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Arabian Business reported on April 5 2026 that the Emirates Growth Fund had completed a strategic minority investment of AED45 million in Dubai-based CarniStore dated April 1. Khalifa Al Hajeri, CEO of the Emirates Growth Fund, said the cheque aligns with the fund’s mandate to back UAE businesses in the missing middle through capital and active partnership. CarniStore operates a digital retail platform for premium proteins that include meat, seafood, poultry and smoked products. Fikry Boutros, co-CEO and co-founder of CarniStore, described the transaction as a natural next step that would support expansion of access to quality proteins, industrial scaling, new product verticals and regional growth.
The Saudi Central Bank commenced licensing for open banking services on March 26 following completion of a regulatory sandbox period, according to the publication. The framework enables customer consent-based sharing of financial information through supervised entities, with the authority licensing two firms for payment services including account information and open banking. Lean Technologies Saudi Arabia received one of the initial licenses. Saudi fintech lending totalled SR774 million in 2025, a 36 percent increase from SR569 million in 2024, Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources figures show.
UAE-based extended stay marketplace estaie closed a seven-figure pre-seed funding round led by PlusVC and Orbit Ventures with participation from Falak Angels and Value Makers Studio, Arabian Business said. Founder and CEO Osama Shawky positioned the platform as an AI native layer for long-term bookings that addresses infrastructure needs in the extended stay segment. Hospitality platform Mezza secured a seed round backed by angel investors to offer restaurants upfront capital against future food and beverage credit redeemed over 12 months in ticket sizes from AED20,000 to AED10 million. Founder Kevin Boubil cited capital constraints and inconsistent demand as challenges the model seeks to resolve.
Wearable technology and subscription company WHOOP completed a $575 million Series G round at a $10.1 billion valuation on March 31, the report noted. Investors included 2PointZero Group along with GCC entities the Qatar Investment Authority and Mubadala Investment Company. The company plans to direct proceeds toward international expansion that encompasses the GCC and additional markets. WHOOP provides fitness tracking through a wearable device paired with a subscription service.
This early 2026 activity follows a record year for the broader ecosystem in which MENA startups raised $7.5 billion across 647 deals in 2025. Wamda’s annual investment report placed the total at a 225 percent increase from the prior year, driven largely by mega deals and regional capital deployment. A separate assessment from Magnitt indicated GCC venture capital reached around $3.3 billion in 2025, reflecting 14 percent growth from the previous period. Saudi Arabia accounted for 41 percent of MENA venture deals in the first quarter of 2026, Magnitt data shows.
The Arabian Business roundup also referenced UAE interception of 23 ballistic missiles and 56 drones in a recent attack, with debris reported in areas including Dubai Marina after aerial defence systems engaged the threats. Such events form part of the regional context in which the funding activity has taken place. Public and private sector participants have sustained capital flows into technology and service platforms across the Gulf through the first months of 2026.
