Nawah Scientific, an Egyptian research platform that allows scientists to conduct experiments remotely, has raised $23M in a Series A funding round. The deal, a mix of equity and debt, was led by Life Ventures Holding with participation from Den Venture, Empire M, AfricInvest, and Elsewedy, alongside a consortium of banking partners.
The funding closes a decade after the company was founded by Dr. Omar Shokry Sakr, a pharmaceutical scientist who launched the business to address a critical gap in the Middle East and Africa (MENA): the lack of accessible, high-quality research infrastructure.
The “Cloud Lab” Model
Nawah operates a “cloud lab” model, which digitizes the research process. Instead of investing heavily in their own equipment, scientists and pharmaceutical companies send samples to Nawah’s central laboratories. Nawah’s team analyzes the samples using their proprietary infrastructure and returns the results digitally.
This model is designed to solve the chronic under-resourcing of scientific facilities in the region. Since its launch in 2015, the company claims to have processed over 1 million samples, serving clients in 30 countries across the pharmaceutical, food, and agricultural sectors.
“The successful close of this round reflects investor confidence in Nawah’s research-driven business model,” says Sakr. “Our focus in the coming phase is to expand regionally and internationally while continuing to build world-class scientific and technological infrastructure.”
Where the money is going
The $23M injection is earmarked for physical and geographic expansion. Nawah plans to:
- Launch a research hub in Rwanda: This will serve as a beachhead for East African expansion, aligning with Rwanda’s push to become a regional technology center.
- Scale in Saudi Arabia: The company plans to double the capacity of its existing labs in the Kingdom to tap into the growing demand for biotech services in the Gulf.
- Upgrade Egypt operations: Domestic capacity will also be doubled to handle increased volume from local pharmaceutical manufacturers.
A rare bet on African Deeptech
Deeptech and life sciences have historically struggled to attract venture capital in Africa compared to asset-light sectors like fintech or e-commerce. Nawah’s ability to secure a blended round — combining traditional VC equity with debt and grants — suggests a maturing market where investors are becoming more comfortable with asset-heavy, R&D-intensive business models.
The round was signed at a ceremony in Cairo attended by Hossam Heiba, CEO of Egypt’s General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI). Heiba noted that Nawah represents a shift in the local private sector towards “value-added, technology-driven” investments rather than purely commercial enterprises.
The Backstory
Founded in 2015, Nawah began as a solution to Sakr’s own frustrations as a researcher unable to find adequate lab facilities in Egypt. Over the last decade, the company has invested approximately $7M into R&D.
It has since diversified into four main verticals:
- Life Sciences: Oncology, stem cells, and nanotechnology.
- Pharma Services: Drug development and analytical support.
- Food & Agriculture: Soil analysis and safety testing.
- Reference Materials: Quality assurance standards.
Nawah has also pursued aggressive regulatory compliance to compete globally. It is the first African research center to receive accreditation from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for food analysis, a credential that allows it to serve exporters targeting the US market.
Prior to this Series A, Nawah was backed by Egypt Ventures and had been recognized by the Yale Africa Startup Review (YASR30) and the Jack Ma Foundation as one of the continent’s most promising startups.
What’s next: Nawah is currently scouting locations for its Rwanda facility and expects to begin initial operations in the new hub by Q3 2026.
At a Glance: Nawah Scientific
- Founded: 2015
- HQ: Cairo, Egypt
- Founder: Dr. Omar Shokry Sakr
- Sector: Deeptech / Life Sciences / Cloud Labs
- Total Series A: $23M (Equity + Debt)
- Key Investors: Life Ventures Holding, AfricInvest, Elsewedy, Den Venture.
- Key Markets: Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Rwanda (planned), South Africa (planned).
The Cairo-based deeptech has secured blended financing to scale its remote research platform, marking one of the largest Series A rounds for an African life sciences company.