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@StartupSceneME: In our lifetimes, there has been little breakthrough in the realm of space cooling. Systems have become more compact and reliable, but they remain essentially the same: extracting heat from indoor spaces and pumping it to the outdoor air. But there has always been one problem: what if the outdoors is already very hot?

For at least half the year in the MENA region, this is not a hypothetical question but a lived reality. Its consequences are dearly felt in electricity costs: to pump hot air into an already hot ambient environment is a highly inefficient process, requiring much more electricity than in cooler climates. But where else can the heat go? According to one startup in Saudi Arabia, where up to 70% of electricity is consumed by cooling, the answer is deep underground.

According to one startup in Saudi Arabia, where up to 70% of electricity is consumed by cooling, the answer is deep underground. Through iits proprietary technology, PrimeLoop, Strataphy utilises geothermal cooling to replace conventional AC for industrial and commercial facilities, including data centres.

To read the full feature on Strataphy, head to www.thestartupscene.me (link in bio) or download the #SceneNow app available on iOS and Android.

🖋️Serag Heiba

@StartupSceneME: In our lifetimes, there has been little breakthrough in the realm of space cooling. Systems have become more compact and reliable, but they remain essentially the same: extracting heat from indoor spaces and pumping it to the outdoor air. But there has always been one problem: what if the outdoors is already very hot?

For at least half the year in the MENA region, this is not a hypothetical question but a lived reality. Its consequences are dearly felt in electricity costs: to pump hot air into an already hot ambient environment is a highly inefficient process, requiring much more electricity than in cooler climates. But where else can the heat go? According to one startup in Saudi Arabia, where up to 70% of electricity is consumed by cooling, the answer is deep underground.

According to one startup in Saudi Arabia, where up to 70% of electricity is consumed by cooling, the answer is deep underground. Through iits proprietary technology, PrimeLoop, Strataphy utilises geothermal cooling to replace conventional AC for industrial and commercial facilities, including data centres.

To read the full feature on Strataphy, head to www.thestartupscene.me (link in bio) or download the #SceneNow app available on iOS and Android.

🖋️Serag Heiba

@StartupSceneME: In our lifetimes, there has been little breakthrough in the realm of space cooling. Systems have become more compact and reliable, but they remain essentially the same: extracting heat from indoor spaces and pumping it to the outdoor air. But there has always been one problem: what if the outdoors is already very hot?

For at least half the year in the MENA region, this is not a hypothetical question but a lived reality. Its consequences are dearly felt in electricity costs: to pump hot air into an already hot ambient environment is a highly inefficient process, requiring much more electricity than in cooler climates. But where else can the heat go? According to one startup in Saudi Arabia, where up to 70% of electricity is consumed by cooling, the answer is deep underground.

According to one startup in Saudi Arabia, where up to 70% of electricity is consumed by cooling, the answer is deep underground. Through iits proprietary technology, PrimeLoop, Strataphy utilises geothermal cooling to replace conventional AC for industrial and commercial facilities, including data centres.

To read the full feature on Strataphy, head to www.thestartupscene.me (link in bio) or download the #SceneNow app available on iOS and Android.

🖋️Serag Heiba

@StartupSceneME: In our lifetimes, there has been little breakthrough in the realm of space cooling. Systems have become more compact and reliable, but they remain essentially the same: extracting heat from indoor spaces and pumping it to the outdoor air. But there has always been one problem: what if the outdoors is already very hot?

For at least half the year in the MENA region, this is not a hypothetical question but a lived reality. Its consequences are dearly felt in electricity costs: to pump hot air into an already hot ambient environment is a highly inefficient process, requiring much more electricity than in cooler climates. But where else can the heat go? According to one startup in Saudi Arabia, where up to 70% of electricity is consumed by cooling, the answer is deep underground.

According to one startup in Saudi Arabia, where up to 70% of electricity is consumed by cooling, the answer is deep underground. Through iits proprietary technology, PrimeLoop, Strataphy utilises geothermal cooling to replace conventional AC for industrial and commercial facilities, including data centres.

To read the full feature on Strataphy, head to www.thestartupscene.me (link in bio) or download the #SceneNow app available on iOS and Android.

🖋️Serag Heiba

@StartupSceneME: In our lifetimes, there has been little breakthrough in the realm of space cooling. Systems have become more compact and reliable, but they remain essentially the same: extracting heat from indoor spaces and pumping it to the outdoor air. But there has always been one problem: what if the outdoors is already very hot?

For at least half the year in the MENA region, this is not a hypothetical question but a lived reality. Its consequences are dearly felt in electricity costs: to pump hot air into an already hot ambient environment is a highly inefficient process, requiring much more electricity than in cooler climates. But where else can the heat go? According to one startup in Saudi Arabia, where up to 70% of electricity is consumed by cooling, the answer is deep underground.

According to one startup in Saudi Arabia, where up to 70% of electricity is consumed by cooling, the answer is deep underground. Through iits proprietary technology, PrimeLoop, Strataphy utilises geothermal cooling to replace conventional AC for industrial and commercial facilities, including data centres.

To read the full feature on Strataphy, head to www.thestartupscene.me (link in bio) or download the #SceneNow app available on iOS and Android.

🖋️Serag Heiba

@StartupSceneME: In our lifetimes, there has been little breakthrough in the realm of space cooling. Systems have become more compact and reliable, but they remain essentially the same: extracting heat from indoor spaces and pumping it to the outdoor air. But there has always been one problem: what if the outdoors is already very hot?

For at least half the year in the MENA region, this is not a hypothetical question but a lived reality. Its consequences are dearly felt in electricity costs: to pump hot air into an already hot ambient environment is a highly inefficient process, requiring much more electricity than in cooler climates. But where else can the heat go? According to one startup in Saudi Arabia, where up to 70% of electricity is consumed by cooling, the answer is deep underground.

