Middle East venture capital funding hit record highs in 2025 as international capital poured into the region, helping it defy the fundraising slump seen across other emerging markets. The region’s startups received $3.8 billion across 688 deals in 2025, up 74% compared to the previous year, according to data from Magnitt, with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates attracting the bulk of that interest. Philip Bahoshy, their Founder & CEO spoke to Bloomberg’s Horizons Middle East and Africa anchor Joumanna Bercetche about their findings. (Source: Bloomberg)