Why Abu Dhabi's Mastiska Just Raised $10 Million to Build the Future of AI, One Chip at a Time

We talk a lot about startups in the Middle East and Africa – the apps, the platforms, the fintech disrupting our daily lives. But every now and then, a company comes along that reminds us there's a whole other layer to innovation, one that's far deeper, more ambitious, and, frankly, a lot harder to pull off.

Enter Mastiska.

This Abu Dhabi-based startup just announced a whopping $10 million seed funding round in November 2025, and it’s not for another delivery service or social media platform. Mastiska is building something truly foundational: their own AI chips.

Yep, you read that right. While the world is buzzing about ChatGPT, Mastiska is thinking about the actual brains that power those conversations – the silicon, the hardware, the very bedrock of artificial intelligence.

The term they're using is "sovereign silicon," and it's a game-changer. Think about it: almost all the advanced computer chips that run our AI models, our data centers, and even our smartphones, come from a handful of countries. In an increasingly complex global landscape, this creates a huge point of vulnerability.

Mastiska's mission is clear: to help the UAE, the wider GCC, and even countries across the Global South build their own robust, secure AI infrastructure. This isn't just about making money; it’s about technological independence, national security, and fostering trust. Imagine a world where critical AI systems aren't reliant on hardware that could, in theory, have hidden backdoors or be cut off due to geopolitical shifts. That's the problem Mastiska is solving.

Mastiska, founded by Suresh Sugumar in 2024, isn’t just dreaming big; they're executing a smart, multi-stage plan. Their immediate focus is on creating custom FPGA cards. These are like highly flexible, programmable circuit boards that they're loading with their own specialized AI "brains" (IP). These FPGAs are designed to go straight into data centers, helping companies power their AI inference tasks (where AI models make predictions or decisions) with greater efficiency and security.

But that's just the beginning. Their long-term vision is to design their own RISC-V-based ASIC – a custom, purpose-built AI chip from the ground up. This is where true innovation and technological leadership come into play. It's a massive undertaking, but with the backing of significant GCC sovereign wealth funds, they've got the resources and the strategic alignment to make it happen.

It's also fascinating to note how they're building this deep-tech powerhouse. While the strategic brain and AI model development happen in Abu Dhabi, the intricate, highly specialized work of chip design (what's called VLSI engineering) is being handled by a talented team in India. This blend of global expertise with a clear regional vision highlights the collaborative nature of cutting-edge tech.

Mastiska is a powerful reminder that the MENA tech scene is rapidly maturing. We're moving beyond being just consumers or adopters of global tech. We're now seeing companies like Mastiska stepping onto the global stage, aiming to create the foundational technologies that will power the next generation of AI worldwide.

So, next time you see "startup funding" news, keep an eye out for those pushing the boundaries far beyond your phone screen. Companies like Mastiska are quietly, but powerfully, building the future. And it's happening right here, in the Middle East.