According to one startup in Saudi Arabia, where up to 70% of electricity is consumed by cooling, the answer is deep underground. Through iits proprietary technology, PrimeLoop, Strataphy utilises geothermal cooling to replace conventional AC for industrial and commercial facilities, including data centres.

To read the full feature on Strataphy, head to www.thestartupscene.me (link in bio) or download the #SceneNow app available on iOS and Android.

🖋️Serag Heiba

@StartupSceneME: In our lifetimes, there has been little breakthrough in the realm of space cooling. Systems have become more compact and reliable, but they remain essentially the same: extracting heat from indoor spaces and pumping it to the outdoor air. But there has always been one problem: what if the outdoors is already very hot?

For at least half the year in the MENA region, this is not a hypothetical question but a lived reality. Its consequences are dearly felt in electricity costs: to pump hot air into an already hot ambient environment is a highly inefficient process, requiring much more electricity than in cooler climates. But where else can the heat go? According to one startup in Saudi Arabia, where up to 70% of electricity is consumed by cooling, the answer is deep underground.

According to one startup in Saudi Arabia, where up to 70% of electricity is consumed by cooling, the answer is deep underground. Through iits proprietary technology, PrimeLoop, Strataphy utilises geothermal cooling to replace conventional AC for industrial and commercial facilities, including data centres.

To read the full feature on Strataphy, head to www.thestartupscene.me (link in bio) or download the #SceneNow app available on iOS and Android.

🖋️Serag Heiba

@StartupSceneME: In our lifetimes, there has been little breakthrough in the realm of space cooling. Systems have become more compact and reliable, but they remain essentially the same: extracting heat from indoor spaces and pumping it to the outdoor air. But there has always been one problem: what if the outdoors is already very hot?

For at least half the year in the MENA region, this is not a hypothetical question but a lived reality. Its consequences are dearly felt in electricity costs: to pump hot air into an already hot ambient environment is a highly inefficient process, requiring much more electricity than in cooler climates. But where else can the heat go? According to one startup in Saudi Arabia, where up to 70% of electricity is consumed by cooling, the answer is deep underground.

According to one startup in Saudi Arabia, where up to 70% of electricity is consumed by cooling, the answer is deep underground. Through iits proprietary technology, PrimeLoop, Strataphy utilises geothermal cooling to replace conventional AC for industrial and commercial facilities, including data centres.

To read the full feature on Strataphy, head to www.thestartupscene.me (link in bio) or download the #SceneNow app available on iOS and Android.

🖋️Serag Heiba

@StartupSceneME: In our lifetimes, there has been little breakthrough in the realm of space cooling. Systems have become more compact and reliable, but they remain essentially the same: extracting heat from indoor spaces and pumping it to the outdoor air. But there has always been one problem: what if the outdoors is already very hot?

For at least half the year in the MENA region, this is not a hypothetical question but a lived reality. Its consequences are dearly felt in electricity costs: to pump hot air into an already hot ambient environment is a highly inefficient process, requiring much more electricity than in cooler climates. But where else can the heat go? According to one startup in Saudi Arabia, where up to 70% of electricity is consumed by cooling, the answer is deep underground.

According to one startup in Saudi Arabia, where up to 70% of electricity is consumed by cooling, the answer is deep underground. Through iits proprietary technology, PrimeLoop, Strataphy utilises geothermal cooling to replace conventional AC for industrial and commercial facilities, including data centres.

To read the full feature on Strataphy, head to www.thestartupscene.me (link in bio) or download the #SceneNow app available on iOS and Android.

🖋️Serag Heiba

@StartupSceneME: Kouncel is reimagining legal education for a region where traditional law degrees have long left graduates stranded between theory and practice, and the platform’s origin story starts with founder Ibrahim Saleh graduating with a law degree only to discover that no firm would hire someone with a degree but zero practical training.

What began as a personal frustration evolved into MPL, a training centre where experts taught real-world skills like due diligence and term sheet negotiations, and then pivoted during COVID into Kouncel, a platform that delivers high-quality, practical legal education anywhere, anytime with a Netflix-style approach that makes learning feel less like a textbook and more like something you actually want to watch.

The model is built on three pillars: curation, jurisdiction-specific content, and accessibility. Instructors aren’t academics lecturing from theory but partners and senior associates from leading law firms who handle real transactions by day and translate that experience into lessons that live on the platform, available whenever users need them.

What makes Kouncel particularly interesting is who’s using it. Law students form the core, but the platform has quietly become a go-to resource for HR professionals navigating employment legislation, investment bankers learning the legal mechanics behind transactions, engineers working through FIDIC masterclasses, content creators protecting their intellectual property, and even members of the judiciary through a protocol with Egypt’s Judges Club.

Now backed by strategic investment and expanding into the Gulf, Kouncel describes its approach as “qualified not certified” - prioritising practical readiness over formal credentials while laying the groundwork for accredited programmes through a newly established Board of Trustees. It’s legal education built for how people actually work, learn, and adapt in a profession that’s evolving faster than ever.

To read the full feature on Kouncel, head to www.thestartupscene.me (link in bio) or
download the #SceneNow app available on iOS and Android

🖋️ Hanya Kotb

@StartupSceneME: Kouncel is reimagining legal education for a region where traditional law degrees have long left graduates stranded between theory and practice, and the platform’s origin story starts with founder Ibrahim Saleh graduating with a law degree only to discover that no firm would hire someone with a degree but zero practical training.

What began as a personal frustration evolved into MPL, a training centre where experts taught real-world skills like due diligence and term sheet negotiations, and then pivoted during COVID into Kouncel, a platform that delivers high-quality, practical legal education anywhere, anytime with a Netflix-style approach that makes learning feel less like a textbook and more like something you actually want to watch.

