# AI investors in MENA (2026 list)

> 144 AI investors in MENA, 76% active in the last 12 months. Led by Y Combinator, 500 Global, Plug and Play. Ranked by what they funded.

Source: https://millionrounds.com/lists/ai-investors-in-mena (Millionrounds; every figure on the page links to its filing or article)

[Investor Lists](https://millionrounds.com/lists)

# AI investors in MENA

Updated 7 November 2026

Firms observed backing an AI company in MENA in the last two years, wherever the firm is based.

[See all 144 *→*](https://millionrounds.com/login?join=1&next=%2Fapp%2Finvestor-lists%2Fai-investors-in-mena)The top 25

**144** investors on the list *-2* this week

**2,491** cheques in 12 months *-18%* against the market

**$5M** median round they joined *-37%* against the market median

**76%** wrote a cheque in 12 months

**53%** have led a round

## The Top 25

Ordered by cheques observed, never by anything anyone paid for

Deploying now (25)

- 1 [Y Combinator](https://millionrounds.com/fund/y-combinator) *Deploying now* Accelerator · United States **6,412** **$3M** median round **Oct 2026** last seen
- 2 [500 Global](https://millionrounds.com/fund/500-startups) *Deploying now* Angel · United States **2,140** **$3.6M** median round **Oct 2026** last seen
- 3 [Plug and Play](https://millionrounds.com/fund/plug-and-play) *Deploying now* Accelerator · United States **1,561** **$5M** median round **Nov 2026** last seen
- 4 [General Catalyst](https://millionrounds.com/fund/general-catalyst) *Deploying now* VC firm · United States **1,387** **$27M** median round **Nov 2026** last seen
- 5 [Bpifrance](https://millionrounds.com/fund/bpifrance) *Deploying now* Government · France **1,151** **$4.5M** median round **Oct 2026** last seen
- 6 [Pioneer Fund](https://millionrounds.com/fund/pioneer-fund-2) *Deploying now* Private equity · United States **551** **$2.9M** median round **Nov 2026** last seen
- 7 [Global Founders Capital](https://millionrounds.com/fund/global-founders-capital) *Deploying now* VC firm · Germany **461** **$7M** median round **Oct 2026** last seen
- 8 [Lux Capital](https://millionrounds.com/fund/lux-capital) *Deploying now* VC firm · United States **445** **$30M** median round **Nov 2026** last seen
- 9 [Partech Ventures](https://millionrounds.com/fund/partech) *Deploying now* VC firm · France **444** **$15M** median round **Oct 2026** last seen
- 10 [Kleiner Perkins](https://millionrounds.com/fund/kleiner-perkins) *Deploying now* VC firm · United States **398** **$40M** median round **Nov 2026** last seen
- 11 [Peak XV](https://millionrounds.com/fund/peak-xv) *Deploying now* VC firm · United States **317** **$15M** median round **Nov 2026** last seen
- 12 [International Finance Corporation](https://millionrounds.com/fund/international-finance-corporation-ifc) *Deploying now* Government · United States **283** **$39M** median round **Oct 2026** last seen
- 13 [Initialized Capital](https://millionrounds.com/fund/initialized-capital) *Deploying now* VC firm · United States **229** **$6.9M** median round **Oct 2026** last seen
- 14 [Rebel Fund](https://millionrounds.com/fund/rebel-fund) *Deploying now* VC firm · United States **201** **$2.4M** median round **Oct 2026** last seen
- 15 [Hearst Ventures](https://millionrounds.com/fund/hearst-ventures) *Deploying now* VC firm · United States **173** **$8M** median round **Oct 2026** last seen
- 16 [Picus Capital](https://millionrounds.com/fund/picus-capital) *Deploying now* VC firm · Germany **159** **$10M** median round **Nov 2026** last seen
- 17 [Newfund Capital](https://millionrounds.com/fund/newfund) *Deploying now* VC firm · France **144** **$3.4M** median round **Sept 2026** last seen
- 18 [468 Capital](https://millionrounds.com/fund/468-capital) *Deploying now* VC firm · Germany **133** **$5.5M** median round **Oct 2026** last seen
- 19 [Orbit Ventures](https://millionrounds.com/fund/orbit-ventures) *Deploying now* VC firm · Singapore **118** **$959K** median round **Sept 2026** last seen
- 20 [Afore Capital](https://millionrounds.com/fund/afore-capital) *Deploying now* VC firm · United States **116** **$6.3M** median round **Oct 2026** last seen
- 21 [Breega](https://millionrounds.com/fund/breega) *Deploying now* VC firm · France **97** **$9.3M** median round **Oct 2026** last seen
- 22 [Sanofi](https://millionrounds.com/fund/sanofi) *Deploying now* Investment firm · France **97** **$60M** median round **Aug 2026** last seen
- 23 [Launch Africa](https://millionrounds.com/fund/launch-africa-ventures) *Deploying now* VC firm · Mauritius **96** **$1.1M** median round **Nov 2026** last seen
- 24 [VentureSouq](https://millionrounds.com/fund/venturesouq) *Deploying now* VC firm · United Arab Emirates **83** **$6.5M** median round **May 2026** last seen
- 25 [LoftyInc Capital](https://millionrounds.com/fund/loftyinc-capital) *Deploying now* VC firm · Nigeria **73** **$2.3M** median round **May 2026** last seen

