The Mohammed Bin Rashid Innovation Fund (MBRIF) has announced a credit guarantee of AED 1.5 million for 01Gov, an Emirati GovTech startup. The guarantee will accelerate the growth of 01Gov’s proprietary AI-powered platform, reinforcing the UAE’s agenda to lead the world in government development and excellence.

Fatima Yousif Alnaqbi, Acting Assistant Undersecretary for the Support Services Sector at the UAE Ministry of Finance and the Ministry’s representative at MBRIF, said: “The Fund plays a pivotal role in advancing the national innovation strategy, reflecting the UAE’s vision to build a knowledge-based economy with strong global competitiveness. We are committed to empowering high-potential innovators and providing the necessary foundations for their growth and expansion, in a way that ensures sustainable developmental impact. Our support for (01Gov) reflects our firm commitment to fostering innovation, accelerating digital transformation, and strengthening national capabilities that can shape the future of vital sectors.”

The 01Gov Platform is a comprehensive cloud-based solution, available online and as a mobile app, designed to address challenges faced by government entities. It empowers public sector professionals by providing tools to track emerging global trends, conduct rapid benchmarking studies, and access international best practices, and helps government employees generate innovative ideas, run idea labs, and engage in continuous self-learning.

The new backing positions 01Gov to scale its operations and meet the growing demand for its intelligent, purpose-built solutions. The guarantee will fund the advancement of ‘One’, 01Gov’s agentic AI system, and deepen the capabilities of the 01Gov Platform for its existing government clients.

Dr. Saeed Al Dhaheri, Partner, Artificial Intelligence and Future Foresight at 01Gov, said: “We are deeply honoured by the trust placed in us by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Innovation Fund and the UAE Ministry of Finance. This support aligns with our strategic direction to contribute to the UAE’s efforts to enhance government efficiency and strengthen foresight capabilities. The UAE has set a clear and ambitious agenda to lead globally in AI-powered government, and as an Emirati company, we take great pride in contributing to the achievement of this national ambition. We also extend our sincere thanks to our clients in the government sector and to everyone who has been part of this journey with us.”

MBRIF’s Guarantee Scheme plays a pivotal role in driving the country’s innovation ecosystem by providing affordable debt financing to groundbreaking companies, reflecting its dedication to helping drive the growth of disruptive enterprises that contribute to the country’s economic diversification and sustainable development.

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NanoCo, the startup behind the fast‑rising secure AI agent framework NanoClaw, has raised an oversubscribed $12 million seed round, choosing independence over a lucrative acquisition offer reportedly worth around $20 million. The decision marks a bold bet by founders Gavriel and Lazer Cohen, who have watched their open‑source project explode from a couch‑coded prototype to one of the most talked‑about agentic AI tools of 2026.

The round was led by Valley Capital Partners, with participation from Docker, Vercel, Monday.com, Slow Ventures, and a roster of prominent angels including Hugging Face CEO Clem Delangue. Interest surged after endorsements from Andrej Karpathy and a viral post by Singapore’s foreign minister, who described NanoClaw as his “second brain.” Within weeks, the Cohens were fielding dozens of inbound investor messages, community contributions, and unsolicited acquisition offers.

NanoClaw’s appeal stems from its security‑first architecture. Unlike traditional agent frameworks that run directly on a user’s machine with broad access, NanoClaw operates fully sandboxed inside a container, isolating credentials and services. This approach, once niche, has quickly become a model for secure agent deployment as enterprises experiment with AI‑driven automation.

The Cohens initially built NanoClaw as an internal tool for their previous AI marketing startup. But as the open‑source community grew, a founder friend offered a pivotal insight: projects like this become exponentially more valuable as their user base expands. That advice pushed the brothers to shutter their earlier venture and commit fully to NanoCo.

Momentum accelerated rapidly. Community members began experimenting with NanoClaw on robotics platforms like Reachy Mini, and early adopters—many of them senior engineers at Big Tech companies—started deploying it inside their organizations. That grassroots traction led to NanoCo’s first enterprise customers, who requested help rolling out secure AI agents across teams. In response, the company introduced forward‑deployed engineering services to support implementation and ongoing operations.

Executives at companies including Amazon, Google, Meta, Gap, SentinelOne, and Accenture are already using NanoClaw, according to the founders. While NanoCo declined to name paying customers, the company says demand is accelerating as organizations seek secure, controllable alternatives to general‑purpose agent frameworks.

By turning down a buyout and opting for a seed round instead, the Cohens are signaling confidence that NanoClaw’s community‑driven momentum—and its security‑centric design—can support a much larger business. With thousands of users and growing enterprise interest, NanoCo is positioning itself as a foundational player in the next wave of agentic AI.

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Western Digital announced a significant step toward next-generation infrastructure security by integrating post-quantum cryptography (PQC) into its newest high-capacity Ultrastar UltraSMR hard disk drives. As AI infrastructure evolves from compute-centric deployments to data systems that persistently retain information across every inference, training run, and interaction, the durability and security of that data becomes foundational, not optional. These drives are currently in qualification with multiple hyperscale customers, reflecting strong early interest in quantum-resilient storage architectures.

AI data systems generate and retain massive, long-lived data sets. Securing that data over decades, not just years, must be a core requirement of modern infrastructure. WD’s launch of the first hard drives to implement NIST-approved quantum-resistant algorithms marks a definitive industry transition — from theoretical planning to deployed hardware-level defense. By hardening the root of trust, WD provides a critical safeguard against threats like harvest now, decrypt later (HNDL) and similar attacks. This helps protect the massive data lakes fueling today’s AI innovations against the cryptographic protection-breaking power of tomorrow’s quantum computers. WD is among the first to bring post-quantum cryptography into production storage infrastructure, helping lead the industry’s quantum transition with deployed, standards-aligned, infrastructure-level protection, setting a new baseline for trust in AI-era data systems.

Why Post-Quantum Storage Security Matters Now
As AI infrastructure and workloads generate and retain data in perpetuity, the value of that accumulated data grows, and so does the urgency to protect it against threats that are advancing faster than most organizations anticipate.