The model is built on three pillars: curation, jurisdiction-specific content, and accessibility. Instructors aren’t academics lecturing from theory but partners and senior associates from leading law firms who handle real transactions by day and translate that experience into lessons that live on the platform, available whenever users need them.

What makes Kouncel particularly interesting is who’s using it. Law students form the core, but the platform has quietly become a go-to resource for HR professionals navigating employment legislation, investment bankers learning the legal mechanics behind transactions, engineers working through FIDIC masterclasses, content creators protecting their intellectual property, and even members of the judiciary through a protocol with Egypt’s Judges Club.

Now backed by strategic investment and expanding into the Gulf, Kouncel describes its approach as “qualified not certified” - prioritising practical readiness over formal credentials while laying the groundwork for accredited programmes through a newly established Board of Trustees. It’s legal education built for how people actually work, learn, and adapt in a profession that’s evolving faster than ever.

To read the full feature on Kouncel, head to www.thestartupscene.me (link in bio) or
download the #SceneNow app available on iOS and Android

🖋️ Hanya Kotb

@StartupSceneME: Kouncel is reimagining legal education for a region where traditional law degrees have long left graduates stranded between theory and practice, and the platform’s origin story starts with founder Ibrahim Saleh graduating with a law degree only to discover that no firm would hire someone with a degree but zero practical training.

What began as a personal frustration evolved into MPL, a training centre where experts taught real-world skills like due diligence and term sheet negotiations, and then pivoted during COVID into Kouncel, a platform that delivers high-quality, practical legal education anywhere, anytime with a Netflix-style approach that makes learning feel less like a textbook and more like something you actually want to watch.

The model is built on three pillars: curation, jurisdiction-specific content, and accessibility. Instructors aren’t academics lecturing from theory but partners and senior associates from leading law firms who handle real transactions by day and translate that experience into lessons that live on the platform, available whenever users need them.

What makes Kouncel particularly interesting is who’s using it. Law students form the core, but the platform has quietly become a go-to resource for HR professionals navigating employment legislation, investment bankers learning the legal mechanics behind transactions, engineers working through FIDIC masterclasses, content creators protecting their intellectual property, and even members of the judiciary through a protocol with Egypt’s Judges Club.

Now backed by strategic investment and expanding into the Gulf, Kouncel describes its approach as “qualified not certified” - prioritising practical readiness over formal credentials while laying the groundwork for accredited programmes through a newly established Board of Trustees. It’s legal education built for how people actually work, learn, and adapt in a profession that’s evolving faster than ever.

To read the full feature on Kouncel, head to www.thestartupscene.me (link in bio) or
download the #SceneNow app available on iOS and Android

🖋️ Hanya Kotb

@StartupSceneME: Kouncel is reimagining legal education for a region where traditional law degrees have long left graduates stranded between theory and practice, and the platform’s origin story starts with founder Ibrahim Saleh graduating with a law degree only to discover that no firm would hire someone with a degree but zero practical training.

What began as a personal frustration evolved into MPL, a training centre where experts taught real-world skills like due diligence and term sheet negotiations, and then pivoted during COVID into Kouncel, a platform that delivers high-quality, practical legal education anywhere, anytime with a Netflix-style approach that makes learning feel less like a textbook and more like something you actually want to watch.

The model is built on three pillars: curation, jurisdiction-specific content, and accessibility. Instructors aren’t academics lecturing from theory but partners and senior associates from leading law firms who handle real transactions by day and translate that experience into lessons that live on the platform, available whenever users need them.

What makes Kouncel particularly interesting is who’s using it. Law students form the core, but the platform has quietly become a go-to resource for HR professionals navigating employment legislation, investment bankers learning the legal mechanics behind transactions, engineers working through FIDIC masterclasses, content creators protecting their intellectual property, and even members of the judiciary through a protocol with Egypt’s Judges Club.

Now backed by strategic investment and expanding into the Gulf, Kouncel describes its approach as “qualified not certified” - prioritising practical readiness over formal credentials while laying the groundwork for accredited programmes through a newly established Board of Trustees. It’s legal education built for how people actually work, learn, and adapt in a profession that’s evolving faster than ever.

To read the full feature on Kouncel, head to www.thestartupscene.me (link in bio) or
download the #SceneNow app available on iOS and Android

🖋️ Hanya Kotb

@StartupSceneME: Kouncel is reimagining legal education for a region where traditional law degrees have long left graduates stranded between theory and practice, and the platform’s origin story starts with founder Ibrahim Saleh graduating with a law degree only to discover that no firm would hire someone with a degree but zero practical training.

What began as a personal frustration evolved into MPL, a training centre where experts taught real-world skills like due diligence and term sheet negotiations, and then pivoted during COVID into Kouncel, a platform that delivers high-quality, practical legal education anywhere, anytime with a Netflix-style approach that makes learning feel less like a textbook and more like something you actually want to watch.

The model is built on three pillars: curation, jurisdiction-specific content, and accessibility. Instructors aren’t academics lecturing from theory but partners and senior associates from leading law firms who handle real transactions by day and translate that experience into lessons that live on the platform, available whenever users need them.

What makes Kouncel particularly interesting is who’s using it. Law students form the core, but the platform has quietly become a go-to resource for HR professionals navigating employment legislation, investment bankers learning the legal mechanics behind transactions, engineers working through FIDIC masterclasses, content creators protecting their intellectual property, and even members of the judiciary through a protocol with Egypt’s Judges Club.

Now backed by strategic investment and expanding into the Gulf, Kouncel describes its approach as “qualified not certified” - prioritising practical readiness over formal credentials while laying the groundwork for accredited programmes through a newly established Board of Trustees. It’s legal education built for how people actually work, learn, and adapt in a profession that’s evolving faster than ever.

