Egypt-based deeptech company Nawah Scientific has closed a $23 million Series A round, combining equity and debt, marking a major milestone for Africa’s life sciences and research ecosystem. The round was led by Life Ventures Holding, with participation from Den Ventures, Empire M, AfricInvest, Elsewedy, as well as banks and angel investors. The raise coincides with Nawah’s tenth anniversary and signals growing investor confidence in capital-intensive, research-driven ventures on the continent.
Founded in 2015 by pharmaceutical scientist Omar Shokry Saqr, Nawah was built to address a fundamental infrastructure gap across the Middle East and Africa: limited access to advanced laboratory facilities. Rather than requiring every institution to build expensive labs, Nawah introduced a “cloud lab” model that allows researchers and companies to run complex tests remotely by sending samples to Nawah’s facilities. The approach has democratized access to high-quality scientific services and accelerated research timelines for clients across multiple industries.
Over the past decade, Nawah has processed more than one million samples, built a team of 160 researchers, and served customers in over 30 countries. Its operations span four core business units. The Life Science Research unit provides advanced testing and research services. Food and Agriculture delivers certified safety and quality testing for producers and exporters. The Pharma unit supports R&D and formulation for pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. The Certified Reference Materials (CRM) division produces calibration and validation standards used by regulated laboratories worldwide—placing Nawah among a small global group supplying these critical materials.
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The new capital will be deployed across three strategic priorities. First, Nawah plans to build a 10,000-square-meter global R&D centre in Rwanda, positioning the country as a hub for advanced research and opening a gateway to East Africa. Second, the company will double laboratory capacity in Egypt and Saudi Arabia to meet rising demand. Third, Nawah aims to expand its footprint across North Africa and Europe, taking its cloud lab model into new, highly regulated markets.
Beyond company growth, the round represents a broader shift in Africa’s venture capital landscape. Historically dominated by asset-light sectors such as fintech, the market is now showing appetite for deeptech and R&D-intensive businesses with longer time horizons and higher capital needs. Nawah’s ability to attract a blended round from regional and international investors underscores a maturing ecosystem willing to back infrastructure-heavy innovation with export potential.
The investment has also drawn praise from policymakers, who view Nawah as an example of how advanced research can be translated into value-added, globally competitive capabilities. By building shared scientific infrastructure and enabling remote access, Nawah reduces barriers for researchers, manufacturers, and exporters alike.
As it enters its second decade, Nawah Scientific is positioning itself not just as a laboratory services provider, but as core research infrastructure for emerging markets. With fresh capital, expanded capacity, and a growing international footprint, the company is set to play a defining role in shaping how science, industry, and innovation scale across Africa and beyond.
