Country comparison
Australia vs United Arab Emirates: startup funding compared
Since 5 June 2025, startups in Australia raised $4.7B across 113 rounds, 2.8 times the United Arab Emirates' $1.7B.
Capital raised running total by month
Where the money goes share of capital by sector
Australia
United Arab Emirates
Biggest rounds
United Arab Emirates
Stage mix share of rounds
Most active investors rounds joined
| Investor | Australia | United Arab Emirates |
|---|---|---|
| Investible | 8 | · |
| Antler | 6 | · |
| EVP | 6 | · |
| Airtree Ventures | 5 | · |
| OIF Ventures | 5 | · |
| Peak XV Partners | 4 | 1 |
| Plus VC | · | 5 |
| Startmate | 5 | · |
| Airtree | 4 | · |
| Blackbird | 4 | · |
| Blackbird Ventures | 4 | · |
| National Reconstruction Fund Corporation | 4 | · |
Startup hubs rounds and capital by city
Australia
United Arab Emirates
Latest rounds
Questions
Which country raised more startup funding, Australia or the United Arab Emirates?
Australia. Since 5 June 2025, startups in Australia raised $4.7B across 113 rounds, against $1.7B across 52 rounds in the United Arab Emirates, 2.8 times more. That is 0.7% and 0.2% of all the capital FundraiseBase tracked worldwide over the period.
How many startup funding rounds were announced in Australia and the United Arab Emirates?
113 rounds in Australia and 52 rounds in the United Arab Emirates since 5 June 2025, about 7 and 3 a month.
Are startup rounds bigger in Australia or the United Arab Emirates?
The median round is $6.4M in Australia and $4.5M in the United Arab Emirates, and the average round $41.5M and $32.6M. The median shows the typical round; the average is pulled up by a few very large ones.
What is the biggest startup round in Australia?
The biggest startup rounds in Australia since 5 June 2025 are Firmus ($2B, 7 Aug 2026), Firmus Technologies ($505M, Growth, 6 Apr 2026) and Firmus Technologies ($326M, 14 Nov 2025).
What is the biggest startup round in the United Arab Emirates?
The biggest startup rounds in the United Arab Emirates since 5 June 2025 are Cadena ($275M, Series C, 10 Jun 2026), Moove ($250M, Series C, 5 Aug 2026) and Tabby ($233M, 15 Sept 2026).
Which sectors attract the most startup funding in Australia and the United Arab Emirates?
In Australia, AI ($3.3B, 70% of the capital), Fintech ($399M, 9%) and Climate & Energy ($218M, 5%) lead. In the United Arab Emirates, AI ($684M, 40% of the capital), Fintech ($384M, 23%) and Enterprise software ($62.5M, 4%) lead.
Is Australia or the United Arab Emirates better for early-stage startups?
Early-stage rounds (Pre-Seed, Seed and Series A) make up 58% of rounds in Australia and 65% in the United Arab Emirates. Australia recorded 44 Pre-Seed or Seed rounds and the United Arab Emirates 28 Pre-Seed or Seed rounds, with a median of $1.9M and $2M.
How much growth funding (Series B and later) goes to Australia and the United Arab Emirates?
Startups in Australia raised $1B in 17 Series B or later rounds, 22% of the country's capital. In the United Arab Emirates, $696M in 6 rounds, 41% of the capital.
Who are the most active startup investors in Australia?
Investible (8 rounds, 2 led), EVP (6 rounds, 2 led) and Antler (6 rounds, 2 led) are the most active investors in Australia.
Who are the most active startup investors in the United Arab Emirates?
Plus VC (5 rounds, 2 led), Oraseya Capital (4 rounds, 1 led) and Salica Oryx Fund (3 rounds, 1 led) are the most active investors in the United Arab Emirates.
Which investors back startups in both Australia and the United Arab Emirates?
3 investors joined rounds in both countries. The most active: Peak XV Partners (4 in Australia, 1 in the United Arab Emirates), Burda Principal Investments (1 in Australia, 1 in the United Arab Emirates) and Prosus Ventures (1 in Australia, 1 in the United Arab Emirates).
Which cities lead startup funding in Australia and the United Arab Emirates?
Sydney leads Australia with $2.4B across 36 rounds, ahead of Melbourne ($336M). Dubai leads the United Arab Emirates with $1.1B across 35 rounds, ahead of Abu Dhabi ($302M).
Which month brought the most startup funding?
In Australia, August 2026 ($2.1B). In the United Arab Emirates, January 2026 ($429M).
How much did startups in Australia and the United Arab Emirates raise in the last 90 days?
In the 90 days to 20 Oct 2026, startups in Australia raised $2.1B across 8 rounds and in the United Arab Emirates $519M across 9 rounds.
Where does this data come from?
FundraiseBase lists startup funding rounds from public announcements: press releases, company posts and news coverage, checked and updated every day. Amounts are in US dollars. Some rounds are never announced, so the figures show what was made public, not every round. Corrections are welcome.