**119 more on this list**

All 144 are in the app, with filters for stage, sector and market. A free account shows 10 per search, Pro up to 1,000.

[See the whole list *→*](https://millionrounds.com/login?join=1&next=%2Fapp%2Finvestor-lists%2Fai-investors-in-mena)

## The Newest Cheques

Rounds this list's investors joined most recently

- **6** Nov **[Water Ledger Global](https://millionrounds.com/company/water-ledger-global)** Other *With* [Launch Africa](https://millionrounds.com/fund/launch-africa-ventures)
- **5** Nov **[AIREV](https://millionrounds.com/company/airev)** Other *With* [Terra-Invest](https://millionrounds.com/fund/terra-invest)
- **5** Nov **[Nyquis](https://millionrounds.com/company/nyquis)** Seed · $6.3M *With* [Pioneer Fund](https://millionrounds.com/fund/pioneer-fund-2)
- **5** Nov **[Kabilio](https://millionrounds.com/company/kabilio)** $11M *Led by* [Picus Capital](https://millionrounds.com/fund/picus-capital)
- **4** Nov **[Bullshot](https://millionrounds.com/company/bullshot)** Other · $7.7M *With* [Becker Ventures](https://millionrounds.com/fund/becker-ventures)
- **4** Nov **[Enza](https://millionrounds.com/company/enza)** Seed · $6M *With* [Algebra Ventures](https://millionrounds.com/fund/algebra-ventures)

## Stages This Year

2,073 rounds

- Venture **22%**
- Seed **19%**
- Series A **15%**
- Pre-seed **15%**
- Series B **7%**
- Other **22%**

## What They Backed

Sectors, last 12 months

- AI **1,027**
- Fintech **170**
- Big Data & Analytics **111**
- Biotech **105**
- Healthcare **104**
- Financial Services **87**

## Cheques by Quarter

Led Joined

783 Q1 25

760 Q2 25

886 Q3 25

868 Q4 25

762 Q1 26

691 Q2 26

515 Q3 26

160 Q4 26

The last bar is the quarter still running.

