H1 2026: Ranking Most Active Investors in MENA, KSA & UAE

MENA’s investor landscape shifted in H1 2026, as participation declined and capital became concentrated among regional investors. The region attracted 243 unique investors, with local investors accounting for a larger share of activity as international participation declined. This marked the strongest shift toward regional capital in recent years, reshaping the dynamics of MENA’s venture ecosystem.

The shift was particularly visible across the UAE and Saudi Arabia, which continued to demonstrate different investor profiles. While the UAE maintained a globally diversified investor base, Saudi Arabia remained driven by domestic investors, reflecting the distinct maturity and structure of each market.

Gain a deeper understanding of MENA’s investor landscape and the forces shaping venture activity in H1 2026. Download the full report to explore investor rankings, capital deployment trends, and the key players driving the region’s startup ecosystem.

 

📊 Key Takeaways

• MENA attracted 243 unique investors in H1 2026, with participation shifting toward regional investors. Investor activity declined 26% YoY, driven by a 48% drop in international participation, while regional investor activity remained relatively resilient, declining only 2%.

• Local investors played a larger role in MENA’s venture landscape in H1 2026, as international participation and capital contribution declined 39% compared with H1 2025.

• Saudi Arabia emerged as the largest individual contributor to MENA investor participation. The Kingdom accounted for 26% of participating investors, reflecting the continued development of its local venture ecosystem.

• Investor activity became more concentrated among leading firms. The 10 most active investors accounted for 45% of MENA transactions in H1 2026, up from 39% in H1 2025, despite a decline in overall activity.

• Merak Capital was the most active investor by deal count across MENA, participating in 19 deals, up from 1 in same period last year driven largely by its focus on gaming startups through Exel by Merak.

🎯 Who Should Read This Report 

This report is designed for investors, fund managers, founders, corporates, and ecosystem stakeholders seeking to understand how MENA’s venture landscape is evolving, where investor activity is concentrated, and which players are driving startup funding activity in H1 2026.

• Limited Partners and institutional investors assessing where regional capital is concentrated and how much now comes from within MENA.

• General Partners and venture investors benchmarking deal flow and co-investor activity against the wider market.

• Founders mapping which investors are live in their stage and geography heading into H2 2026.

• Corporates, policymakers, and ecosystem builders tracking the balance between local and international capital across the region.

Where is this data from?

The report was created using MAGNiTT's proprietary data platform, the leading VC and PE intelligence platform across the Middle East, Africa, Pakistan, Türkiye, and Southeast Asia. With data on 34,800+ startups, 22,500+ funding rounds, and 1,300+ exits, MAGNiTT provides one of the region's most comprehensive technology datasets.

The MGTI combines MAGNiTT's proprietary venture intelligence with publicly available market data, including exchange filings, company disclosures, share prices, free-float market capitalisation, liquidity metrics, and benchmark indices. Updated quarterly, the index provides a transparent and consistent measure of MENA's listed technology sector.

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