Analysis Artificial Intelligence US scores geopolitical win with Abu Dhabi-Microsoft tie-up Microsoft’s $1.5 billion investment in Abu Dhabi’s artificial intelligence company has received a significant vote of confidence from US authorities. Tarun Chhabra, a senior White House adviser on technology, said on Monday that the US government has raised no objections to the Silicon Valley giant’s partnership because G42 had severed ties with the Chinese tech […] June 26, 2024
Finance Bahrain remains cautious but crypto pursuit advances Bahrain will not sacrifice its position as a trusted financial centre as it chases cryptocurrency millions, according to the boss of fintech incubator Bahrain FinTech Bay. Earlier this month the kingdom’s central bank gave BitOasis Bahrain, a regional crypto trading platform, a so-called Category 2 crypto-asset services licence. The regulatory approval means that the broker-dealer […] June 25, 2024
Food & Drink Mubadala injects $250m to revive Turkey’s Getir Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala Investment Company will invest $250 million in Turkish grocery delivery startup Getir as part of a restructuring programme that will split it into two standalone units. The first standalone business will focus on domestic online groceries and food delivery services, with Mubadala, an existing shareholder, holding the management and majority stake, Reuters […] June 25, 2024
Artificial Intelligence Qatar’s Ooredoo signs AI deal with chipmaker Nvidia US chipmaker Nvidia has signed a deal with Qatari telecommunications provider Ooredoo Group to bring its artificial intelligence technology to five countries in the Middle East, the companies announced on Sunday. Ooredoo will be the first company in the region to offer direct access to Nvidia’s AI and computer chips to its customers in Qatar, […] June 24, 2024
EXCLUSIVE Tech Aramco adopts heat-sensing construction helmets Saudi Aramco is deploying advanced safety helmets equipped with heat stress sensors to protect workers on some of its construction sites, a critical concern in the Gulf region’s scorching climate. The helmets, developed by Dubai and Saudi Arabia-based construction tech startup WakeCap, utilise internet-of-things (IoT) technology that monitors worker attendance, location, and safety incidents in […] June 23, 2024
Tech Abu Dhabi-backed chipmaker Cerebras plans IPO Cerebras Systems, an Abu Dhabi-backed chipmaker looking to compete with Nvidia, the world’s top chip company by market value, has confidentially filed for an initial public offering, according to reports. Based in California’s Silicon Valley, Cerebras is also planning to offer preferred shares at a significant discount, aiming to attract private investors before the IPO, […] June 21, 2024
Health Mubadala and QIA invest in US cancer research startup Funds from the UAE and Qatar have invested in a US-based clinical-stage biotechnology start-up. Mubadala Capital, a wholly owned subsidiary of Mubadala Investment Company, co-led the $50 million Series B extension in funding to Iambic Therapeutics, based in San Diego, California. The funds will allow the American start-up to broaden its pipeline of AI-discovered clinical […] June 21, 2024
Banking & Finance IMF endorses Middle East interest in digital currencies Countries in the Middle East can promote financial inclusion and boost cross-border payments by adopting central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), the International Monetary Fund has said. A CBDC is a form of digital money, similar to cryptocurrency except that its value is fixed by a central bank and is equivalent to the country’s fiat currency. […] June 20, 2024
Analysis Markets Rise in startup exits a sign of UAE’s ‘market maturity’ Startup exits – when a new company sells its ownership or stock, for profit or at a loss – are rising sharply in the Gulf, which observers say is proof of a maturing ecosystem. Across the Middle East and North Africa, 43 startup exits were recorded in 2023, up from 15 in 2015, according to […] June 20, 2024
Economy Saudi Arabia and UAE up in World Competitiveness Ranking Saudi Arabia and the UAE have improved their rankings in the annual IMD World Competitiveness Ranking this year, as both Gulf states embrace artificial intelligence (AI) to make their economies more productive. The list, which is compiled by the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) in Switzerland, saw the UAE rise three places to seventh, […] June 19, 2024
Infrastructure Qatar company buys Kazakh mobile network for $1bn Qatar Power International Holding has bought Kazakhstan’s largest mobile phone network. The Qatari company, a private conglomerate based in Lusail, has bought Kazakhtelecom subsidiary Mobile Telecom-Service LLP, Reuters reported, citing a statement from the Kazakh government on Tuesday. Mobile Telecom-Service LLP is a joint venture between Swedish telco Tele2 and Kazakh high speed mobile internet […] June 19, 2024
Health Mubadala-backed US startup working on AI cancer care A US genomics startup, backed by Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth fund Mubadala, is working with ChatGPT creator OpenAI to improve cancer screening and treatment using artificial intelligence models. Color Health, which uses data science and machine learning for genetic testing and counselling in hereditary cancer and heart conditions, has developed an AI assistant, or “copilot”, […] June 18, 2024
Analysis Construction 3D printing fails to live up to hype for Mena contractors The Mena construction industry has been slow to adopt new technologies such as modular building, blockchain and 3D printing. The latter might be used more as a specialised tool with particular “sweet spots” than in a mass deployment, according to industry experts who spoke at the Construction Technology ConFex event in Dubai earlier this month. […] June 18, 2024
Tech Nvidia stocks are all the rage in UAE as trading surges 50% Retail investors in the UAE have significantly ramped up their holdings in Nvidia – now the world’s most valuable company. Trading activity in the Emirates for the AI chipmaker’s stock jumped 50 percent in the first quarter of the year, according to data from a global trading and investment platform. Nvidia is now worth $3.34 […] June 18, 2024
Tech US firm to invest $50m in Mena climate tech A US venture capital firm backed by Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio plans to invest $50 million in Mena climate tech startups over the next five years. Princeville Capital is targeting mature startups with strong growth potential, facilitating quick exits and a clear path to profitability, its co-founder Joaquin Rodriguez Torres told AGBI. The firm has […] June 14, 2024
Tech Mena IT spending to grow more slowly 2024 The pace of IT spending in the Mena region is expected to slow in 2024 as a result of heightened economic risks and supply chain issues. IT spending is forecast to increase 5.5 percent this year, down from 6.6 percent in 2023, to $193.7 billion, technology research firm Gartner said. Mena organisations continue to face challenges […] June 14, 2024
Opinion Media & Advertising In-app model paying off for GCC advertisers In a region glued to its phones, in-app advertising presents plentiful opportunities for consumer engagement June 13, 2024
Analysis Markets Hopes high for Egypt’s shariah-compliant index The Egyptian stock exchange has announced the launch of a long-awaited shariah-compliant index, a move observers say is likely to attract new investors and boost the North African country’s latent Islamic banking sector. Gulf investors are said to be particularly interested. The chairman of the Egyptian Exchange (EGX), Ahmed el Sheikh, announced that the new […] June 13, 2024
Markets Beyout becomes Kuwait’s first stock market listing in two years Beyout Investment Group rose 2.6 percent against its initial public offering price on its Boursa Kuwait debut on Wednesday as the family-owned business became the country’s first new stock market listing since 2022. Saudi Arabia and the UAE have been home to a flurry of initial public offerings in the past few years as governments […] June 12, 2024
Tech Saudi gaming company courts giants of Japan and South Korea Japanese and South Korean gaming companies such as Nintendo and Kakao are being targeted by Saudi Arabia’s Savvy Games Group, which wants them to set up in the kingdom to make products aimed at local consumers. Brian Ward, CEO of Savvy, told AGBI: “If locally made Arabic games tap into the ancient lore and history […] June 12, 2024