• Long data lifecycles and extended IT service windows widen vulnerabilities. Enterprise storage infrastructure typically remains in service for five years or longer, a timeframe that may overlap with the emergence of cryptographically relevant quantum computers.
• As decryption capabilities advance, so do the strategies of sophisticated adversaries. HNDL is a present-day threat. Adversaries may collect encrypted or signed data today with the intent to decrypt or forge security signatures once quantum capabilities mature. Organizations must begin to prepare for long-term cryptographic resilience today.
• Firmware-level attacks present a critical risk. Device-level trust is becoming increasingly important as security architectures evolve. A quantum-enabled adversary could potentially forge digital signatures on firmware updates, allowing malicious code to appear authentic and compromising drive security.

WD’s PQC Implementation
WD’s PQC implementation on the new Ultrastar DC HC6100 UltraSMR is designed to help protect device trust chains from manufacturing through field service. This implementation represents more than a feature enhancement; it reflects a broader shift toward embedding quantum-resilient security directly into the foundation of data infrastructure. The focus is on securing device-level trust, including firmware integrity and key management, rather than data-at-rest encryption.

Key elements include:

• Algorithm selection: ML-DSA-87 (NIST FIPS 204) for high-assurance code signing, with dual-signing using RSA-3072 combining proven and emerging cryptographic standards to ensure strong, resilient security
• Infrastructure readiness: PQC-capable public key infrastructure (PKI) and hardware security module (HSM) workflows deployed to support key issuance, rotation, and lifecycle management
• Operational continuity: Dual-signing and rollback safeguards designed to support deployment across diverse fleets without disrupting current operations

“As AI data compounds and becomes more valuable and long-lived, securing it for the future is no longer optional. Quantum computing represents one of the most significant technology transitions of our time, and it is advancing faster than many organizations anticipate. The security architectures that have protected enterprise storage for more than a decade will need to evolve,” said Dr. Xiaodong (Carl) Che, Chief Technology Officer and Senior Vice President at WD. “Integrating post-quantum cryptography into our Ultrastar enterprise-class drives is part of our commitment to helping customers stay ahead of threats that are already present in the form of HNDL attacks. By aligning with NIST standards and CNSA 2.0 today, we are helping enterprises build a clear, low-friction path to quantum-safe storage infrastructure.”

As quantum security requirements advance, data protection at the infrastructure layer is becoming a baseline requirement for AI-driven enterprises.  WD is helping define the next baseline for trust in AI infrastructure, where security is embedded at the foundation of the system, not added as an afterthought. WD expects to expand PQC capabilities across additional enterprise hard drive product lines over time.

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UK mobile startup, eSIM Go, today announced it has secured a strategic investment led by TNS Global, a leading Eurasian digital infrastructure and wholesale telecommunications provider. Since launching in 2020, eSIM Go has matured organically to become a leader in B2B Travel eSIM; a market that is forecast to continue growing at an aggressive CAGR of 37% until at least 2030.

Obaid Rahman, Group CEO at TNS Global, said: “We are excited to support eSIM Go in its next phase of growth. The company represents a strong strategic fit with our vision to expand into scalable, profitable and high-growth digital connectivity segments, complementing our core digital infrastructure footprint.”

TNS Global is set to support eSIM Go’s geographic expansion into Eurasia and beyond, with new capital invested to support the evolution of the company’s technology and connectivity. The joint ambition is to strengthen and accelerate existing profitable growth. In conjunction with the focus on Travel eSIM, the investment also supports eSIM Go in addressing significant opportunities in the MVNO space, starting with the UK market, where it is enabling new and existing brands to provide consumer mobile services with virtually no barriers to entry, primarily innovators and those serving the migrant diaspora.

“Our focus is profitable and cash-generative growth, scaling early success in the UK MVNO market, and consolidating our market leadership in the eSIM enabler space,” said Zacc Couldrick, co-founder and CEO at eSIM Go. “This investment marks a new era for eSIM Go, as we mature the company upon the solid foundations of a resilient team and best-in-class technology at the experience layer.”

“We seek to maintain and strengthen our position as the gold standard in Travel eSIM for partner and end-user experience. The core eSIM Go management team remains in place; the timing is perfect for welcoming such vastly experienced investors from the MVNO and wholesale space to open more doors and bring strategic, operational, regional and commercial advantages.”

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Gradiant announced the close of Series E financing, valuing the company at $2 billion. The financing was led by Safar Partners and Hostplus Superannuation Fund, with participation from ClearVision Ventures and other global investors.

The financing will support Gradiant’s continued global expansion, including strategic acquisitions, accelerated research and development, and investments in operational scale and IPO readiness. The announcement comes amid unprecedented commercial momentum for Gradiant, fueled by rapid growth in AI infrastructure, semiconductor manufacturing, and other mission-critical industries that require advanced water solutions.

Gradiant is experiencing its largest backlog and strongest pipeline in company history, with significant growth across data centers, semiconductor fabs, and power, while the company’s business across food & beverage, pharmaceuticals, petrochemicals, mining, and energy remains strong. As AI infrastructure scales at record speed, water has emerged as one of the critical constraints to its growth, reliability, and sustainability.

Gradiant’s proprietary technologies, powered by its digital AI platform, enable customers in the world’s essential industries to secure water sourcing, maximize water reuse, minimize wastewater discharge, and reduce energy consumption across some of world’s most water-intensive operations. Over the last few years, Gradiant has emerged as one of the fastest-growing companies in the history of the water industry, driven by its differentiated technology stack, vertically integrated execution model, and unconventional leadership.

“AI is re-making the global economy, but behind every chip and every data center lies massive and growing water demand,” said Anurag Bajpayee, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of Gradiant. “Gradiant sits at the center of this transformation. We solve the world’s most important water challenges and enable essential industries to grow reliably and sustainably. This new financing gives us more firepower to expand faster, double down on our R&D, and continue building the defining water company of the AI era.”

“The convergence of AI infrastructure, semiconductor manufacturing growth, industrial sustainability, and water scarcity is creating a once-in-a-generation opportunity,” said David Elia, CEO of Hostplus Superannuation Fund. “We are excited to support Gradiant through its next phase of growth, building upon its deep technological leadership, proven execution capability, and strong market momentum.”

“Gradiant is the only water company with truly differentiated technology, operating profitably and at scale, serving some of the world’s largest and most essential companies,” said Nader Motamedy, Managing Partner at Safar Partners. “We are proud to partner with Gradiant as it emerges as one of the world’s most important industrial technology companies.”

