MAKE IT HAPPEN Tech Become a master of the metaverse For a time last year, all anybody seemed to be talking about was the metaverse. Some Gulf businesses said they were already planning for it, while others were trying to work out what the fuss was about. The frequently asked questions included: when will it really arrive? How much does it cost? Who’s on the […] February 17, 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
Banking & Finance Further slowdown before a rebound, says UAE VC firm Following years of rapid growth, the Gulf’s venture capital (VC) ecosystem has slowed down, in line with global trends. But the region’s underlying strengths and appetite for VC deals mean it will pick back up again late next year, experts from Apex Group have told AGBI. “Up until about three months ago, we were still […] December 1, 2022
Analysis Tech Rise of the supercomputers: Gulf invests its oil profits in big tech Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, the world’s third-largest sovereign wealth fund, has revealed plans to launch ADIA Lab, a centre dedicated to cutting-edge research in data science, artificial intelligence, machine learning and quantum computing. From its base in the UAE capital, ADIA Lab will start work on December 2, supporting projects on climate change and energy […] November 1, 2022
Banking & Finance ‘It’s destined for disaster’, expert warns, as startups dilute equity Investors who demand increasingly bigger stakes in startups amid plunging valuations could be signing their own “death warrants”. Startup valuations in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region are already seeing a downward correction this year, in line with global trends as VC funding has tightened since interest rates were increased by central banks […] October 21, 2022
Analysis MENA startup valuations take a hit as funding tightens Funding for startups in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) has continued to decline this year, in line with global trends, but industry experts remain optimistic that the end of the year will see a resurgence. The tightening of cash has also meant investors are looking for increasingly bigger stakes, resulting in startup valuations […] October 18, 2022
GITEX 2022 Tech Gitex plans first venture outside Gulf: a 2023 show in Morocco The tech show organiser is running an exhibition in Marrakech next year to 'explore new ventures in the world’s rising tech continent' October 12, 2022
GITEX 2022 Tech Flying car takes to the skies – and that’s just day one of Gitex A flying car made its first public test flight in Dubai Marina on Monday evening. The two-seater VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) electric vehicle was built by Chinese manufacturer Xpeng and was one of the star attractions on day one of Gitex Global, the annual technology exhibition that runs until Friday in Dubai. The X2 […] October 11, 2022
Analysis Banking & Finance One in 10 financial transactions in UAE are malicious cyberattacks An average of one in 10 financial transactions in the UAE are malicious attacks carried out by cybercriminals, with the number of such attacks on the rise in the last 12 months, according to an industry survey. The UAE’s rapid digitisation of company operations, and the rise in popularity of e-commerce platforms during the pandemic […] July 19, 2022