Key Takeaways
- Seed round: Saudi startup Uvera has closed a funding round backed by Morgan Stanley Inclusive & Sustainable Ventures, LAB7 (the venture-building arm of Aramco), and Core Vision.
- The technology: The Aurora device uses UV-C light to neutralize bacteria and pathogens in just 30 seconds, without chemicals, extending the shelf life of fresh produce by up to 97%.
- Scale of the problem: Food waste accounts for between 40% and 51% of Saudi Arabia's total waste output, with per capita waste averaging more than 184 kg annually.
A Round That Validates Saudi Deep Tech
Uvera, a startup founded in 2019 by Dr. Asrar Damdam, announced on July 12, 2026, the closing of a seed round backed by Morgan Stanley Inclusive & Sustainable Ventures, LAB7 — Aramco's venture-building arm — and local investor Core Vision. The deal size was not disclosed. The consortium brings together an international financial institution, the innovation arm of an energy giant, and a domestic fund, signaling the maturing of Saudi Arabia's tech ecosystem in the agrifood sector.
Aurora: Thirty Seconds of UV-C Against Spoilage
The company's flagship product is Aurora, a portable IoT device that exposes food to UV-C ultraviolet light to destroy the bacteria, viruses, and pathogens responsible for spoilage. The treatment takes just thirty seconds and requires no chemicals, preservatives, or additives. According to company data, the shelf life of fresh produce increases by an average of 97%, with gains of up to 60% recorded for meat, baked goods, and vegetables.
The platform integrates artificial intelligence to analyze supply chain data and predict food deterioration, IoT sensors for real-time monitoring, and blockchain for tracking goods across the entire supply chain — giving producers, distributors, and retailers end-to-end visibility into product quality.
LAB7 and Aramco's Role
LAB7 is not merely a financial backer: it will work alongside Uvera to improve the platform's technical scalability, data integrity, and tracking capabilities. Morgan Stanley Inclusive & Sustainable Ventures had already selected the startup for its program in 2025, and its participation in this round confirms the continuity of that relationship.
Food Waste in Saudi Arabia
In Saudi Arabia, food waste accounts for between 40% and 51% of the country's total waste output. Each Saudi citizen wastes an average of more than 184 kg of food per year, a figure higher than the regional Arab average of roughly 163 kg per capita. Uvera's mission aligns with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 and the UN target to cut global food waste by 50% by 2030.
Roots at KAUST
Founder Asrar Damdam is a researcher at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), where she had access to labs and prototyping facilities to study the effects of UV technology on the sensory qualities and microbial growth of fruit, vegetables, and meat. After completing an entrepreneurship program at Draper University in Silicon Valley, she founded Uvera, later winning the CES Innovation Awards 2023 for the Aurora device.
Damdam has pointed to the scarcity of institutional investors focused on deep tech as the sector's historic obstacle in Saudi Arabia, noting that recent government-backed initiatives are reshaping that landscape.
What's Next
With the fresh capital, Uvera aims to expand the commercial reach of its platform and continue developing its core technology, forging new partnerships with regional distributors to roll out real-time tracking and monitoring systems across the food supply chain.
