Regional Tech Companies Transform Financial Infrastructure

Four early-stage fintech startups from the Money20/20 MEA MoneySurge pitch competition are demonstrating how innovative technology is reshaping institutional financial infrastructure across the Middle East and North Africa.

The competition, which awarded a total of $400,000 in prize money, has catalyzed the deployment of advanced solutions addressing critical market gaps. Venture capital firms and sovereign-backed funds are increasingly prioritizing platforms that enhance credit availability for SMEs, improve liquidity in private markets, and streamline complex financial processes.

Orbii Automates Credit Decisioning with AI

Top-prize winner Orbii, founded by Nauman Ali, provides an AI-powered credit intelligence layer directly to business lenders. The platform integrates data analytics to automate traditional credit evaluation workflows, resulting in a 90% reduction in assessment times and a 48% increase in application approvals.

Following the competition, Orbii secured $3.6 million in seed funding led by Prosus Ventures, enabling it to facilitate over $280 million in lending across the region with plans to exceed $1 billion in annual volume. Ali noted that this validation strengthens ties with both established financial institutions seeking embedded credit models and regional players recognizing the technology as essential infrastructure.

Zest Equity Streamlines Private Market Transactions

Scale Award winner Zest Equity, founded by Rawan Baddour, offers a digital platform streamlining private equity transactions from design to execution. By automating documentation and providing real-time tracking, the software removes administrative friction for investment professionals.

The company has raised $10 million in total funding, including a recent $4.3 million pre-Series A round led by Prosus Ventures, facilitating over $155 million in transaction value across 115 private deals. Zest Equity is now expanding its footprint into North Africa, South Asia, and Turkey.

Eddekhar Addresses Corporate Financial Wellness

The Impact Award winner, Eddekhar, provides a platform that connects employers with financial wellness solutions for employees—a rapidly growing vertical addressing workforce stability concerns.