The year 2025 began with at least three Saudi Arabian startups bucking the venture capital funding activity in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
Zension Technologies, an after-sale services provider and a subscription e-commerce company for consumer electronics, led the pack, raising high double-digit Series A funding. Besides, interior design marketplace Revie and AR/VR experience provider Vreal has raised seed funding.
Also, the UAE-based AI startup MilkStraw AI secured pre-seed funding to expand its presence.
Revie
Saudi Arabia-based interior design marketplace Revie raised $2.5 million in seed funding in a round led by Sanabil Venture Studio by Stryber to scale the business.
Founded in 2024 by Ibrahim Abu Khadra, Revie is a renovation platform offering an end-to-end residential and commercial renovation solution. It aims to use the funding to scale operations, enhance technology, and improve customer experience.
Zension Technologies
Zension Technologies, a Saudi Arabian after-sale services provider raised $30 million in a Series A funding round, led by Saudi Aramco’s venture capital arm Wa’ed Ventures to launch a new service.
The funding round also saw participation from Japanese giant Sumitomo Corporation and Dubai-based venture capital firm Global Ventures.
Founded in 2018 by Khalid Saiduddin and Nikos Anastasiadis, Zension offers protection, extended warranty, and guaranteed buyback services for mobile devices and consumer electronics across the Saudi and UAE markets. It aims to utilize the latest funding to launch its new service, Zaam in the first quarter of 2025 in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, where it will offer personal tech hardware on subscription.
MilkStraw AI
MilkStraw AI, a UAE-headquartered AI startup raised $600,000 in pre-seed funding, led by Flat6Labs to expand across the region. The round also saw participation from Angel Spark, Beyond Capital, and angel investors.
MilkStraw, founded in the US in 2024 by Jawad Shreim, develops software that automates and optimizes cloud infrastructure costs for businesses. Its clients include Magnitt, Voltlines, Netwatch, Floranow, MakanE, and IdenTV. It plans to expand its presence across the MENA region with the funding.
Vreal
Saudi Arabia-based AR/VR experience provider Vreal has secured an undisclosed amount in a pre-seed investment round from Numu Angels Investment Community to expand its tech across different fields.
Founded in 2022, Vreal platform allows e-commerce businesses to convert their products into 3D models within 30 seconds using advanced scanning technology. The startup aims to expand the application of its technology to other fields such as interior design, real estate, tourism, and heritage within Saudi Arabia and other markets.