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Madinah Hubs, the innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem in Al Madinah Al Munawwarah, has announced the completion of its first strategic investment and partial acquisition through its investment arm, Ohud Investments, in SBTL—a company specialized in building transformation, leadership, innovation, and entrepreneurship ecosystems. The investment is made in partnership with SBTL’s founder and CEO, Eng. Sayed Ahmed Sayed, marking a pivotal milestone in the region’s journey toward a more integrated and sustainable entrepreneurial landscape.

This strategic move signals the beginning of a new phase for Madinah Hubs—one that unifies investment, capacity building, venture development, and long‑term economic impact under a single ecosystem. The acquisition strengthens the organization’s mission to position Al Madinah Al Munawwarah as a leading regional model for innovation‑driven growth.

Over the past several years, SBTL has established itself as a specialized leader in designing and delivering transformational experiences for individuals, institutions, and emerging ventures. Its track record includes:

• Empowering more than 3,000 beneficiaries across leadership, innovation, and entrepreneurship
• Launching and executing over 120 specialized programs and initiatives
• Collaborating with more than 200 organizations and ecosystem partners
• Delivering over 12,500 hours of workshops, hackathons, training programs, and capacity‑building experiences

Through these initiatives, SBTL has played a significant role in shaping innovation and entrepreneurship pathways, enabling founders and organizations to unlock new opportunities for growth.

Since its launch in early 2026 under the leadership of Hasan bin Abdullah Jabarti, Madinah Hubs has been building a comprehensive entrepreneurial ecosystem through high‑impact programs, strategic partnerships, and specialized initiatives. Its work spans venture development, investment readiness, ecosystem enablement, and the creation of new channels that connect entrepreneurs with capital, expertise, and market access.

Speaking on the investment, Hasan said: “Our investment in SBTL is not merely an investment transaction; it is a strategic step toward uniting two ecosystems that believe Al Madinah Al Munawwarah can become a global model for entrepreneurship. What SBTL has built over the past years represents a strong foundation, and our role today is to help expand this impact and accelerate its growth.”

For SBTL, the partnership marks the beginning of a new chapter. Eng. Sayed commented: “We view this partnership as the beginning of a new phase of growth and development. Our goal is not only expansion, but building ecosystems capable of creating real and sustainable impact for individuals, organizations, and entrepreneurial ventures.”

The investment also represents the first step in Madinah Hubs’ broader vision to build a diversified investment portfolio targeting high‑impact ventures. This long‑term strategy aims to strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem by connecting it with capital, enablement, and sustainable growth pathways—ultimately positioning Al Madinah Al Munawwarah as a thriving hub for innovation‑driven economic development.

As Madinah Hubs continues to expand its programs and partnerships, the integration of SBTL’s expertise is expected to accelerate the development of founders, startups, and organizations across the region. Together, the two entities aim to create a unified ecosystem capable of nurturing talent, supporting ventures, and driving meaningful economic transformation.

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Stream, the Riyadh-born payments and billing platform, has announced a $5.2 million seed extension. This comes less than six months after closing its initial seed round; bringing total seed funding to $9.2 million. The round was led by BECO Capital, with participation from STV, Flourish Ventures, and Arab Bank, alongside existing investors Outliers and BYLD.

With this funding, Stream is doubling down on its role as a foundational layer in the region’s financial stack; enabling businesses to move faster, operate with more precision, and scale without operational bottlenecks, in a world where the way businesses get paid is changing as fast as the businesses themselves.

The pace of fundraising mirrors the demand Stream is seeing in the market, and reflects strong conviction from both new and returning investors. Across MENA, businesses are scaling faster and operating more complex revenue models, yet most billing infrastructure has not kept up. Stream consolidates billing, payments, and post-payment operations into a single system businesses can rely on and control.

Speaking on the seed extension, Ibrahim Aldlaigan, Founder and CEO of Stream said, “Billing is evolving faster than most businesses realise. As our region is realizing its potential, infrastructure needs are changing. Stream is focused on removing any friction that slows or blocks businesses from getting paid. The demand we’re seeing from customers is clear, so we extended the round to move faster, ship more, and take Stream into its next phase.”

The platform enables companies to design flexible payment models, from one-time transactions to subscriptions and installment plans, while eliminating operational drag across reconciliation, reminders, and reporting, with deep ZATCA integration ensuring local Saudi tax compliance. Building on an already robust platform, the team has continued to innovate at pace, shipping subscription management APIs that enable businesses to build and manage recurring billing models, and introducing MCP (Model Context Protocol) support as a foundational step toward AI-native payments.

Dany Farha, Founder and Managing Partner at BECO Capital, shared, “Our conviction in Stream was rooted in backing a resourceful, exceptional founder, Ibrahim, who has deep local payments expertise and sharp product vision. We are excited to support and be part of Stream’s quest to build the billing workflow layer for MENA, an entire new category between payment processing and accounting software with no direct incumbents.”

Globally, financial tooling is evolving toward programmability, automation, and deeper integration into business operations. In MENA, however, many businesses are still constrained by disconnected systems –  inefficiencies that compound as they scale. The businesses themselves are changing too: new models, new channels, and new ways of operating are demanding a different kind of payments infrastructure. Stream is built to meet that moment.

Sarah Alsaleh, General Partner at Outliers, shared, “Ibrahim and the Stream team hold our deepest conviction. They continue to capture a growing opportunity with precision of insight and relentless execution. This is exactly the kind of company that defines markets”.

Founded in 2024, Stream initially gained traction in education before expanding into SaaS and service-led businesses. Today, Stream processes millions in payments every month, serves hundreds of businesses on its platform, and powers billing for leading organizations such as Atyab and Riyadh Schools Group. The platform is also seeing strong organic adoption, with hundreds of freelancers and vibe coders signing up for a more frictionless way to get paid.

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Inflection Point Ventures (IPV), one of India’s most active angel investment platforms, delivered 16 exits in FY2026, achieving a blended IRR of 41% and a MoM multiple of 2.86x. In a market where liquidity remains scarce for early‑stage investors, IPV has built one of the few structured exit engines in India, enabling outcomes through strategic acquisitions and engineered secondary transactions.

