Sustainability Abu Dhabi uses drones and AI to reseed desert land Abu Dhabi has begun trials to restore arid desert land in the Al Dhafra region by using drones for aerial reseeding. The pilot is being undertaken by the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi (EAD) and the investment and holding company ADQ, along with a UK-based environmental technology company, Dendra. The companies will use advanced seeding drones […] December 28, 2023
Real Estate Bahrain introduces real estate data service for investors Bahrain’s Real Estate Regulatory Authority has launched an online service providing investors with data on the kingdom’s real estate sector. Aqari Data Bank uses artificial intelligence to give up-to-date information on transaction volumes, property valuations, land classifications and the locations of commercial complexes, healthcare facilities and educational institutions. The subscription-based platform provides interactive maps and […] December 27, 2023
Video length: 05:38 Finance Cakes, crypto and the sun – best video moments of 2023 From top business leaders to expert analysts, AGBI has spoken to them all over the past 12 months. Watch our video round-up above to find out who gave us these memorable quotes … “The bigger the cake, the bigger the problem.” “Your long-term asset in this region is not the oil under the ground, it’s […] December 25, 2023
Tech Abu Dhabi’s Ethmar unit to buy 100 Chinese air taxis Wings Logistics Hub, the technology arm of the Abu Dhabi-based Ethmar International Holding, intends to buy up to 100 air taxis from the Chinese drone maker EHang Holdings. The initial deliveries of EH216 series electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicles are due to commence in the first quarter of 2024, the UAE state-run Wam […] December 20, 2023
Tech Merger to create astronomic UAE space company Two Abu Dhabi technology companies are planning a merger to create a $4 billion space organisation for the region. The boards of Bayanat and Yahsat have voted to recommend a merger to shareholders, a filing to the Abu Dhabi Stock Exchange on Tuesday revealed. The proposal will create a company with an implied market capitalisation […] December 19, 2023
Tech Saudi Arabia ‘leads in luring venture capital to tech’ Saudi Arabia has become a regional centre for venture capital in the tech sector, a government minister told a technology conference in Riyadh this week. “The kingdom has become part of the fabric of the global digital economy,” Mohammed Alrobayan, deputy minister of communications and IT, told the techXpand forum. “Testament to this is the […] December 18, 2023
Tech Middle East hit by wave of brand impersonation scams Cybersecurity experts in the Middle East are warning of a rise in brand impersonation attacks which persuade unsuspecting consumers to part with sensitive information. International Holding Company, a global investor based in Abu Dhabi, said in a disclosure to the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange last week that scammers are using the company’s name and logo […] December 18, 2023
Tech Mubadala explores tech ventures with Hyundai South Korea’s Hyundai Motor Company and the UAE’s Mubadala Investment Company are exploring potential business opportunities in mobility and clean technologies. The agreement will allow joint investment in fields such as green steel production, green aluminum production and recycling, as well as advanced air mobility and infrastructure for electric vehicles, the companies said in a […] December 18, 2023
Trade AI to be at the heart of UK-GCC free trade talks AI will be at the heart of future bilateral trade between the GCC and the UK, according to Oliver Christian, His Majesty’s trade commissioner for the Middle East and Pakistan. “That [AI investment] will definitely be the story of my tenure here over the coming years in the UAE and across the Middle East,” said […] December 18, 2023
Lifestyle Living like the Jetsons: Middle East homes go smart It has been six decades since the American animated sitcom The Jetsons offered a glimpse into a future filled with robots and smart kitchens. Now reality seems poised to beat this once-fanciful vision. Today, voice-activated assistants seamlessly control everything – from adjusting lights and thermostats to automating tasks such as unlocking doors or turning on […] December 17, 2023
