UAE-based legal-tech startup Oqood has announced the successful closure of a US$1 million seed funding round, backed by a group of angel investors. The funding will help the company expand its presence across the GCC and accelerate development of its AI-driven legal platform.
Revolutionizing Legal Workflows Across the GCC
Founded in 2024 by Khaled Al Rasheed, Oqood builds AI-powered tools for law firms and corporate legal departments. The platform automates repetitive legal processes — from document review and clause extraction to contract analysis — enabling lawyers to focus on higher-value advisory work and strategy.
Funding to Power Expansion and Product Growth
The newly raised capital will be directed toward:
- Product development of Oqood’s AI platform;
- Regional expansion across the GCC beyond the UAE;
- Enhancement of client-facing tools to streamline collaboration and workflow efficiency for legal teams.
Legal-Tech Market on the Rise in MENA
Oqood’s seed round arrives at a time when the global legal-tech market exceeds US$31 billion, with expected growth of nearly 9.4% annually. Across the GCC, law firms and corporate legal teams are increasingly adopting digital solutions to modernize legacy systems and improve efficiency amid complex regulatory shifts.
Why This Round Matters
- For investors: Marks a growing interest in legal-tech within MENA, a sector historically overshadowed by fintech and health-tech.
- For the legal industry: Signals readiness to embrace AI-enabled, productivity-driven transformation.
- For the ecosystem: Highlights the emergence of homegrown AI startups solving region-specific challenges rather than adapting Western products.
Founder’s Vision: “AI Should Empower, Not Replace, Lawyers”
Founder Khaled Al Rasheed emphasized that Oqood’s mission is to build AI tools that work with lawyers, not replace them. By handling the manual, repetitive aspects of legal work, AI allows professionals to dedicate time to strategy, negotiation, and client care.
Looking Ahead: Oqood’s Next Steps
- Oqood aims to solidify its leadership in MENA’s legal-tech space by:
- Demonstrating measurable efficiency gains for law firms;
- Customizing its technology for local laws and languages;
- Ensuring data privacy, trust, and compliance — essential pillars for AI in legal services;
- Building strategic partnerships and scaling sustainably across the GCC.
- If executed effectively, Oqood could become a regional benchmark for how AI transforms the legal sector in the Middle East.
Editor’s Note — From the Startups MENA Team
At Startups MENA, we remain committed to showcasing the entrepreneurs redefining how industries across the region operate. Oqood’s US$1 million seed round marks more than a funding success — it highlights a pivotal shift in how the MENA region is modernizing one of its most traditional sectors: law.
By embedding AI-driven efficiency and accessibility into the legal ecosystem, Oqood represents a new wave of innovation — one that empowers professionals, enhances trust, and localizes technology to meet regional needs. Its vision extends beyond automation; it’s about transforming how legal services are delivered, managed, and understood across the GCC.
As founders and investors continue to embrace AI, SaaS, and digital transformation, Oqood’s growth story reflects a deeper truth: MENA’s next era of innovation won’t just be digital — it will be intelligent, localized, and built on trust.
— The Startups MENA Editorial Team
