There’s no hiding anymore.

Scientists say 2023 is virtually certain to be the hottest year on record.

From record Greek wildfires to Libyan floods, climate change is not something to be felt in the distant future.

📍It’s already here.

What’s more, the Middle East is especially vulnerable due to its arid landscapes and low water levels.

12 of the world’s 17 most “water-stressed” countries are found here.

If no action is taken, the region’s 400m people are staring down the barrel of sustained droughts, frequent sandstorms, and a potential 5°C temperature rise by 2100.

• We’re talking this potentially costing Middle Eastern countries between 6% to 14% of their GDP 😬

One thing is crystal clear.

🚀 MENA has to take action.

And it is.

There’s been a 628% growth in climate tech investment year on year since 2018.

Sustainability focused initiatives are bringing in the cash to help startups scale in the fight:

• Saudi Aramco launched a $1.5 billion sustainability fund only days before COP27

• UAE-based bank Mashreq, plans to increase its sustainable financing to $30bn by 2030

So, where is all this money going?

Globally, food waste incurs a staggering cost - $2.6 trillion yearly to be exact.

The effect? Significant environmental and social issues including food and water scarcity.

• Not to mention: deforestation, crop failures, increased greenhouse gas emissions, soil degradation, and shrinking profits for farmers.

⬆️ In the MENA region, food waste is alarmingly high

The FAO estimates that the MENA region wastes an average of 250 kg of food per capita each year (about a third of food overall).

The region also wastes up to 30 percent of its water and energy as a direct result of lost or wasted food.

• This is mind-boggling given the region’s dependence on $33 billion worth of annual food imports.

🎯 The times they are a-changin'

But, Middle Eastern governments, notably the UAE and Saudi Arabia, have committed to halving their food waste by 2030.

The following start-ups might just help them get there faster…

🌱 Imagine tackling waste pollution and food and water security at the same time? 

Say less, because here’s Edama Organic Solutions! This Saudi-based climatetech start-up is recycling organic waste destined for landfill into products that plough nutrients back into the farming cycle to enhance desert agriculture.

• Co-founded in 2017, by Dr. Sabrina Vettori, Dr. Mitchell Morton and Saud Alhagbani, only last month they entered into a strategic partnership with the Saudi Investment Recycling Company (SIRC), a subsidiary of PIF.

💰Investor low-down: In 2020, they secured $780k in seed funding from the KAUST Innovation Fund.

🏜️ MENA, we have a problem…

Let’s break it down:

1. Most of the organic waste we produce makes a beeline for landfill sites.

🚛 Why is this a problem? 

It becomes a pollutant contributing to greenhouse gas emissions and releasing harmful chemicals into the soil and groundwater. Not good.

2. Sandy soils struggle to hold water and nutrients, making it hard to efficiently grow food in desert areas.

💧Why is this a problem? 

Saudi Arabia allocates 80% of its limited freshwater to agriculture but yields just 25% of its own food.

 With MENA’s food demand projected to double by 2050, this inefficiency spells trouble.

♻️ Dude, hold my compost

Edama is flipping the script. They view organic waste not as a problem, but as a valuable resource that can enrich soils.

They’re big believers in the idea of the circular economy i.e. like in nature, everything is connected. 

1. By recycling organic waste, and diverting it away from landfills - they cut pollution and CO2 emissions.

2. They then transform that waste into products that enrich local soils.

3. Enabling farmers to increase food production with less water and feed local communities more efficiently.

4. Consider the loop closed.

Their flagship product is called Desert Compost. A premium soil enhancer, it significantly boosts sandy soil fertility, potentially increasing yields by 100% and cutting water usage by 75%.

🔮 Flashforward

Under Edama’s recent deal with SIRC, a new joint company will be formed to develop organic waste recycling in Saudi Arabia.

• The goal of the agreement? Promote desert agricultural development.

🥗 Introducing UVERA! The Riyadh-based startup is on a mission to revolutionise food preservation with its intelligent kitchen appliance, Aurora.

(Be honest, how many times have you thrown out all that veg at the bottom of the fridge? Aurora to the rescue! 🍽️)

• Founded by Asrar Damdam in 2019, Uvera has secured grants amounting to $160,000 from the Taqadam accelerator, MIT Enterprise Forum and more. 

💰 Investor low-down: Just last month, Aurora secured financial backing from Core Vision, following a seed round led by Draper University Ventures back in 2020. 

🥑 The global food waste crisis

Households are responsible for 61% of the staggering 931 million tonnes of food that becomes waste annually, contributing to 8-10% of global greenhouse emissions. 

Uvera has developed Aurora to answer a simple yet universal challenge: how to keep food fresh for longer?

🔬 Uvera’s solution

Enter Aurora: a household appliance that uses a combination of UV-C light and vacuum sealing to extend food’s freshness by up to 97%. 

• The results are compelling – vegetables last 141% longer, fruits 123% longer, and meats 33% longer, all without chemicals. 

Did we mention the process takes 30 seconds? Simply place your food in and wait for the magic to happen! ✨

These figures not only represent a technological breakthrough but also potential household savings of up to $1,800 annually.

🔮 Flashforward

Fresh off the back of winning the CES Innovation Award, Uvera is preparing Aurora for market release soon.

1. 🌍 MENA: Startups saw a significant rebound with $156M raised, a 333% MoM increase. UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt led the way, with deeptech startup XPANCEO raising $40M. Seed and pre-Series A rounds dominated, signalling strong early-stage investment despite a yearly decline.

2. 🇦🇪 UAE: Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority has launched Oraseya Capital, a $136M VC fund to back startups from pre-Seed to Series B. The fund aims to support tech startups' global growth and invest in innovative technologies, aligning with Dubai's D33 economic agenda.

3. 🇪🇬 Egypt: Awfar, an e-commerce SaaS startup, has secured a six-figure sum from Saudi's VMS for its expansion into the Saudi market, and will participate in VMS's "Bridge Programme" for startup support..

4. 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia: Riyadh Valley Company (RVC) has backed Flat6labs' Startup Seed Fund (SSF) to foster early-stage Saudi startups in fintech, healthtech, edtech, and tourism.

👋 Message from the team

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