India’s angel ecosystem has long struggled with predictable liquidity, but IPV’s model is shifting that narrative. Over 50% of IPV‑backed startups with at least a two‑year vintage have delivered either an exit or a follow‑on round—driven by active portfolio support, strong acquirer relationships, and co‑investor confidence from funds such as Blume Ventures, Unicorn India Ventures, and Avishkaar Fund VI.

“Our focus has always been on identifying and supporting businesses with the potential to scale and deliver strong returns,” said Vinay Bansal, Founder & CEO of IPV. “Exits are not one‑off events for us—they are the result of disciplined investing, portfolio stewardship, and long‑term networks. The 16 exits this year reflect years of consistent effort.”

FY2026 saw strong returns across the portfolio. Aerem delivered 60% IRR and 3.92x MoM, validating IPV’s early bet on clean energy. Qubehealth generated two exit tranches at 49% IRR, while Oorjaa (53% IRR, 3.9x MoM), Indic Wisdom (44% IRR), SnapeCabs (42% IRR), and Kazam (34% IRR, 4.21x MoM) added depth to the year’s performance. Exits spanned partial and full structures, including acquisitions by Amazon, Lenskart, Nodwin Gaming, and institutional secondary buyers—clear validation of portfolio quality.

IPV’s pre‑emptive rights programme emerged as a standout differentiator. Across 26 structured secondary transactions, investors achieved a blended IRR of 84.22% and 3.33x MoM—without requiring a single full exit. Top performers included Stylework (53% IRR, 7.62x MoM), Kazam (51% IRR), and Conscious Chemist (86% IRR).

“In India, exits don’t happen by chance; they are engineered. That’s the muscle IPV has built,” said Ankur Mittal, Co‑founder, IPV. “These outcomes reflect the strength of our founders and our ability to connect them with the right partners at the right time.”

Co‑founder Mitesh Shah added, “Our role doesn’t end at writing the cheque. We work alongside founders through every stage—structuring partnerships, navigating secondaries, and enabling strategic outcomes.”

With a maturing exit engine and a strong pipeline of scaling companies, FY2026 reinforces that early‑stage investing in India can deliver real, repeatable liquidity when supported by the right processes, networks, and discipline.

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Siin, the fastest-growing live shopping marketplace in MENA, today announced new funding, bringing its total capital raised to $3 million. The round was led by VentureSouq and Shift Group, with participation from Plus VC, Oqal, and other prominent regional investors, including Suhail Al Gossaibi, Mussab Al Hakami, and Abdulla Al Hashmi.

Siin is also backed by leading regional programs, including Hub71, part of Abu Dhabi’s global tech ecosystem, and InspireU, the accelerator program by Saudi Telecom Company (stc).

Founded in 2024 by seasoned marketplace operators, Hesham AlSaati (ex-Delivery Hero), Ahmed Allawi (ex-Tap Payments), and Khaled Albalooshi (ex-Telp). Siin is bringing live commerce to scale in a region where e-commerce has grown quickly but real-time, interactive shopping is still emerging.

“Commerce in MENA was never transactional; it’s social, interactive, and trust-driven,” said Ahmed Allawi, Co-founder of Siin. “From souqs to majalis, we’re now rebuilding that experience for a digital-first generation. By combining real-time engagement with a secure, community-driven marketplace, Siin is redefining how people connect, discover, and transact across the region.”

Siin enables users to buy and sell high-value goods through real-time livestreamed and gamified shopping experiences. Live commerce is taking off globally, and Siin is leading that shift regionally by powering thousands of sellers across the Gulf.

“In under a year, we’ve scaled across Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Oman, driving new behaviors in live shopping and social commerce,” said Hesham AlSaati, Co-founder of Siin. “We’ve facilitated the sale of hundreds of thousands of items, with tens of thousands of hours of live streaming, showing clear signs of strong engagement and marketplace liquidity. As we’ve grown, it’s become clear that we are building the trust and safety layer for social commerce in the region, positioning Siin as a leading live shopping platform for the Gulf.”

The newly raised capital will be deployed to accelerate regional expansion, increase Siin’s footprint across key markets, and further strengthen its seller ecosystem solidifying its position at the forefront of the region’s rapidly emerging live commerce market.

“Our platform is fully built in-house, and it’s already delivering at a level comparable to global leaders, while being deeply integrated for the MENA region,” said Khaled Albalooshi, Co-founder of Siin.

“Siin is tapping into a powerful intersection of culture and technology,” said Suneel Gokhale, General Partner & Co-Founder, VentureSouq.  What stood out to us is the team’s ability to localize a global trend in a way that feels native to the region. By reimagining traditional trading behaviors through live, interactive formats, Siin is unlocking a new category of commerce in the GCC with significant scale potential.”

Commenting on the fundraising announcement, Hasan Haider, Founder and Managing Partner of Plus VC, added: “Siin is building more than a product, it is shaping a new behavioral layer for commerce in the region. By digitizing culturally ingrained trading dynamics and combining them with cutting-edge live and AI capabilities, the team is creating a highly differentiated platform with strong network effects. We are excited to support Hesham, Ahmed, Khaled and their team as they are well-positioned to lead the evolution of social commerce and establish themselves as pioneers in this space.” 

Building on this momentum, Siin is doubling down on supply growth, market expansion, and category leadership across the region. With a strong foundation in place, the company is well positioned to shape the future of live commerce and become a defining platform for social shopping in the Gulf.

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The Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa) and the National Agriculture Center have concluded Agriboost 2026 – a comprehensive training and hands-on program to empower agritech startups, develop innovative solutions to support the sustainability of agriculture, and reinforce food security ecosystems in the UAE.

The closing ceremony took place as part of the Emirates Agriculture Conference & Exhibition 2026, organised by the National Agriculture Center, and featured live demonstrations in which the five winning startups presented their business models and technological solutions. The event was attended by H.E. Eng. Amal Abdulrahim, Assistant Undersecretary for the Support Services Sector at the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE), H.E. Sultan Al Shamsi, Director of the National Agriculture Center, and H.E. Sara Abdelaziz Al Nuaimi, CEO of the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa).

H.E. Sultan Al Shamsi, Director of National Agriculture Center said: “Agricultural entrepreneurship is our goal, and the Agriboost program received more than 100 applications. Following a rigorous and comprehensive evaluation process, a distinguished group rose to the top, presenting practical and innovative solutions that are scalable and applicable, and that directly contribute to advancing the agricultural sector and enabling its sustainable future. This comes in line with the National Agriculture Center’s commitment to adopting smart solutions and raising awareness, as it continues to support startups across diverse fields and create broader opportunities for innovation and growth.”