To read the full feature on Kouncel, head to www.thestartupscene.me (link in bio) or
download the #SceneNow app available on iOS and Android

🖋️ Hanya Kotb

@StartupSceneME: Kouncel is reimagining legal education for a region where traditional law degrees have long left graduates stranded between theory and practice, and the platform’s origin story starts with founder Ibrahim Saleh graduating with a law degree only to discover that no firm would hire someone with a degree but zero practical training.

What began as a personal frustration evolved into MPL, a training centre where experts taught real-world skills like due diligence and term sheet negotiations, and then pivoted during COVID into Kouncel, a platform that delivers high-quality, practical legal education anywhere, anytime with a Netflix-style approach that makes learning feel less like a textbook and more like something you actually want to watch.

The model is built on three pillars: curation, jurisdiction-specific content, and accessibility. Instructors aren’t academics lecturing from theory but partners and senior associates from leading law firms who handle real transactions by day and translate that experience into lessons that live on the platform, available whenever users need them.

What makes Kouncel particularly interesting is who’s using it. Law students form the core, but the platform has quietly become a go-to resource for HR professionals navigating employment legislation, investment bankers learning the legal mechanics behind transactions, engineers working through FIDIC masterclasses, content creators protecting their intellectual property, and even members of the judiciary through a protocol with Egypt’s Judges Club.

Now backed by strategic investment and expanding into the Gulf, Kouncel describes its approach as “qualified not certified” - prioritising practical readiness over formal credentials while laying the groundwork for accredited programmes through a newly established Board of Trustees. It’s legal education built for how people actually work, learn, and adapt in a profession that’s evolving faster than ever.

To read the full feature on Kouncel, head to www.thestartupscene.me (link in bio) or
download the #SceneNow app available on iOS and Android

🖋️ Hanya Kotb

@StartupSceneME: Kouncel is reimagining legal education for a region where traditional law degrees have long left graduates stranded between theory and practice, and the platform’s origin story starts with founder Ibrahim Saleh graduating with a law degree only to discover that no firm would hire someone with a degree but zero practical training.

What began as a personal frustration evolved into MPL, a training centre where experts taught real-world skills like due diligence and term sheet negotiations, and then pivoted during COVID into Kouncel, a platform that delivers high-quality, practical legal education anywhere, anytime with a Netflix-style approach that makes learning feel less like a textbook and more like something you actually want to watch.

The model is built on three pillars: curation, jurisdiction-specific content, and accessibility. Instructors aren’t academics lecturing from theory but partners and senior associates from leading law firms who handle real transactions by day and translate that experience into lessons that live on the platform, available whenever users need them.

What makes Kouncel particularly interesting is who’s using it. Law students form the core, but the platform has quietly become a go-to resource for HR professionals navigating employment legislation, investment bankers learning the legal mechanics behind transactions, engineers working through FIDIC masterclasses, content creators protecting their intellectual property, and even members of the judiciary through a protocol with Egypt’s Judges Club.

Now backed by strategic investment and expanding into the Gulf, Kouncel describes its approach as “qualified not certified” - prioritising practical readiness over formal credentials while laying the groundwork for accredited programmes through a newly established Board of Trustees. It’s legal education built for how people actually work, learn, and adapt in a profession that’s evolving faster than ever.

To read the full feature on Kouncel, head to www.thestartupscene.me (link in bio) or
download the #SceneNow app available on iOS and Android

🖋️ Hanya Kotb

@StartupSceneME: Kouncel is reimagining legal education for a region where traditional law degrees have long left graduates stranded between theory and practice, and the platform’s origin story starts with founder Ibrahim Saleh graduating with a law degree only to discover that no firm would hire someone with a degree but zero practical training.

What began as a personal frustration evolved into MPL, a training centre where experts taught real-world skills like due diligence and term sheet negotiations, and then pivoted during COVID into Kouncel, a platform that delivers high-quality, practical legal education anywhere, anytime with a Netflix-style approach that makes learning feel less like a textbook and more like something you actually want to watch.

The model is built on three pillars: curation, jurisdiction-specific content, and accessibility. Instructors aren’t academics lecturing from theory but partners and senior associates from leading law firms who handle real transactions by day and translate that experience into lessons that live on the platform, available whenever users need them.

What makes Kouncel particularly interesting is who’s using it. Law students form the core, but the platform has quietly become a go-to resource for HR professionals navigating employment legislation, investment bankers learning the legal mechanics behind transactions, engineers working through FIDIC masterclasses, content creators protecting their intellectual property, and even members of the judiciary through a protocol with Egypt’s Judges Club.

Now backed by strategic investment and expanding into the Gulf, Kouncel describes its approach as “qualified not certified” - prioritising practical readiness over formal credentials while laying the groundwork for accredited programmes through a newly established Board of Trustees. It’s legal education built for how people actually work, learn, and adapt in a profession that’s evolving faster than ever.

To read the full feature on Kouncel, head to www.thestartupscene.me (link in bio) or
download the #SceneNow app available on iOS and Android

🖋️ Hanya Kotb

@StartupSceneME #MeetTheInvestor: Venture capital in MENA is often misunderstood as a game of picking winners, when in reality, it’s a game of building them.

As a General Partner at Cairo-based Algebra Ventures, Omar Khashaba occupies a unique vantage point within the ecosystem. Over the last five years, he has helped steer a $100M fund, and alongside his partners, Khashaba has moved away from the passive check-writer model, to adopt a philosophy rooted in high-level context-switching - the ability to jump from the granular needs of a tech team to the macro-economic shifts of Africa.

A lawyer by training, Khashaba holds a Bachelor of Laws from the London School of Economics and a Master of Laws from Cornell University. However, his transition into the tech ecosystem was driven by an entrepreneurial itch. Before joining Algebra in 2018, he founded and served as CEO of Tutorama, an edtech marketplace that tackled the complexities of peer-to-peer tutoring. He also held an executive role at the healthtech pioneer Yodawy, giving him a front-row seat to the challenges of scaling high-growth startups in a fragmented market.

