Science & Technology Dubai Science Park chief reveals ambitious plans for 20% growth Dubai Science Park is forecasting a 20 percent increase in the number of entities operating in the free zone, according to a senior executive. Innovative Life Sciences Lab announced this week it had opened a genomics testing lab there, with plans to initially create over 100 jobs, increasing its headcount by 200 percent. It joins […] February 3, 2023
Science & Technology Aramco-backed Insilico opens new lab to ‘extend human life’ Insilico Medicine, the Hong Kong-based Aramco-backed health technology company, opened its eighth global laboratory this week at Abu Dhabi’s Masdar complex. The lab aims to support Middle East efforts to find new drugs that prolong human life. “My hope for the region is that it realises it can be a big player in drug discovery,” […] February 3, 2023
Agriculture Farming tech startup moves HQ from Europe to UAE A Finnish tech startup is swapping the green countryside of Northern Europe for the Arabian desert as it looks to grow its urban farming business. iFarm was invited in November to join the incentive programme of Abu Dhabi’s Hub71, the technology project led by Mubadala Investment Company and backed by the Government of Abu Dhabi. […] February 1, 2023
Science & Technology Technology is ‘biggest disruptor’ for regional CEOs this year Two-thirds of chief executives in the Middle East view technology as having the biggest potential to disrupt their businesses in 2023 and beyond, above supply chain, regulations, energy and other issues. For its latest annual CEO Survey, PwC asked 4,410 chief executives across 64 countries the extent to which a range of potential disruptions would […] January 27, 2023
Analysis Science & Technology Mena tech firms can plug skills gap by scooping up global talent Technology companies in the Middle East are in prime position to attract top talent from around the world as some of Silicon Valley’s biggest names make massive job cuts, according to recruitment consultants. Google’s parent company Alphabet, Microsoft and Amazon have all unveiled large-scale redundancy programmes since the start of January. About 40,000 jobs will […] January 24, 2023
Science & Technology Microsoft-backed Indian tech firm in Mena expansion Indian HR software provider Darwinbox is increasing its Middle East headcount as part of its push into the region following Microsoft’s investment in the company. Microsoft bought a stake in the tech firm, which is based in Hyderabad, with the duo forming a partnership that enables both companies to share leads and what Darwinbox describes […] January 20, 2023
Banking & Finance Anti-money laundering order in UAE to tackle stolen IDs The UAE’s latest anti-money laundering guidance aims to tighten up rules related to digital IDs. While it will have little impact for traditional banks, it may weed out some of the weaker players in the fast-growing fintech sector. The advice issued by the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) last week focused on the use […] January 18, 2023
Analysis Energy UK and Saudi eye investments in space-based solar power The UK and Saudi governments are exploring closer collaboration to invest in what could be the next era of renewable energy: space-based solar power. Grant Shapps, Britain’s business and energy secretary, met Abdullah Al Swaha, chairman of the Saudi Space Commission and minister of communications and information technology, for talks last week. A potential collaboration […] January 17, 2023
Science & Technology Dubai ‘ultra app’ acquires Botim ahead of $800m launch Astra Tech, the Dubai-based technology firm, has bought voice calling platform Botim and intends to incorporate it into the “ultra app” it aims to launch later this year. Botim, which was founded in 2018 and also has its headquarters in Dubai, is a VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) app that allows users across the Middle […] January 12, 2023
Health & Wellness Healthtech provider targets early cancer detection across Mena Abdul Latif Jameel Health is planning to expand throughout the Middle East and Africa, its CEO Akram Bouchenaki has told AGBI. The multinational company – the healthcare business of Saudi family conglomerate Abdul Latif Jameel – is looking at new locations and tech innovations as part of its ambition to accelerate the region’s access to […] January 6, 2023
Science & Technology Kuwait forays into space with first satellite launch Kuwait’s first satellite, ‘KuwaitSat-1’, was successfully launched into space onboard the SpaceX Falcon 9 from Florida’s Cape Canaveral, state-owned Kuwait News Agency (Kuna) reported. The project, which has been in the works for three years, was undertaken by Kuwait University and funded by the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences. It comes as GCC […] January 4, 2023
