TLDR: Cairo-based AI startup Nanovate has successfully raised $2 million in pre-seed funding. The capital will be utilized to expand its Arabic-native AI solutions, including voice and chat agents, across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, with a focus on Saudi Arabia and the UAE. The company aims to make Arabic AI as robust and accessible as its English counterparts, supporting 22 Arabic dialects.
Cairo, Egypt – Nanovate, an innovative artificial intelligence startup based in Cairo, has announced the successful closure of a $2 million pre-seed funding round. The investment, led by a consortium of angel investors, is set to significantly accelerate the company’s mission to revolutionize Arabic-native AI solutions across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
Founded in early 2025 by Nancy Madbouly, who serves as CTO, and Ahmed Gamal, the CEO and co-founder, Nanovate has quickly positioned itself as a pioneer in developing AI technologies that are deeply tailored to the linguistic and cultural nuances of the Arabic-speaking world. The company’s core offerings include end-to-end Arabic AI solutions such as advanced voice and chat agents, and comprehensive automation systems. Notably, Nanovate has developed its own Large Language Models (LLMs) and a newly launched beta no-code dashboard, enabling enterprises to effortlessly build and deploy their own Arabic-speaking AI assistants. These solutions are designed to support an impressive 22 Arabic dialects, addressing a critical gap in the global AI landscape.
Ahmed Gamal emphasized the broader vision behind the company’s efforts, stating, “This isn’t just another AI startup—it’s a movement to put Arabic at the center of global innovation. We’re building technology that understands us, speaks like us, and works for our region. With this round, we’re ready to take Arabic AI to a whole new level.” Co-founder Nancy Madbouly echoed this sentiment, sharing, “I had a dream to build an Arabic solution for the Arab world, and this was our sign to truly go for it, From Egypt to the entirety of the MENA region.”
The newly secured capital will fuel Nanovate’s ambitious expansion strategy, targeting Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as priority markets. A significant portion of the funding will also be allocated to strengthening integrations with Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, crucial for seamless adoption by regional businesses. Furthermore, Nanovate plans to invest heavily in advanced AI research and development, particularly in emerging areas like emotion AI, real-time speech understanding, and workflow intelligence. The company also aims to scale its team across various sectors to support its rapid growth.
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Nanovate’s innovative approach has already garnered institutional support, with the startup being a proud graduate of both the MINT Incubator by EG Bank and the Raya FutureTECH Accelerator. These partnerships have provided valuable mentorship, visibility, and early validation for Nanovate’s vision of localizing AI for the MENA region. The company’s flagship product, Niva (Nanovate Intelligent Virtual Agent), has demonstrated its effectiveness in call centers and chat automation, offering a cost-efficient deployment compared to traditional solutions. This pre-seed round underscores a growing investor interest in Arabic-first enterprise AI, signaling a promising future for Nanovate as it strives to make Arabic AI as accessible and powerful as its English counterparts.