H.E Sara Abdelaziz Al Nuaimi, CEO of Sheraa: “Agriculture sits at the heart of how nations plan for the future, shaped by priorities such as sustainability, food security, and economic resilience, and enabled by the effective use of technology. Through Agriboost, we saw five startups apply this in practice, developing solutions tailored to the UAE’s environment and long-term needs. This reflects the kind of innovation Sheraa is committed to enabling: ideas that move with clarity from concept into application, contributing to a more resilient agricultural sector.”

During the Demo Day pitches, CropGuard presented its integrated approach to protecting high-value crops through soil sensing, smart precision irrigation, and an adaptive shading system, a unified platform purpose-built for harsh, arid climates where precision directly determines crop survival and profitability. Hareth demonstrated how intelligent, IoT-driven solutions can address the UAE’s water scarcity challenges in agriculture by optimizing irrigation, reducing resource waste, combating soil salinity, and enabling farmers to make data-driven decisions that improve yields while supporting national food security goals. Agrotunes introduced its AI-powered platform for intelligent farming within the built environment, integrating crop planning, environmental control, and harvest forecasting, while connecting farms to buyers, consumers, and new revenue streams through its community layer.

INNOFarms.AI showcased its enterprise AI and robotics platform that connects farms, supply chains, and food enterprises through a unified intelligence layer, delivering real-time traceability, supply risk visibility, and farm automation across the agrifood system, including through a chat-based interface for on-the-ground decision-making. Madiya Farms presented its vertically integrated platform combining standardized greenhouse infrastructure, AI-driven farm management, and an integrated supply chain, positioning itself as a national operating system for scalable, investment-accessible food production in the UAE.

Madiya Farms secured first place in the pitch ranking, followed by Hareth in second, CropGuard in third, Agrotunes in fourth, and InnoFarms.ai in fifth. The rankings reflected the overall strength and progression of the cohort.

The rankings were announced during the Agriboost Demo Day, where founders pitched their startups to a curated judging panel, including Abeer Al Ameeri, Director of Ecosystem Development at Sheraa; Kamal Rasool, Chief Technology Officer at RDI; and H.E. Hamad Al Hamed, CEO of Gracia, in the presence of investors, partners, and sector stakeholders. The session captured the evolution of each startup, highlighting the strength of their solutions and their readiness to engage with real market opportunities, supported by ongoing mentorship and strategic guidance throughout the program.

Agriboost represents an intensive, application-driven program delivered over six weeks, beginning with a foundational bootcamp focused on agile methodologies and product development, followed by a hands-on incubation phase where startups refined their strategies, tested their solutions in real market environments, and engaged directly with customers. This journey culminated in the Demo Day, reflecting the program’s outcomes and its ability to translate ideas into viable, real-world solutions.

Through its programmes and initiatives, the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa) continues to build an integrated entrepreneurial ecosystem that supports the growth of startups across priority sectors, with a particular focus on productive industries such as agriculture. This approach contributes to transforming innovation into sustainable economic value and strengthening the long-term competitiveness of the national economy.

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Udora, the global gifting marketplace formerly known as Flowwow, has closed a $10 million private round and relaunched under a new brand. The round will go toward market expansion, with the Saudi Arabia launch scheduled for Q3 2026, including product catalogue expansion, deep localisation, technology, and AI-powered personalisation.

Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Dubai, the platform connects customers with local florists, confectioners, and artisan makers across 50+ markets and 1,500+ cities. With a 6% share of the UAE online gifting market and $3.32 million in GMV in 2025 alone, the platform is ready to take the same model across the GCC. The raise and rebranding are part of the same move to accelerate the platform’s global rollout while going deeper into each local market it serves.

The model scales across the country, reaching sellers in big cities, smaller ones, and regional markets. In the UAE alone, the seller network grew 66.5% in 2025, and all orders on the platform are fulfilled exclusively by local SMEs.

The platform gives SMEs the digital infrastructure to reach customers online that they couldn’t access on their own. Udora handles orders, marketing tools, and access to a paying, repeat audience through a single, tech-ready platform, without the overhead of building it in-house.

The company sees this as both a business model and a contribution to the GCC’s broader push to bring independent local businesses into the digital economy. This aligns directly with the UAE government’s strategy to grow the digital economy’s share of GDP to 19.4% by 2031, with SME digitalisation as one of its key drivers.

“More than a decade ago, we started with a simple idea: help people reach their loved ones, no matter the distance. That idea grew into 50+ markets without borders. Now we’re ready to go deeper, to build the end-to-end gifting experience – to do for gifting what Airbnb did for hospitality. But in the GCC, where gifting carries real cultural weight, technology is only part of the story. The real value has always been in local hands: florists, confectioners, artisans, and creators who care and know their communities – that’s where our mission hasn’t changed. Udora will help people across the region stay close and express care through meaningful gestures as long as people love each other,” said Slava Bogdan, CEO & Founder of Udora.

As general marketplaces scale, niche platforms with category depth are capturing their segments, driven by demand for local knowledge, cultural sensitivity, and same-day delivery. Udora has been building these since 2014, and the platform’s current scale reflects this: 150,000+ products across 25+ categories, with verified seller networks in every market it operates in.

Udora tailors its product assortment to local tastes, cultural context, and price expectations in each market it enters. In the UAE and Saudi Arabia, this means expanding the premium segment with high-demand, high-AOV categories: perfumes, premium chocolate, and confectionery, alongside curated gift bundles suited to the region’s gifting occasions.

The company is building toward one thing: a complete gifting experience tailored to local demand and occasion. The platform already offers personalised recommendations, AI-assisted gift discovery, and automated customer support.

The roadmap includes gift subscriptions, wishlists, and deeper personalisation tools, including a product catalogue tailored to each customer’s browsing and purchase history. Corporate gifting tools round out the updated feature set for business buyers.

Last year, Udora processed orders up to 123% YoY, with gross merchandise value reaching $9.84 million (+129%) globally. In the UAE, the platform’s most established market, GMV reached $3.32 million (+95%), driven by 41,500 orders (+89%). The UAE seller network expanded to 398 active shops, with 61.3% of orders placed by returning customers. While customer satisfaction held at 92.4% positive reviews, well above the 80-85% benchmark for e-commerce platforms.

