of the MENA startup ecosystem’s most promising and popular sectors for funding, through the lens of four recent funding rounds in proptech, fintech, agritech, and AI.

We began with Rize, the Saudi proptech startup that raised $35M in a mix of equity and debt to scale its rent-now-pay-later model. As competition heats up in Saudi’s proptech space, we debated the sustainability of this capital structure and what Rize needs to do to build a defensible edge.

Next, we turned to MoneyHash, the US-based Egyptian fintech that secured $5.2M to expand its payment orchestration system in MENA. We explored the challenges of scaling in a fragmented regulatory landscape and whether fintechs should prioritize profitability or focus on aggressive market share growth.

We then discussed Arable, the Saudi agritech startup that raised $2.55M to scale locally adapted hydroponic farms. With solutions tailored to arid climates and components sourced locally, we asked if agritech startups could attract more VC interest in the future.

Finally, we looked at Halo AI, the AI-powered influencer platform that closed a $6M Seed round. Specializing in nano- and micro-influencers, we explored whether niche-focused strategies like Halo’s are the future of influencer marketing in MENA.

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This week, Ahmad and I had the pleasure to be joined by:

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Andrea Azzolari, Senior Associate Plug and Play Tech Center Saudi

‍Ayat Al-Sabbagh, Investment Principal Suhail Ventures

‍Julien Plouzeau, Senior Partner Oraseya Capital

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We covered:

📌 Saudi rent now, pay later firm Rize | رايز closes $35m in equity and debt funding

📌 MoneyHash, which provides single access to payment services in MENA, banks $5.2M

📌 Saudi agritech Arable closes $2.55 million Seed round

📌 Halo AI closes $6 million Seed led by RAED Ventures, Shorooq

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