Histransition from founder to investor has been remarkably swift. Since joining Algebra, Khashaba has risen from Associate to General Partner in just five years - a reflection of his ability to translate first-hand startup experience into investment logic.

In this episode of Meet the Investor, Khashaba opens up about a whole host of topics, including the delicate balance between human judgement and automation, the reality of engineering a successful exit, and why the next few years represent a definitive turning point for the Egyptian ecosystem.

For more startup news from across the Middle East and beyond, visit thestartupscene.me or download the #SceneNow app.

🎥 @StartupSceneME

@StartupSceneME: Dubai- and Singapore-headquartered travel booking platform Wego has partnered with Singapore-based digital payments institution Triple-A to introduce stablecoin payments for flights and travel bookings across its platform.

The update allows travellers to complete bookings using supported stablecoins, while Wego continues receiving settlement in traditional local currencies.

According to the company, the move is intended to offer additional payment flexibility for users making cross-border travel bookings, particularly in markets where international transactions can face higher decline rates or where access to traditional payment systems is more limited.

“Travel is inherently global, but the payment experience does not always reflect that,” Mamoun Hmidan said in a statement.

Wego stated that the new option is aimed at travellers who already use stablecoins for payments and value storage, as digital currencies continue seeing wider use in international transactions and online services.
Alexandre Morin said the integration is expected to support smoother cross-border payment flows while maintaining existing settlement systems on the platform.

According to the companies, payment processing, compliance procedures, and currency conversion will be managed through Triple-A’s infrastructure, while Wego continues operating within its existing payment and settlement structure.

Triple-A stated that the partnership operates under international Anti-Money Laundering and Know Your Customer compliance standards and connects to a network reaching more than 700 million digital currency users globally.

For more startup news from across the Middle East and beyond, visit thestartupscene.me or download the SceneNow app.

@StartupSceneME: Abu Dhabi-based proptech startup eVoost AI has raised €2 million ($2.2 million) in a funding round led by First Drop VC.

The round also included participation from a syndicated investment vehicle linked to Hub71 and backed by Mubadala Investment Company, alongside strategic and angel investors with exposure to markets including Romania and the UAE.

Founded in 2024 by Cristian Pastrana and Koh Onozawa, the company develops an AI-powered platform focused on residential property sales, using predictive analytics and automation to help developers identify buyer demand before projects are completed.
According to the company, the platform is designed to support pricing, positioning, and sales strategies using AI-generated insights and behavioural data.

“This round allows us to accelerate the construction of an intelligent operating system for residential commercialisation,” Cristian Pastrana said in a statement.

eVoost AI stated that it currently manages more than $3.5 billion in real estate assets under commercial agreements across Europe, the UAE, and the United States.

The company plans to use the new funding to accelerate product development, expand internationally, and grow its team.

Operations are currently based in Abu Dhabi, with additional teams located in Madrid and Gijón, while expansion plans include strengthening activity across Spain, Portugal, the UAE, and the United States alongside entry into new markets.

For more startup news from across the Middle East and beyond, visit thestartupscene.me or download the SceneNow app.

@StartupSceneME: Saudi-based eyewear retailer Magrabi Retail has announced plans to acquire a 51% stake in Baraka Optics Group, one of Egypt’s largest premium optical retail chains.

The transaction remains subject to regulatory approvals, including clearance from the Egyptian Competition Authority.

Founded in 1979 by Mohamed Fathy Ragab, Baraka began as a wholesale optics business before expanding into organised retail operations across Egypt. The company remains family-owned and is currently led by Chairman and CEO Ahmed Ragab.

According to the companies, Baraka Optics will be integrated into Magrabi Retail following completion of the deal, with Magrabi assuming day-to-day management responsibilities while existing shareholders retain representation on the board.

The companies stated that the transaction is expected to support operational and commercial synergies across sourcing, supply chain management, and retail operations, alongside future expansion plans within the Egyptian market.

Magrabi Retail also noted that Egypt’s optical retail sector remains highly fragmented, presenting opportunities for consolidation through acquisitions and brand integration.

The planned acquisition follows a wider regional expansion strategy by Magrabi Retail, which acquired Rivoli Group Vision Division in 2024 and Kefan Optics in 2025.

For more startup news from across the Middle East and beyond, visit thestartupscene.me or download the SceneNow app.

@StartupSceneME: Saudi entrepreneurship and innovation platform Madinah Hubs has completed its first strategic investment and partial acquisition through its investment arm, Ohud Investments, backing SBTL in partnership with the company’s founder and CEO Sayed Ahmed Sayed.

According to Madinah Hubs, the transaction marks the beginning of a broader strategy focused on building a more integrated entrepreneurship ecosystem combining investment, venture development, capacity building, and long-term economic impact.

Launched in early 2026 under the leadership of Hasan bin Abdullah Jabarti, Madinah Hubs has been developing programmes, partnerships, and initiatives focused on entrepreneurship and innovation in Al Madinah Al Munawwarah.

SBTL specialises in building transformation, leadership, innovation, and entrepreneurship ecosystems, and states that it has worked with more than 200 organisations and ecosystem partners while delivering over 120 specialised programmes and initiatives.

According to the company, its activities have included more than 12,500 hours of workshops, hackathons, training programmes, and capacity-building experiences, reaching over 3,000 beneficiaries.

For more startup news from across the Middle East and beyond, visit thestartupscene.me or download the SceneNow app.

@StartupSceneME: The Egyptian Cotton Festival has launched to support small and medium-sized businesses operating across Egypt’s cotton and textile industries through financing, technical support, and expanded market access.

Organised through cooperation between the Micro Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency, Cairo Governorate, and the Egyptian Marketing Studies Foundation, the programme focuses on strengthening links between smaller producers and larger local and international buyers.

