The Global Startup Ecosystem Report 2021

MENA Insights, Rankings & Ecosystem Pages



Key Findings

  • The total number of late-stage funding rounds in MENA almost doubled in the last five years, while the total late-stage funding amount has grown 2x.
  • Dubai jumped seven spots to #11 in the Top 100 Emerging Ecosystems
  • AI & Big Data is the leading Sub-Sector in MENA, with $3 billion invested in early-stage rounds and $8 billion in exit value between January 2018 and June 2020.

  • Three UAE ecosystems rank in the MENA Top 10 in the Performance factor - Dubai (#2), Abu Dhabi (#3), and Sharjah (#7). This factor measures the size and performance of an ecosystem based on the accumulated tech startup value created from exits and funding.



The Top Performers are identified by applying our Global Ranking methodology within a specific region, while the Regional Challengers are identified using the Emerging Ecosystems methodology.