With the relaunch and new investment in place, Udora projects 100% growth across active markets in 2026. This puts the company’s growth rate at roughly twice the projected pace of the UAE online gifting market, which is projected to grow at a CAGR of 15.9% through 2029.

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The Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park (SPARK) set in motion a unique initiative that seeks to boost the empowerment of Emirati talent and enhance their role in driving innovation and shaping the future.

The initiative was implemented through an interactive encounter between SPARK’s leadership and a group of young Emirati employees drawn from various departments, as part of an institutional approach to fostering a culture of dialogue and openness, and strengthening direct communication channels with the Emirati workforce.

The move is designed to support a stimulating work environment that nurtures creativity and invests in young talent, in line with the United Arab Emirates’ directives to advance Emiratization and build a competitive knowledge-based economy.

During the meeting, Hussain Al Mahmoudi, CEO of the SRTI Park, had a face-to-face interaction with Emirati employees, listening to their ideas and aspirations, and reviewing their professional experiences as well as their proposals aimed at enhancing the work environment and strengthening the innovation ecosystem within SPARK.

The meeting also featured a series of presentations by Emirati employees from various departments, highlighting current workflows, future plans, and development visions grounded in innovative ideas and creative proposals. These presentations offered suggestions to enhance institutional performance and strengthen integration across departments, reflecting high levels of competency and drive among the Emirati employees.

Al Mahmoudi emphasized that empowering Emirati talent remained a key priority of SPARK, noting that the next phase requires greater engagement of youth in decision-making, as well as providing a supportive environment that would enable them to transform their ideas into practical initiatives.

He added that the Park is doubling down on its efforts to attract and nurture Emirati talent through training and professional development opportunities, and by involving them in innovation and research projects, enhancing their readiness to lead future sectors.

The meeting witnessed open discussions that reflected positive engagement from participants, who presented ideas and perspectives on developing the work ecosystem, reaffirming their commitment to contributing effectively to SPARK’s objectives and translating its strategic vision into tangible outcomes.

SPARK’s new initiative aligns with the vision adopted by the Emirate of Sharjah and the United Arab Emirates in general to place people at the heart of development strategies and underlines a commitment to empowering youth as a national imperative for sustainable growth. It also embodies SPARK’s integrated approach to supporting Emiratization by engaging Emirati talent in dialogue and decision-making, and by fostering an enabling environment for creativity—strengthening their role as key partners in building a knowledge- and innovation-driven future, capable of taking responsibility and leading the next phase.

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Athar+, Abu Dhabi’s first purpose-driven hub dedicated to accelerating social impact, announced 15 social enterprises as the winners of the ‘Impact Makers Challenge | AED 1 Million Grant’. The initiative, held as part of the Abu Dhabi Global Entrepreneurship Festival 2026, aims to accelerate the growth of social enterprises and high-impact ventures, reinforcing Athar+ ’s commitment to fostering an inclusive and impact-driven entrepreneurial ecosystem.

The announcement took place during the Abu Dhabi Global Entrepreneurship Festival 2026, a flagship platform that brought together entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, and innovators from around the world to explore opportunities for collaboration and sustainable growth.

The initiative was designed to identify and support ventures that are addressing pressing social priorities through innovative, scalable solutions. Through this initiative, participants went through a pitching stage for shortlisted participants following evaluation rounds led by Athar+, an initiative of the Authority of Social Contribution – Ma’an, and supported by Majra – the National CSR Fund.

In collaboration with the Emirates Youth Council for Entrepreneurship, this initiative was organised to empower youth social entrepreneurs, enable them to benefit from shared experiences, inspire the next generation, and strengthen the social entrepreneurship ecosystem.

His Excellency Salem AlShamsi, Executive Director of Social Incubation and Contracting at the Authority of Social Contribution – Ma’an, said, “We believe that the growth of social enterprises is key to driving community development. Through Athar+, we are enabling purpose-driven entrepreneurs to scale solutions that directly addresses community priorities and aligned with Abu Dhabi’s social priorities. By providing tools and initiatives such as this grant, we are ensuring that innovation has a tangible, lasting impact on the community of Abu Dhabi.”

The winners were evaluated and selected based on criteria including innovation, scalability, sustainability, and measurable social impact.

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CNTXT AI today announced the launch of Munsit Emirati TTS, a text-to-speech model designed to generate real-time, human-like Emirati Arabic for enterprise and consumer applications. The release comes as voice technology continues to evolve rapidly worldwide, with recent launches from companies such as Google, OpenAI, and ElevenLabs pushing improvements in how AI generated speech sounds and performs. Yet despite this progress, many systems still struggle to reflect how language is actually spoken across regions.

Munsit Emirati TTS is built to address that gap. It enables systems to respond in spoken Emirati Arabic instantly, with a level of fluency and tone that feels natural to the listener. Whether it is a customer calling a bank, interacting with a government service, or speaking to a digital assistant, the experience is designed to feel closer to a real conversation than a scripted response.

At its core, the technology allows machines to convert written information into natural speech in real time. In practical terms, this enables digital platforms, call centers, and AI assistants to communicate directly with users, respond to requests, and guide interactions without requiring a human agent.

The model is designed with enterprise use in mind, allowing organizations to integrate voice capabilities into their operations. This includes sectors such as banking, government services, telecom, and digital platforms, where large volumes of voice interactions need to be handled efficiently and consistently.

In practical terms, this allows banks to automate customer calls while maintaining clarity and compliance, government entities to communicate with citizens at scale, and customer support teams to handle higher volumes of interactions without increasing operational overhead.

In blind testing with Emirati and Arabic-speaking listeners, 93 per cent of participants preferred Munsit Emirati over leading global models in naturalness, emotional expression, and dialect fidelity, placing it among the most advanced Arabic voice systems available today.

Beyond user experience, the impact is also operational. Organizations deploying AI driven voice systems have reported cost reductions of up to 20 to 40 percent, alongside improvements in response times and service efficiency, particularly in high volume environments such as contact centers.

The launch reflects a broader shift across the UAE and the wider region, where organizations are moving away from English-first or neutral voice systems toward solutions that better reflect local identity. For years, many voice-based services relied on imported models, creating a gap precisely where communication matters most. Native Emirati voice AI begins to close that gap, allowing institutions to speak to people in a way that feels more familiar and aligned with the communities they serve.