The festival targets businesses operating across cotton furnishings, textile manufacturing, spinning and weaving, ginning machinery, chemicals and dyeing, as well as suppliers and agents dealing in cotton raw materials.

According to organisers, participating enterprises will receive support aimed at improving production efficiency, marketing capabilities, and competitiveness in export markets.

The programme will also guide businesses through export procedures, certification requirements, and incentives available under MSME Development Law No. 152 of 2020 and Law No. 6 of 2025.

A central focus of the initiative is strengthening production clusters and integrating smaller manufacturers into wider supply chains connected to major Egyptian brands and industrial producers.

Officials stated that the programme also seeks to expand the international presence of Egyptian cotton products while supporting processing, manufacturing, and value-added industries tied to the sector.

For more startup news from across the Middle East and beyond, visit thestartupscene.me or download the SceneNow app.

@StartupSceneME SOUNDBITES: Even now, in the deep-end of the conversations around it, there exists a stark, costly disconnect between the public imagination of Artificial Intelligence and its actual operational reality. While the cultural zeitgeist remains stuck in the sensationalism of science fiction, a decidedly quieter, paradigm-shifting revolution is already weaving itself into the fabric of global enterprise.

According to Sulabh Soral, Chief AI Officer & Partner at Deloitte, this perpetual fascination with the futuristic is the single greatest blind spot at the cross-section of modern business strategy and AI. The misconception that it’s an abstract, impending force obscures a much more potent truth: it’s already here, acting as the invisible plumbing of so many elements of life.

What does this mean? The inflection point for leadership is no longer about predicting what the technology will do next, but commanding what it can do now. Soral suggests that true mastery of the medium begins the moment an organisation stops treating AI as a novelty to be gawked at, and starts treating it as a utility to be ruthlessly and efficiently applied. The future doesn’t belong to those who marvel at the tech, but to those who dictate its integration.

🎥 @StartupSceneME

@StartupSceneME: INJAZ Egypt has concluded the latest cycle of its flagship entrepreneurship initiative, ‘The Company Program’, with a final pitch competition and awards ceremony in Cairo. The multi-week program provided high school and university students from both public and private institutions with intensive training in corporate teamwork, financial literacy and venture development.

Following months of preparation, the finalists advanced to a live presentation stage, pitching their business concepts and models to a panel of executives and startup founders from sectors including fintech, healthcare and logistics. The high school evaluation committee included Fayza Riad, Chief Strategy Officer at NAWY; Yousra Badr, Managing Director at Seha Healthcare Group; and Nader Soliman, VP and Head of NALP Products at VISA. The university track was evaluated by Amr Fawzi, Founder and CEO of GoodsMart; Omar Rezk, Co-Founder and General Manager of Entlaq; and fintech expert Motaz Lotfy.

The competition concluded with eight teams securing top honours across four major categories. In the high school division, RootSense, representing the British International School in Cairo (BISC), secured the ‘Company of the Year’ title. Fellow BISC team Frootzé was recognised with the ‘Global Impact Award’, while TUPY claimed the ‘Innovative Venture Award’. Cairo American College's team, Amal, took home the prize for ‘Best Marketing Plan’.

In the university cohort, HOPE was named ‘Company of the Year’, while the remaining category awards went to GrowMate for ‘Global Impact’, ReHydro for ‘Innovative Venture’, and Tiny Ink for ‘Best Marketing Plan’. The event comes as the latest in a string of INJAZ Egypt initiatives that put a spotlight on on practical business education within the Egyptian academic ecosystem.

For more startup news from across the Middle East and beyond, visit thestartupscene.me or download the SceneNow app.

@StartupSceneME: INJAZ Egypt has concluded the latest cycle of its flagship entrepreneurship initiative, ‘The Company Program’, with a final pitch competition and awards ceremony in Cairo. The multi-week program provided high school and university students from both public and private institutions with intensive training in corporate teamwork, financial literacy and venture development.

Following months of preparation, the finalists advanced to a live presentation stage, pitching their business concepts and models to a panel of executives and startup founders from sectors including fintech, healthcare and logistics. The high school evaluation committee included Fayza Riad, Chief Strategy Officer at NAWY; Yousra Badr, Managing Director at Seha Healthcare Group; and Nader Soliman, VP and Head of NALP Products at VISA. The university track was evaluated by Amr Fawzi, Founder and CEO of GoodsMart; Omar Rezk, Co-Founder and General Manager of Entlaq; and fintech expert Motaz Lotfy.

The competition concluded with eight teams securing top honours across four major categories. In the high school division, RootSense, representing the British International School in Cairo (BISC), secured the ‘Company of the Year’ title. Fellow BISC team Frootzé was recognised with the ‘Global Impact Award’, while TUPY claimed the ‘Innovative Venture Award’. Cairo American College's team, Amal, took home the prize for ‘Best Marketing Plan’.

In the university cohort, HOPE was named ‘Company of the Year’, while the remaining category awards went to GrowMate for ‘Global Impact’, ReHydro for ‘Innovative Venture’, and Tiny Ink for ‘Best Marketing Plan’. The event comes as the latest in a string of INJAZ Egypt initiatives that put a spotlight on on practical business education within the Egyptian academic ecosystem.

For more startup news from across the Middle East and beyond, visit thestartupscene.me or download the SceneNow app.

@StartupSceneME: INJAZ Egypt has concluded the latest cycle of its flagship entrepreneurship initiative, ‘The Company Program’, with a final pitch competition and awards ceremony in Cairo. The multi-week program provided high school and university students from both public and private institutions with intensive training in corporate teamwork, financial literacy and venture development.