## Lists Like This

- [AI investors in North America 3,859](https://millionrounds.com/lists/ai-investors-in-north-america)
- [AI investors in Europe 2,283](https://millionrounds.com/lists/ai-investors-in-europe)
- [Fintech investors in North America 1,309](https://millionrounds.com/lists/fintech-investors-in-north-america)
- [Big Data & Analytics investors in North America 1,094](https://millionrounds.com/lists/big-data-investors-in-north-america)
- [AI investors in Asia 1,047](https://millionrounds.com/lists/ai-investors-in-asia)
- [Biotech investors in North America 1,001](https://millionrounds.com/lists/biotech-investors-in-north-america)
- [Energy investors in North America 864](https://millionrounds.com/lists/energy-investors-in-north-america)
- [Robotics investors in North America 848](https://millionrounds.com/lists/robotics-investors-in-north-america)
- [Construction investors in North America 791](https://millionrounds.com/lists/construction-investors-in-north-america)

[All investor lists *→*](https://millionrounds.com/lists)

## Reading for founders in AI and data

- Genius Makers: The Mavericks Who Brought AI to Google, Facebook, and the World Cade Metz · 2021 4.26 from 3,395 ratings on Goodreads AI and data Company building About the book "This colorful page-turner puts artificial intelligence into a human perspective. Through the lives of Geoff Hinton and other major players, Metz explains this transformative technology and makes the quest thrilling." Walter Isaacson, author of The Code Breaker Recipient of… On AmazonListen on Audible
- Rewired: The McKinsey Guide to Outcompeting in the Age of Digital and AI Eric Lamarre · 2023 3.87 from 490 ratings on Goodreads AI and data Company building About the book In Rewired, the world's most influential management consulting firm, McKinsey & Company, delivers a road-tested, how-to manual their own consultants use to help companies build the capabilities to outcompete in the age of digital and AI. Many companies are stuck with digital… On AmazonListen on Audible
- The Scaling Era: An Oral History of AI, 2019–2025 Dwarkesh Patel · 2025 3.87 from 570 ratings on Goodreads AI and data Company building About the book An inside view of the AI revolution, from the people and companies making it happen.How did we build large language models? How do they think, if they think? What will the world look like if we have billions of AIs that are as smart as humans, or even smarter?In a series of… On AmazonListen on Audible
- Power and Progress: Our Thousand-Year Struggle Over Technology and Prosperity Daron Acemoğlu · 2023 3.94 from 2,496 ratings on Goodreads AI and data Company building About the book The bestselling co-author of Why Nations Fail and the bestselling co-author of 13 Bankers deliver a bold reinterpretation of economics and history that will fundamentally change how you see the world A thousand years of history and contemporary evidence make one thing clear.… On AmazonListen on Audible

More books for founders and investors on the [Reading List](https://millionrounds.com/reading-list?role=founder&industry=ai).

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

## Quick answers about AI investors in MENA

### Who are the most active AI investors in MENA?

By cheques observed, the most active are Y Combinator, 500 Global, Plug and Play, General Catalyst and Bpifrance.

### How many AI investors in MENA are there?

144 are on record. 76% made an investment in the last 12 months and 53% have led a round.

### Which stages do AI investors in MENA back?

Of the rounds with a named stage in the last 12 months, mostly Seed (26%) and Series A (21%).

### How big are the rounds AI investors in MENA join?

The typical (median) round among the leading investors here is $6.5M.

### Which sectors do AI investors in MENA back most?

In the last 12 months, mostly AI, Fintech and Big Data & Analytics.

### Which AI investors in MENA lead the most rounds?

General Catalyst (97 led), Kleiner Perkins (33 led) and Lux Capital (20 led).

### Where are AI investors in MENA based?

Among the most active, most are based in the United States (13), France (5) and Germany (3).

### What have AI investors in MENA invested in recently?

Recent rounds include Water Ledger Global (Other, Nov 2026, with Launch Africa), AIREV (Other, Nov 2026, with Terra-Invest) and Nyquis (Seed, Nov 2026, with Pioneer Fund).

Built from the rounds we watched, refreshed every night. [How we count](https://millionrounds.com/methodology) · [Report a correction](https://millionrounds.com/corrections)