At least two early-stage startups secured funding in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region in an otherwise quiet week for dealmaking. Tunisia’s water-tech startup Kumulus Water raised a seed round, while Qatar-based ShipBee, an AI-backed logistics startup, secured pre-seed capital.
Meanwhile, an India-based debt-focused venture capital firm, Stride Ventures, announced its expansion into the Gulf Cooperation Council, with Saudi Arabia at the heart of its regional strategy.
Kumulus Water
Tunisia-based water-tech startup Kumulus Water, which develops technology to convert air into safe drinking water, has secured $3.5 million in seed funding from French public sector investment bank Bpifrance. The round also saw participation from regional VCs like PlusVC, Khalys Venture, Flat6Labs, and Spadel, alongside several family offices and startup founders from Europe and North Africa.
Founded in 2021 by Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid, Kumulus Water designs atmospheric water generators that extract drinking water from air humidity without the need for existing water or electricity infrastructure, making it a strong fit for underserved areas.
The startup plans to use the seed capital to scale its off-grid water production technology, launch a new line of industrial-scale machines called Kumulus Boks, and expand into key markets, including France, Spain, and Saudi Arabia.
The company has already deployed its units in schools, hotels, and remote communities across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.
ShipBee
ShipBee, a Qatar-based AI-backed logistics startup, has raised $235,000 in pre-seed funding from GrowthX, a Qatar-based venture investor. The round also saw participation from two angel investors, along with $40,000 in bootstrapped funding from the founders.
Founded in March 2024 by Tamer Raafat and Amer Azani, ShipBee operates a one-stop digital logistics marketplace. It offers AI-integrated SaaS tools, mobile applications, and express international shipping services. The startup was incubated at the Mobility Incubator of Qatar Development Bank and the Digital Incubation Center.
With the latest round, ShipBee’s valuation stands at $1 million. It aims to use the fresh capital to fuel team expansion, accelerate product development, and scale regionally.
