Logistics Brazilian cargo drone maker expands operations to Dubai Tupan, a Brazilian cargo and military drone manufacturer, is setting up operations in Dubai, in a bid to help speed up e-commerce deliveries and boost cross-border trade, the company’s CEO told AGBI. The UAE’s civil aviation authority in December published what it said were the world’s first regulations for vertiports to govern the use of […] March 2, 2023
Tech Egypt’s farmers are prepping the soil for a digital revolution Agriculture may be the world’s least digitised industry. While machine learning and artificial intelligence are transforming many areas of our lives, in many countries farming is behind the curve. “Agriculture has been slow to transform and that’s largely because it happens in rural locations and it’s also very fragmented,” said Andy Jenkinson, chief technology at Varda, […] March 1, 2023
Analysis Energy One year on, what the war in Ukraine means for the Middle East A year since Russia invaded Ukraine, the war’s impacts are reverberating across the Middle East and North Africa. While some Gulf oil producers have prospered during the conflict, it has heaped suffering on some of the most fragile and volatile economies in the region. “It has contributed to the difficulties in Egypt and the worsening […] February 24, 2023
Food & Drink UAE food delivery sector has strong appetite for growth The UAE’s food delivery market is yet to reach saturation point, according to industry experts, and there is still plenty of room at the table for others to join the party. Statista, the Hamburg research platform, reported that the sector in the UAE is forecast to see annual growth of 6.33 percent overall through to […] February 22, 2023
Opinion Aviation Clear skies ahead for private aviation Charter operators are focusing on evolution and innovation February 20, 2023
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
UAE defence giant buys stake in Estonian robotics firm Technology and defence giant Edge Group has bought a majority stake in Estonia’s Milrem Robotics, a leading European developer of autonomous systems. The transaction is the largest foreign investment in Estonia’s growing defence industry and will see Milrem Robotics join Abu Dhabi-based Edge as a new entity within its platforms and systems cluster. Established in […] February 15, 2023
Analysis Energy Gulf ‘needs to pick up pace’ to hit 2030 solar energy goals The Middle East’s solar power industry has come a long way, but it needs to work faster if the region is to meet its energy transition targets, according to the Mesia Solar Outlook Report 2023. Romain Riche, international development director at Mesia (Middle East Solar Industry Association), told AGBI that the key challenges were accelerating the […] February 15, 2023
Opinion Tech Never underestimate the human touch Developments around AI are phenomenal but technology in the workplace is no substitute for humans February 14, 2023
Tech Venture fund to invest in Israel’s ‘new space’ industry Earth & Beyond Ventures, a new early-stage venture fund investing in Israel’s emerging commercial space ecosystem, has launched with commitments of $125 million to leverage Israel’s expertise in deeptech, aerospace, and satellite engineering. The fund is backed by manufacturer and Nasa supplier Corning Inc, Japanese electronics giant Kyocera Corp, Israeli satellite firm SpaceCom and Samtec, […] February 10, 2023
Logistics Humans and robots to combine in $27m Saudi fulfilment centre Humans and robots are set to work together at a new SAR100 million ($26.65 million) fulfilment centre in Saudi Arabia. Logistics and supply chain solutions provider Starlinks has opened the 400,000 sq ft hybrid facility at Agility Logistics Parks in the city of Dammam. 11 ways robots are transforming the UAE Apple heads list of […] February 9, 2023
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
Tourism UK’s Yotel to open first hotel in Neom’s Oxagon in 2025 Oxagon, the home of advanced and clean industries in the $500 billion Neom megacity, will be home to the first Yotel hotel in Saudi Arabia. The UK-based hotel operator Yotel said in a statement the 300-key property will be located in the integrated live-work-play Research and Innovation (R&I) district and is set to open in 2025. The […] January 24, 2023
Exclusive Food & Drink Cashless economy is at the door, says food delivery boss A cashless economy in the UAE is no longer just an ambition, according to Tatiana Rahal, managing director of food delivery giant Talabat UAE. “The future in the UAE is digital and we see cashless payments as the primary currency,” said Rahal, the company’s first MD who has previously worked on data analytics for brands […] January 23, 2023
Aviation Emirates resumes Tokyo flights as UAE and Japan deepen ties Emirates said on Thursday it will resume flights to Tokyo-Haneda airport from April 2, after a three-year hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic. Dubai’s flag carrier said the service will be operated by one of its Boeing 777 Game Changer aircraft, with the outbound flight EK312 departing Dubai at 07.50 and arriving in Haneda at […] January 12, 2023
Saudi courts world’s universities to meet rising demand Rapid population growth, changing workforce needs and a preference for citizens to study in their own country is fuelling demand for higher education places in Saudi Arabia. A total of 2.8 million seats are needed by 2030, according to research by consultancy Colliers. The figure represents a 42 percent increase, or 900,000 additional places over […] December 30, 2022
Analysis ‘The sky’s the limit’ for female Emirati entrepreneurs Ten years ago, when Tala Badri decided to launch her own business, the pathway to opening was anything but easy. “When I came into the market to set up my own business and I applied for a loan, for example, I was told it was a wonderful idea, ‘but you need to have your husband […] December 26, 2022
Opinion Retail Ashish Panjabi: Stability without the spikes for UAE retailers After a phenomenal year for UAE retail due in part to Expo Dubai and the World Cup effect, we now expect a steadier time for business December 23, 2022
Tech DIFC Courts issues rules for robots, drones, AI and fintech The Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Courts has issued a fresh set of rules designed to address digital business disputes across the emirate. The rules range from big data, blockchain, artificial intelligence, fintech and cloud services, to unmanned aerial vehicles, 3D printing and robotics. Established in 2004, the DIFC Courts is the English language, independent, […] December 14, 2022
Exclusive Transport Dubai’s first passenger drones to fly in 2024 A senior Dubai sheikh has signed a deal with a Hungarian aviation firm to manufacture passenger drones in the UAE, with the first aircraft due to roll off the production line in early 2024. Sheikh Rashid Bin Ahmed Al Maktoum’s RAM Investment Ltd will partner with Jakabszállás-based Genevation Aircraft Ltd to build the drones as […] December 1, 2022
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
Analysis Banking & Finance Influx of millionaires stokes UAE demand for private bankers An influx of affluent migrants is fuelling demand for wealth management services in the UAE, with some private bankers joining their clients in the seven-figure-salary club as competition for their expertise soars. Andrew Amoils, head of research at Johannesburg-based analyst New World Wealth, told AGBI that the number of centi-millionaires – people with fortunes of […] November 11, 2022