“Voice is no longer just an interface, it is becoming part of how services express identity,” said Mohammad Abu Sheikh, Founder and CEO of CNTXT AI. “For a long time, the region relied on systems that did not fully reflect how people communicate. This changes that. We are building technology that speaks the language the way it is actually used, and that has a direct impact on trust, engagement, and how services are experienced.”

“Most voice systems were never designed for Arabic, and certainly not for Emirati,” said Shameed Sait, AI Director at CNTXT AI. “What we have built goes beyond generating speech. It reflects how people actually speak, the rhythm, the tone, and the cultural context behind it. The real breakthrough is making that work reliably in real-world environments and at scale.”

As voice becomes a more central interface across customer service, digital platforms, and public services, expectations are shifting. Performance alone is no longer enough. How technology sounds, and how it is experienced, is becoming just as important.

With Munsit Emirati TTS, CNTXT AI is contributing to this shift, enabling organizations to move beyond generic voice systems and deliver experiences that are both efficient and relevant to the markets they serve.

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Falcons of Majlis, the UAE’s first trust-led startup investment platform produced by NKN Media and mentored by Bollywood icon and entrepreneur Suneil Shetty, today announces its four principal investors. These are leaders who are actively shaping and strengthening the UAE’s startup ecosystem at a critical global moment.

With over 5,600 startups operating across the UAE, the nation continues to strengthen its position as a global hub for innovation despite geopolitical shifts. With strategic growth, strong investor confidence, and a future-focused vision, the UAE continues to lead as a destination for opportunities, stability, long-term progress and investor confidence worldwide, holding UAE’s response clear and moving ahead. Platforms like Falcons of Majlis are not just reflecting this growth. They are accelerating it.

This is not the UAE reacting to global uncertainty. This is the UAE leading through it.

THE INVESTORS

Maqsood Mohammed
Founder and Chairman
AFM Holding
A self-made entrepreneur with ventures spanning AI, energy, e-commerce, and media, Mr. Maqsood backs today’s founders by creating the same open doors that once defined his own journey.

“I started with nothing and built everything through resilience and the right people. The UAE gave me that stage. Falcons of Majlis gives today’s founders what no one gave me: the open door. Never give up isn’t a slogan. It’s how this country was built.”

Dr. Dhiraj Kantilal Jain
Founder and Chairman
1XL Holdings
A venture studio leader on a mission to scale 100+ businesses, Dr. Jain brings a systems-driven approach to transforming UAE startup ideas into structured, scalable enterprises.

“Build with intent, not for attention. The UAE doesn’t celebrate noise; it rewards foundations. Falcons of Majlis is the first platform I’ve seen that filters for exactly that.”

Rakesh Mirchandani
Co-Founder and CEO, RNR International Real Estate | Co-Founder and Managing Partner
RRS International Development

With billions in transactions and a global investor network, Rakesh connects startups to capital and positions the UAE as a launchpad for founders looking to scale beyond borders.

Sanjay Dhawan
Founder and CEO, Habitat Real Estate | Co-Founder and Managing Partner
RRS International Development

With over three decades of experience across global markets, Sanjay brings strategic depth and execution strength, backing ventures that convert opportunity into lasting value.

“Dubai doesn’t wait for clarity; it creates it. This city has always turned uncertainty into advantage, and the founders coming through Falcons of Majlis are the next proof of that.”

Rakesh and Sanjay share a common belief:
“We strongly believe the UAE is a land of opportunity where dreams transform into reality, inspired by visionary leadership that continues to shape its growth.”

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Following a highly competitive national final in Dubai, Dev Bhoda and Joshua Koshy have been selected to represent the UAE at the Red Bull Basement World Final in San Francisco, standing out among some of the emirate’s most promising young innovators.

When the Red Bull Basement programme invited students and first-time founders from across the UAE to submit their next-generation ideas in this renowned annual competition, hundreds of teams responded, reflecting the country’s rapidly growing reputation as a global hub for innovation, entrepreneurship and AI-driven technologies. After a rigorous selection process, the top 8 finalists were invited to present their concepts at a live national final in The Gate DIFC, where innovation took centre stage in a truly unique format.

Fierce Competition
Hundreds of submissions were narrowed down to a select group of standout finalists, each presenting innovative solutions to real-world challenges, from AI-powered platforms to sustainability-driven technologies. Every entry showcased the depth of talent and entrepreneurial ambition emerging across the UAE.

UAE Finalists 2026

• SightSpec AI (Karim Rashad): Utilizes Vision Language Models (VLMs) to automate visual defect detection within software requirement specifications for autonomous vehicles.
• AeroAqua Dynamics (Ahmed Mohamed): Features an AI-driven kinetic building facade that significantly reduces cooling costs while simultaneously harvesting fresh water from atmospheric humidity.
• Oasis (Stanislav Merkulov): An AI-powered agricultural system designed to enable sustainable food production in desert environments by optimizing irrigation and plant survival rates.
• Pulse AI (Ghaeth Mousto): A comprehensive AI platform for construction operations that automates document workflows and analyzes tenders to improve transparency throughout the project lifecycle.
• SVPIENS (Charis Jain): A wearable EMG-based performance system that tracks real-time muscle activation to help athletes optimize their training and prevent injuries.
• AXON (Astha Chauhan): Combines Quantum-inspired orchestration with upcycled energy storage to reduce AI operational costs by 40% and carbon emissions by 90%.
• Vantage Vision Halo (Dev Bhodia and Jushua Koshy): An assistive-navigation headband that utilizes spatial awareness and obstacle detection to help visually impaired users navigate complex environments independently.
• SpeakForge (Mariam Mahmoud): An AI-powered speaking trainer that provides real-time feedback on clarity, structure, and confidence to help users improve their presentation skills in a single session.

After careful deliberation, the national judging panel selected Dev Bhodia and Jushua Koshy for their idea, Vantage Vision Halo, recognising its innovation, scalability and potential real-world impact.

