Dubai-based agritech startup Aydi has closed a seed funding round of US$7.5 million. The financing will support the launch and global scale-up of its AI-powered agronomy platform “Orth,” which is designed to democratise agronomic expertise for growers worldwide.
The Company & Mission
Founded in 2022 by Hassan Fayed, Aydi describes itself as a “field operating system for agriculture”, combining satellite monitoring, predictive analytics, and conversational AI to deliver plot-level precision to growers.The company is headquartered in the UAE (Dubai) and has regional presence including Egypt and Spain.
Fayed says the vision is clear: with global food demand projected to rise by ~70 % by 2050, the agricultural sector must scale expertise—and right now only a very small fraction of growers can access real-time agronomy advice with sophistication.
The Product — Orth
Orth is Aydi’s standout product. It blends satellite imagery, weather data, predictive models and conversational AI to empower growers with actionable in-field guidance. According to company estimates, Orth can improve yield and efficiency by over 20% when deployed.
Key features:
- Real-time, personalised recommendations for each plot of land.
- Early detection of crop issues using data signals (soil, satellite, weather) and AI.
- No heavy hardware required—minimising adoption friction.
- Free and paid tiers for individual growers and businesses alike. Launch announced at the industry trade show Fruit Attraction (Madrid, Sept 30-Oct 2 2025).
Funding Details & Investors
The seed round was led by:
- COTU Ventures (Dubai)
- Daltex (Egypt)
- Nuwa Capital (Dubai/Cairo)
Additional participation from:
- Magrabi Agriculture (Cairo)
- Foundation Ventures (Cairo)
Comments from investors emphasised the opportunity: Amir Farha (COTU) said agriculture “needs its AI moment” and that Orth has the potential to “empower millions of growers to farm smarter and more profitably.” Nuwa Capital’s Nitin Reen added that Orth democratises agronomic expertise, historically reserved for large-scale farms.
Why It Matters
Global food challenge: With rising input costs, climate volatility and a shortage of agronomic experts (Aydi estimates there is only 1 agronomist per ~10,000 acres globally), solutions that provide scalable guidance to growers are increasingly important.
Technology meets agriculture: Agriculture has traditionally been analog; applying AI, satellite monitoring and predictive models at scale may accelerate productivity and sustainability in farming. This marks a shift for the MENA region and beyond.
Regional signal: The fact a UAE-based startup is raising a relatively large seed round signals strong investor interest in agritech and AI in the MENA region—an area you may find relevant given your interest in digital marketing, client support and cross-geography strategy.
Business model opportunities: By offering both free and paid tiers, and serving growers ranging from individual plots to large farms, Aydi has a scalable approach. It can generate recurring revenue from subscriptions, software-as-a-service or platform usage.
Your context: With your background in account management and client servicing across multiple geographies (UK/India) plus your interest in strategy and growth, startups like Aydi could offer roles in growth strategy, partner & client management, regional expansion, marketing and brand positioning.
What’s Next
For users: growers can expect to onboard quickly (minutes to set up), receive recommendations tailored to their plots, and integrate the system without major hardware investments. For partners: there may be links with agribusinesses, input suppliers, supply chain players.
Aydi will use the funds to roll out Orth globally, scaling beyond the UAE and Egypt into other geographies and crop segments.
The company aims to evolve Orth from a “single assistant” into a full AI Operating System for agriculture—connecting field context, operations, analytics and compliance into a unified platform.
Implications for the Agritech & Startup Ecosystem
Seed funding rounds in agritech within MENA are gaining traction—investors recognise the convergence of climate impact, food security, AI and productivity.
Startups offering “horizontal” platform solutions (like operating systems) may become more common rather than narrowly-focused point tools.
The model emphasises democratisation of expertise—small growers gaining access to high-level agronomy. For service-providers (marketing, growth, operations) this means the market of potential users is broad, global and underserved.
From your perspective: If you explore roles in startup growth, client management, international expansion or marketing for agritech/tech-enabled enterprises, Aydi and similar firms may represent good prospects.
Editor’s Note — From the Startups MENA Team
At Startups MENA, we continue to spotlight the innovators redefining the region’s most vital industries — and Aydi’s mission to transform global agriculture through AI is a landmark moment in that journey.
With Orth, its AI agronomy assistant, Aydi isn’t just digitising farming — it’s reimagining how knowledge, data, and precision can empower every grower, from smallholders in North Africa to large-scale producers in Europe and beyond. This is where the promise of artificial intelligence meets the urgency of food security.
By fusing deep tech, environmental intelligence, and a human-centred approach to productivity, Aydi represents the next wave of regional startups: purpose-driven, globally minded, and impact-oriented. Its US $7.5 million seed round marks not only investor confidence, but a signal that agritech in MENA has entered a new era of scalability and sustainability.
As MENA’s innovation landscape accelerates — from fintech to food systems — stories like Aydi’s remind us that the region’s most powerful exports will not just be technology, but transformation.
— The Startups MENA Editorial Team