Following months of preparation, the finalists advanced to a live presentation stage, pitching their business concepts and models to a panel of executives and startup founders from sectors including fintech, healthcare and logistics. The high school evaluation committee included Fayza Riad, Chief Strategy Officer at NAWY; Yousra Badr, Managing Director at Seha Healthcare Group; and Nader Soliman, VP and Head of NALP Products at VISA. The university track was evaluated by Amr Fawzi, Founder and CEO of GoodsMart; Omar Rezk, Co-Founder and General Manager of Entlaq; and fintech expert Motaz Lotfy.

The competition concluded with eight teams securing top honours across four major categories. In the high school division, RootSense, representing the British International School in Cairo (BISC), secured the ‘Company of the Year’ title. Fellow BISC team Frootzé was recognised with the ‘Global Impact Award’, while TUPY claimed the ‘Innovative Venture Award’. Cairo American College's team, Amal, took home the prize for ‘Best Marketing Plan’.

In the university cohort, HOPE was named ‘Company of the Year’, while the remaining category awards went to GrowMate for ‘Global Impact’, ReHydro for ‘Innovative Venture’, and Tiny Ink for ‘Best Marketing Plan’. The event comes as the latest in a string of INJAZ Egypt initiatives that put a spotlight on on practical business education within the Egyptian academic ecosystem.

For more startup news from across the Middle East and beyond, visit thestartupscene.me or download the SceneNow app.

@StartupSceneME #SceneAD: If there’s one thing we’ve learned over the last decade, it’s that innovation is rarely a solo endeavor. It’s an ecosystem built on collaboration, trial and the pursuit of solutions, particularly in Egypt’s rapidly evolving real estate and urban development sectors. Marking nearly a decade since its launch in 2017, pioneering developer Tatweer Misr has officially launched the 7th edition of its landmark Innovation Competition. To celebrate this milestone, Tatweer Misr has announced a strategic partnership with the Egypt Entrepreneur Awards (EEA) to create a powerful synergy in which Tatweer Misr provides real-world sandbox and testing grounds for innovative ideas, and EEA brings its network of mentors, investors and ecosystem leaders. Together, they’re looking to create an end-to-end launchpad that can achieve the visions of Egypt’s brightest entrepreneurial minds.

Over the past six editions, the competition has crowned 25 winners, many of whom have integrated their solutions directly into Tatweer Misr’s active developments. While many startup competitions end when the trophy is handed over, Tatweer Misr’s initiative is designed to build lasting impact.

To enter, startups and SMEs under eight years old must have an active presence in Egypt, presenting either a clear ideation roadmap or a tested, scalable MVP aligned with one of three tracks: Deep PropTech & Data Intelligence, Future of Property, Operation & Urban Management, or Experiential Design, Wellness & Sustainability.

The programme begins with applications closing on the first week of June, swiftly followed by an investment bootcamp and expert mentoring. It culminates in the main event, ‘Pitch Night’, on June 23rd, where a jury judges finalists on strategic fit, innovation, value, feasibility, scalability, and team execution.

You can apply now through Tatweer Misr’s link in bio.

Read the full article on www.thestartupscene.me (link in bio) or download the #SceneNow app available on iOS and Android.

@StartupSceneME #SceneAD: If there’s one thing we’ve learned over the last decade, it’s that innovation is rarely a solo endeavor. It’s an ecosystem built on collaboration, trial and the pursuit of solutions, particularly in Egypt’s rapidly evolving real estate and urban development sectors. Marking nearly a decade since its launch in 2017, pioneering developer Tatweer Misr has officially launched the 7th edition of its landmark Innovation Competition. To celebrate this milestone, Tatweer Misr has announced a strategic partnership with the Egypt Entrepreneur Awards (EEA) to create a powerful synergy in which Tatweer Misr provides real-world sandbox and testing grounds for innovative ideas, and EEA brings its network of mentors, investors and ecosystem leaders. Together, they’re looking to create an end-to-end launchpad that can achieve the visions of Egypt’s brightest entrepreneurial minds.

Over the past six editions, the competition has crowned 25 winners, many of whom have integrated their solutions directly into Tatweer Misr’s active developments. While many startup competitions end when the trophy is handed over, Tatweer Misr’s initiative is designed to build lasting impact.

To enter, startups and SMEs under eight years old must have an active presence in Egypt, presenting either a clear ideation roadmap or a tested, scalable MVP aligned with one of three tracks: Deep PropTech & Data Intelligence, Future of Property, Operation & Urban Management, or Experiential Design, Wellness & Sustainability.

The programme begins with applications closing on the first week of June, swiftly followed by an investment bootcamp and expert mentoring. It culminates in the main event, ‘Pitch Night’, on June 23rd, where a jury judges finalists on strategic fit, innovation, value, feasibility, scalability, and team execution.

You can apply now through Tatweer Misr’s link in bio.

Read the full article on www.thestartupscene.me (link in bio) or download the #SceneNow app available on iOS and Android.

@StartupSceneME #SceneAD: If there’s one thing we’ve learned over the last decade, it’s that innovation is rarely a solo endeavor. It’s an ecosystem built on collaboration, trial and the pursuit of solutions, particularly in Egypt’s rapidly evolving real estate and urban development sectors. Marking nearly a decade since its launch in 2017, pioneering developer Tatweer Misr has officially launched the 7th edition of its landmark Innovation Competition. To celebrate this milestone, Tatweer Misr has announced a strategic partnership with the Egypt Entrepreneur Awards (EEA) to create a powerful synergy in which Tatweer Misr provides real-world sandbox and testing grounds for innovative ideas, and EEA brings its network of mentors, investors and ecosystem leaders. Together, they’re looking to create an end-to-end launchpad that can achieve the visions of Egypt’s brightest entrepreneurial minds.

Over the past six editions, the competition has crowned 25 winners, many of whom have integrated their solutions directly into Tatweer Misr’s active developments. While many startup competitions end when the trophy is handed over, Tatweer Misr’s initiative is designed to build lasting impact.