Bhodia and Koshy said, “We’re honestly overwhelmed – coming through from a simple university idea to winning Red Bull Basement UAE feels surreal, but also like real validation that our product can make a difference in today’s market. The mentorship, being selected from hundreds of applicants, and meeting so many inspiring people who shared their journeys has helped us sharpen our vision and believe even more in what we’re building. To other young entrepreneurs, if you have an idea you truly believe in, put it out there and apply – you never know where it might take you. Now we’re focused on learning even more, making the most of the support around us, and representing the UAE proudly on the global stage.”

This year’s judging panel included leading voices from across the UAE’s innovation, investment and technology ecosystem, including:

• Dr. Marwan Al Zarouni – CEO of AI at DET
• Ahmad Al Room Almheiri – CEO of SME at DET
• Mohammed Alblooshi – CEO of DIFC Innovation Hub
• Zaid Ghattas – General Manager METAP at AMD

Next stop: the world final in the USA
The UAE winners will now enter the global Development Phase, gaining access to advanced tools and resources from programme partners including Microsoft and AMD, alongside mentorship and a global network of innovators, to refine their idea into a functional product.

They will go on to represent the UAE at the Red Bull Basement World Final in the USA, joining teams from over 40 countries in an immersive global experience where they will present their ideas to an international panel of judges, investors and industry leaders.

Red Bull Basement, in collaboration with global partners Microsoft, AMD and Red Bull Ventures, and supported locally by DET, MONIIFY and DIFC Innovation Hub continues to provide a platform for the next generation of innovators, equipping them with the skills, exposure and support needed to build the businesses of tomorrow.

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DeepMinds, a leading Deeptech venture Builder, has officially launched DeepX, the first DeepTech Venture Building Summit in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), aimed at accelerating the transformation of homegrown advanced technologies into real economic value.

The inaugural DeepX Summit was held on April 25–26, 2026, at the Cultural Center of the Great Mosque in Algiers. Algeria is rapidly expanding its technology R&D and advanced technology sectors to diversify its economy. The country’s more than 150 research institutions coupled with its large technology talent pool make it an ideal environment for researchers, entrepreneurs and companies developing DeepTech.

The first edition of DeepX was organized under the patronage of:

• The Ministry of Startups and Micro Enterprises and Knowledge Economy
• The Ministry of Health
• The Ministry of Pharmaceutical Industry
• The Ministry of Vocational Education and Training

The launch was officially announced by Dr. Abdenour Haddou, Managing Partner and Chief AI Officer at DeepMinds, who emphasized the importance of moving beyond research into structured execution.

DeepX brings together top-tier scientists, AI experts, industry leaders, and venture builders to collaboratively transform scientific advancements into viable, scalable ventures aligned with real-world needs.

At the core of DeepX are five strategic clusters:

• Food Security
• Healthcare
• Cybersecurity
• Logistics & Smart Cities
• FinTech

Each cluster operates as a continuous engine of innovation, working beyond the summit to identify opportunities, develop strategic roadmaps, and drive venture creation in alignment with industry and national priorities.

The first edition of DeepX has attracted strong international participation, bringing together deep tech experts from the United States, Europe, Asia, and across Africa, alongside policymakers, researchers, founders, and investors.

This structured approach enables DeepX to contribute directly to technology transfer and localization, while strengthening the region’s ability to build and scale its own technological capabilities over time.

“DeepX reflects our commitment to transforming deep technology into tangible economic value through structured venture creation,” said Dr. Abdenour Haddou. “It is about building ventures that are viable, scalable, and impactful for our economies and societies.”

Amine Staali, Managing Partner and CEO of DeepMinds, added: “DeepX reflects our vision to position deep technology at the core of economic development. By connecting science, industry, and venture building, we are creating a platform that enables the emergence of impactful ventures and long-term technological capabilities for the region and beyond.”

A key outcome of the summit is the development of the Deep Tech Opportunities Map, identifying high-potential intersections between emerging technologies and industry needs. This serves as a strategic blueprint for venture creation, investment direction, and ecosystem collaboration.

During the summit, and as part of its execution roadmap, DeepMinds has also initiated strategic partnerships with key industry players, including SAIDAL, a leading pharmaceutical manufacturing group, and CAAT, a major national insurance company, supporting the development and deployment of ventures within priority sectors.

Positioned as an annual summit, DeepX will continue to expand its footprint, with the next edition announced for December 2026 in Djanet, southern Algeria. The upcoming edition will further strengthen the connection between deep technology, environment, and reflection, drawing inspiration from the unique landscape of the Tassili n’Ajjer region.

With its launch, DeepX sets the foundation for a new approach to deep technology, one that focuses on venture creation, economic viability, and long-term capability building, positioning the region as an active contributor to global innovation.

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Dubai Chambers recently hosted a legal workshop in partnership with Habib Al Mulla and Partners to address the vital issue of force majeure in UAE-governed contracts. The session, which attracted 375 participants from the business community, provided practical guidance on how to read, negotiate, and apply these crucial clauses to build resilience and manage risk effectively.

Held under the title ‘Force Majeure and Contractual Risk: Navigating Contract Obligations Under UAE Laws’, the workshop provided insights on how to correctly interpret and negotiate force majeure clauses, the legal consequences of invoking the doctrine incorrectly, and how recent amendments to the UAE Civil Transactions Law are reshaping the risk landscape for businesses across the emirates.

H.E. Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah, President and CEO of Dubai Chambers, commented: “In an increasingly complex global environment, legal clarity is fundamental to business resilience. Our goal is to empower businesses with the strategic legal knowledge required to navigate uncertainty, manage risk effectively, and thrive amid evolving market conditions. By partnering with leading legal experts, we are proactively helping companies make informed decisions and build more robust contracts that enhance their long-term sustainability and competitive edge.”

Dr. Habib Al Mulla, Founder of Habib Al Mulla and Partners, stated: “Understanding when the law intervenes to rebalance contractual obligations, and when it does not, is critical to managing risk in the UAE. We see this distinction play out regularly in practice, where outcomes often turn on how clearly contracts are drafted and how well their risk allocation reflects the legal framework. A more informed approach in these areas helps businesses make better decisions, particularly in moments of uncertainty.”

Drawing on frontline experience in UAE commercial litigation and contract advisory, the discussions provided valuable guidance on successfully navigating one of the key practical issues in today’s business environment. The workshop highlighted that clearly drafted force majeure clauses are essential in reducing ambiguity, minimising potential disputes, and providing a predictable legal framework for business continuity.

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