Industry e& unit buys Norway’s telecoms subsidiary in Pakistan e&, formerly known as Etisalat, said its subsidiary in Pakistan will acquire a 100 percent stake in Norway telecom-owned Telenor Pakistan Private Limited. The transaction has an enterprise value of PKR108 billion ($380.95 million) on a cash-and-debt-free basis, the Abu Dhabi-listed telco said in a statement. e& holds a 23.4 percent stake in Pakistan Telecommunication […] December 15, 2023
Construction How Saudi tech is addressing the lack of construction sand A patented technology developed in Saudi Arabia is aiming to increase the use of desert sand in concrete manufacturing. ClimateCrete’s technology modifies the surface of the fine local sand particles, making a much more durable and stable concrete. At a time of unprecedented levels of construction in the kingdom, it plans to make concrete production […] December 14, 2023
Opinion Sustainability World needs climate tech ‘Genius Bar’ Climate tech startups face funding gaps, greater challenges in scaling hardware and a lack of good mentors December 13, 2023
Trade UAE and Australia to hold Cepa talks The UAE and Australia have agreed to hold talks on a comprehensive economic partnership agreement. Once concluded, the Cepa would be Australia’s first with a country in the Middle East and Africa. The UAE is Australia’s biggest trade partner in the Middle East. Bilateral non-oil trade between Australia and the UAE was worth $4.5 billion […] December 12, 2023
Opinion Tech Tech without soft skills is a half-baked strategy A successful digital future depends on the human touch December 12, 2023
Video length: 06:07 Video Sustainability Space data joins the battle against greenwashing Space data is a vital tool for measuring decarbonisation and preventing greenwashing, an industry expert has told AGBI at the Cop28 conference in Dubai. “There is no other way to monitor [decarbonisation and carbon credits] at that scale if it wasn’t for Earth observation data,” said David Merren, assistant director for analytics and spatial at […] December 12, 2023
Tech PIF bolsters investment in Alibaba-backed tech venture Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) will increase its investment in a technology venture backed by China’s Alibaba Group to $200 million, a news report said. Jada Fund of Funds, wholly owned by the PIF, is among several regional and Asian funds participating in eWTP Arabia’s upcoming $1 billion funding round, Bloomberg reported. The funding […] December 10, 2023
Tech e& completes deal to buy stake in Careem super-app e&, formerly known as Etisalat, has completed the acquisition of a 50.03 percent stake in Careem Technologies for $400 million. The investment is part of the Emirati telco’s strategy to scale up its consumer digital offering and accelerate its transformation to a global technology group, the company said in a statement published on the Abu Dhabi […] December 10, 2023
Agriculture Agriculture investment fund doubles since Cop27 to $17bn Investment in a UAE and US-led global agriculture and food initiative has reached $17 billion, as the Cop 28 conference saw a slew of developments in the sector. The Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate (Aim for Climate) aims to address climate change and global hunger through increased investment in “climate-smart agriculture and food systems innovation” […] December 10, 2023
Tech Binance pulls out of licence application in Abu Dhabi Global cryptocurrency exchange Binance has withdrawn its licence application from Abu Dhabi Global Market, the main regulator in the UAE capital, but still wants to join an international exchange in Dubai. The troubled crypto operator withdrew its application on November 7, according to the regulator’s website. “While assessing our global licensing needs, we decided this […] December 8, 2023
Tech No need to fear AI, says Indian music legend New technologies such as artificial intelligence should be embraced, famed Indian composer A.R. Rahman said at the Red Sea International Film Festival in Jeddah this week. “It’s not new… human beings are constantly evolving, they will rise up to something that they can do.” AI has become something of a bogeyman in people’s minds, but […] December 8, 2023
Finance Mubadala to shift investment focus to Asia says CEO Mubadala, the second-biggest sovereign wealth fund in Abu Dhabi, will shift its investment focus towards Asia though the US remains a key market, CEO Khaldoon Al Mubarak said. “The US will remain an unbelievably attractive market and a key market for us,” Al Mubarak told the Milken Institute Middle East and Africa Summit. The CEO […] December 8, 2023