Analysis Health & Wellness Gulf healthtech investment is just what the doctor ordered Technological innovation and broader changes in society are shifting the balance of power in healthcare across the Middle East region, increasing investment from entrepreneurs looking to capitalise on the sector’s digital revolution. “The same wave of personalisation and consumerisation that ushered in analytics-based recommendation engines for entertainment has programmed people to want healthcare that is […] January 4, 2023
Science & Technology UAE startup MangoGTM launches ‘Amazon for software vendors’ MangoGTM, a UAE-based startup, is aiming to help small regional entrepreneurs get their foot in the door with some of the biggest companies in the world. The business was set up four years ago as a consulting and servicing company but has since evolved into a wider technology marketplace, marrying buyers and vendors in what […] January 3, 2023
Science & Technology UK’s Serco plans to set up space division in Saudi Arabia British outsourcing firm Serco is mulling setting up its space division in Saudi Arabia next year, Arab News reported, citing Phil Malem, CEO of Serco Middle East. The company opened its regional hub in Riyadh in September as part of a long-term strategy to develop its Saudi-based resources and is looking to expand further. “We […] December 26, 2022
What I learned Development Gulf business insights from 2022 and what to expect in 2023 In the context of the Ukraine war, the energy crisis, rising inflation and supply chain issues, the past year was certainly one of challenges and lessons for companies. Here, a selection of AGBI columnists and Gulf entrepreneurs reveal their business insights from 2022 and what they are looking forward to in the year ahead. Chris […] December 25, 2022
Science & Technology UAE scores world’s second fastest 5G download speed The UAE has the second fastest median download speeds over 5G in the world, according to a new global report published this week. Research by Speedtest.net, also known as Speedtest by Ookla, a US-based web service that provides analysis of Internet performance, revealed that the UAE was among the countries at 511.70 mbps (megabytes per […] December 20, 2022
Science & Technology UAE-built Rashid rover blasts off towards the moon The UAE-built Rashid rover, the first Emirati mission to the surface of the moon, lifted off on board a Space X Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Sunday. The UAE is set to become the first Arab country and the fourth country in the world to make a soft […] December 12, 2022
Exclusive Science & Technology Dubai firm using AI to plot corporate sentiment in the Gulf A UAE management consultancy firm is using artificial intelligence to help companies understand corporate sentiment across sectors and regions. Iridium Advisors in Dubai uses AI analysis to scan and draw insights from 6.7 million words in 1,300 historic earnings calls from companies across the GCC, quantifying what management teams, investors and analysts are telling the […] November 30, 2022
Science & Technology DIFC Courts investing in metaverse and blockchain The DIFC Courts plan to enter the metaverse and use blockchain technology to make instant settlements following a judgment. Established in 2004, the DIFC Courts are the English language, independent, common law legal system for the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) free zone, the emirate’s main financial hub. In 2017 the court partnered with the […] November 23, 2022
Exclusive Health G42 Healthcare executive hails new era after Amazon tie-up “We want to reach everywhere at scale and at speed.” Many business leaders might say so, but when Dr Fahed Al Marzooqi, chief operating officer of G42 Healthcare, tells AGBI this, he has good reason. G42 Healthcare, a subsidiary of Abu Dhabi-based AI firm G42, recently struck a deal with Amazon’s cloud computing arm – […] November 23, 2022
Science & Technology Player 2 has entered the game – Mena eyes $5bn e-sports prize Sunday was a big day for sports fans in the Middle East. With the eyes of the media trained on the World Cup opener in Qatar and the final race of the Formula One season in Abu Dhabi, it was easy to overlook the e-sports grand final taking place in Dubai. It would be wise […] November 22, 2022
Analysis Banking & Finance Abu Dhabi’s ADIO signs up Israeli fintechs as bilateral trade rises Two Israeli companies have joined Abu Dhabi Investment Office’s $545 million Innovation Programme, with industry watchers predicting that many more will follow as ties strengthen between the country and the UAE. ADIO is working with fintech company Liquidity Group to establish an R&D centre in Abu Dhabi. The facility will develop Liquidity’s proprietary underwriting algorithm […] November 16, 2022
