The Aporia
The Aporia
Clowes, E. (2026, October 13). UAE and Saudi Arabia account for almost 90% of $2.98 billion of startup capital raised in 2026. Semafor. https://www.semafor.com/article/10/13/2026/uae-and-saudi-arabia-account-for-almost-90-of-298-billion-of-startup-capital-in-2026
Clowes, Ed. “UAE and Saudi Arabia account for almost 90% of $2.98 billion of startup capital raised in 2026.” Semafor, 13 Oct. 2026, https://www.semafor.com/article/10/13/2026/uae-and-saudi-arabia-account-for-almost-90-of-298-billion-of-startup-capital-in-2026.
Clowes, Ed. “UAE and Saudi Arabia account for almost 90% of $2.98 billion of startup capital raised in 2026.” Semafor, October 13, 2026. https://www.semafor.com/article/10/13/2026/uae-and-saudi-arabia-account-for-almost-90-of-298-billion-of-startup-capital-in-2026.
Dated from the outlet's own feed. Check the original for its byline.
In the first nine months of 2026, UAE and Saudi Arabia accounted for nearly 90% of the $2.98 billion raised by regional startups, according to MAGNiTT. These two countries also financed every funding round of $100 million or more. However, overall regional funding decreased by 7%, with a third fewer deals than in previous periods. Most funds went to established fintech and logistics companies, while early-stage investments significantly declined, leaving fewer startups prepared for growth opportunities in 2027. Gulf investors are stepping up where others have pulled back due to concerns about liquidity and the difficulty of exiting investments as acquisition activity has slowed.