To enter, startups and SMEs under eight years old must have an active presence in Egypt, presenting either a clear ideation roadmap or a tested, scalable MVP aligned with one of three tracks: Deep PropTech & Data Intelligence, Future of Property, Operation & Urban Management, or Experiential Design, Wellness & Sustainability.

The programme begins with applications closing on the first week of June, swiftly followed by an investment bootcamp and expert mentoring. It culminates in the main event, ‘Pitch Night’, on June 23rd, where a jury judges finalists on strategic fit, innovation, value, feasibility, scalability, and team execution.

You can apply now through Tatweer Misr’s link in bio.

Read the full article on www.thestartupscene.me (link in bio) or download the #SceneNow app available on iOS and Android.

@StartupSceneME #SceneAD: If there’s one thing we’ve learned over the last decade, it’s that innovation is rarely a solo endeavor. It’s an ecosystem built on collaboration, trial and the pursuit of solutions, particularly in Egypt’s rapidly evolving real estate and urban development sectors. Marking nearly a decade since its launch in 2017, pioneering developer Tatweer Misr has officially launched the 7th edition of its landmark Innovation Competition. To celebrate this milestone, Tatweer Misr has announced a strategic partnership with the Egypt Entrepreneur Awards (EEA) to create a powerful synergy in which Tatweer Misr provides real-world sandbox and testing grounds for innovative ideas, and EEA brings its network of mentors, investors and ecosystem leaders. Together, they’re looking to create an end-to-end launchpad that can achieve the visions of Egypt’s brightest entrepreneurial minds.

Over the past six editions, the competition has crowned 25 winners, many of whom have integrated their solutions directly into Tatweer Misr’s active developments. While many startup competitions end when the trophy is handed over, Tatweer Misr’s initiative is designed to build lasting impact.

To enter, startups and SMEs under eight years old must have an active presence in Egypt, presenting either a clear ideation roadmap or a tested, scalable MVP aligned with one of three tracks: Deep PropTech & Data Intelligence, Future of Property, Operation & Urban Management, or Experiential Design, Wellness & Sustainability.

The programme begins with applications closing on the first week of June, swiftly followed by an investment bootcamp and expert mentoring. It culminates in the main event, ‘Pitch Night’, on June 23rd, where a jury judges finalists on strategic fit, innovation, value, feasibility, scalability, and team execution.

You can apply now through Tatweer Misr’s link in bio.

Read the full article on www.thestartupscene.me (link in bio) or download the #SceneNow app available on iOS and Android.

@StartupSceneME #SceneAD: If there’s one thing we’ve learned over the last decade, it’s that innovation is rarely a solo endeavor. It’s an ecosystem built on collaboration, trial and the pursuit of solutions, particularly in Egypt’s rapidly evolving real estate and urban development sectors. Marking nearly a decade since its launch in 2017, pioneering developer Tatweer Misr has officially launched the 7th edition of its landmark Innovation Competition. To celebrate this milestone, Tatweer Misr has announced a strategic partnership with the Egypt Entrepreneur Awards (EEA) to create a powerful synergy in which Tatweer Misr provides real-world sandbox and testing grounds for innovative ideas, and EEA brings its network of mentors, investors and ecosystem leaders. Together, they’re looking to create an end-to-end launchpad that can achieve the visions of Egypt’s brightest entrepreneurial minds.

Over the past six editions, the competition has crowned 25 winners, many of whom have integrated their solutions directly into Tatweer Misr’s active developments. While many startup competitions end when the trophy is handed over, Tatweer Misr’s initiative is designed to build lasting impact.

To enter, startups and SMEs under eight years old must have an active presence in Egypt, presenting either a clear ideation roadmap or a tested, scalable MVP aligned with one of three tracks: Deep PropTech & Data Intelligence, Future of Property, Operation & Urban Management, or Experiential Design, Wellness & Sustainability.

The programme begins with applications closing on the first week of June, swiftly followed by an investment bootcamp and expert mentoring. It culminates in the main event, ‘Pitch Night’, on June 23rd, where a jury judges finalists on strategic fit, innovation, value, feasibility, scalability, and team execution.

You can apply now through Tatweer Misr’s link in bio.

Read the full article on www.thestartupscene.me (link in bio) or download the #SceneNow app available on iOS and Android.

@StartupSceneME: GrowthLabs, a Cairo-based company building digital systems for incubators, accelerators, and startup ecosystems, has acquired Startup Gate, a platform connecting founders with investors, mentors, and opportunities, in a deal valued at nearly LE 35 million.

According to the company, the combined entity will integrate Startup Gate’s founder and investor network with Catalyst OS, GrowthLabs’ digital operating system designed for incubators, accelerators, and entrepreneurship programmes.

The platform is expected to provide real-time data analytics and operational tools supporting startups from company registration stages through to investment readiness and expansion.

The transaction was orchestrated by M-Empire and consolidates Startup Gate and Catalyst OS under GrowthLabs’ broader operational structure.

GrowthLabs stated that the infrastructure will also target corporates, universities, angel investors, venture capital firms, and government entities working on entrepreneurship and digital transformation initiatives.

As part of its wider expansion strategy, the company plans to enter five additional countries across the Gulf and Africa before the end of 2026, alongside launching seven corporate innovation programmes and what it describes as the region’s first cross-border entrepreneurial community platform.

“This acquisition embodies our vision to construct an integrated entrepreneurial infrastructure that yields a profound, far-reaching impact on the broader economy,” Islam Mohamed said. “We are establishing a unified digital infrastructure that empowers every stakeholder within the ecosystem to operate with heightened connectivity and efficiency.”

According to the company, the wider strategy focuses on addressing fragmentation across startup ecosystems by connecting founder communities, operational infrastructure, investor access, and data systems through a unified platform model operating across the Middle East and Africa.

For more startup news from across the Middle East and beyond, visit thestartupscene.me or download the SceneNow app.