CompassPoint Consulting has formalised a strategic partnership with CGI, the Dubai-based compliance and governance consultancy, to support growing businesses across the UAE and GCC with integrated financial, compliance and governance advisory.

The partnership brings together two complementary areas of expertise that are increasingly critical for companies operating in fast-moving regional markets.

CompassPoint Consulting provides fractional CFO leadership, financial planning and analysis, cash flow forecasting, reporting automation, operational transformation and senior finance support.

CGI provides senior-led compliance, governance, AML, KYC and regulatory advisory services, helping businesses strengthen their frameworks, manage complexity and make clearer decisions in regulated and non-regulated environments.

Together, the two firms will support clients across both their financial and regulatory needs, helping founders, leadership teams, family offices and growth-stage companies access senior expertise without the cost or complexity of building every capability in-house.

For many businesses across the UAE and GCC, financial discipline and regulatory readiness are often treated as separate workstreams. Forecasting, cash flow visibility, profitability, governance, AML, KYC and regulatory preparedness may be handled by different advisers, at different times, with limited coordination between them. The new CompassPoint and CGI partnership has been designed to close that gap.

Through the partnership, clients will be able to access CompassPoint’s CFO-level finance insight alongside CGI’s execution-focused compliance and governance support, creating a more joined-up approach to business decision-making, risk management and sustainable growth.

Zaid Aboobaker, Founder and CEO of CompassPoint Consulting, said: “Growing businesses in the UAE and GCC are operating in markets with enormous opportunity, but opportunity also brings complexity. Founders and leadership teams need clarity on their numbers, their cash position, their forecasts and their growth plans. At the same time, they need to understand their governance responsibilities, regulatory obligations and compliance risks.

“Our partnership with CGI reflects the way we believe advisory support should work. Businesses do not need disconnected advice. They need senior people who understand their objectives, can work together, and can help them make practical decisions with confidence. By combining CompassPoint’s fractional CFO and strategic finance capability with CGI’s compliance, AML, KYC and governance expertise, we can support clients across a much broader part of their journey.”

CGI is a boutique consultancy built around client-led decision-making, discretion and senior accountability. With a focus on the UAE market and international capabilities, CGI supports businesses, individuals and family offices in complex situations where structure, pace and execution are essential.

Jamie Killilea, Partner and Head of Global Compliance at CGI, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with CompassPoint Consulting. Our two firms bring highly complementary skillsets, but we also share a similar view of what clients need from advisers: clarity, accountability, practical judgement and work that can be executed.”

Mike Foster-Dalporto, Partner and COO at CGI, added:  “Compliance, governance, AML and KYC are no longer issues that businesses can treat as administrative or reactive. They are central to how companies protect value, maintain trust and create the conditions for sustainable growth. By working with CompassPoint, we can help clients connect the financial and regulatory sides of their business more effectively.”

The partnership forms part of CompassPoint Consulting’s wider strategy to partner with companies whose services complement its own. The firm is actively building a network of specialist advisory partners to give clients access to a broader range of high-quality support across finance, operations, governance and business growth.

Zaid added: “Our clients are building, scaling and navigating complexity in one of the world’s most dynamic business regions. They need trusted relationships around them, but they also need those relationships to be coordinated. This partnership is about giving clients access to the right expertise, at the right time, through a practical and joined-up advisory model.”

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More than 100 young people from Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE have spent the last few weeks reimagining some of PepsiCo’s favorite brands for their local communities.

The second edition of Youth Impact Studio (YIS), PepsiCo’s program for nurturing a new generation of innovators in the Middle East, saw young changemakers invited to step into the role of brand strategists for Aquafina, Pepsi Zero, and Sting to run brand audits, dig into consumer insights, and build integrated brands campaigns designed to resonate with their generation.

Teams from each market were briefed to create campaigns with a big social impact. The briefs included “Moments of Clarity” and “Drops of Change” for Aquafina, inviting young people in Jordan and Lebanon to capture stillness and small acts of positive change. In Saudi Arabia, teams created campaigns around the “The 12th Player”, celebrating the energy of football fans and the nation’s momentum under Saudi Vision 2030, while the UAE teams’ “Full Throttle” campaigns channeled the spirit of ambition and creative drive. In Iraq, Sting inspired campaigns built around the spirit of local energy.

The program, delivered in partnership with parachute16 and supported by PepsiCo’s local bottlers, culminated last weekend in a regional summit in Amman with five participants attending from each country. At the summit’s conclusion, five individuals – one from each country – were selected to visit PepsiCo’s R&D hub in Dublin.

“As a company deeply rooted in the Middle East, we believe in the power of young people to shape the region’s future,” said Wael Ismail, VP of Corporate Affairs for MENAPAK. “This year’s participants challenged assumptions, debated ideas, and co-created solutions from their communities and cultures. They gave us valuable insight into how youth see our brands and reminded us that the best ideas for positive change often come from young people themselves. Our role is to listen and give those ideas a platform.”

While participants used AI to support the creative process, the competition heavily emphasized human creativity with young people developing skills in public speaking and pitching, design thinking, teamwork, leadership, and problem solving.

YIS 2026 expanded beyond the first edition’s focus on sustainability to include broader themes like social impact, storytelling, and community engagement. More than a one-off competition, YIS is a growing community where young people across the region come together to learn, share perspectives, collaborate, and innovate. It forms part of PepsiCo’s ongoing commitment to investing in the region’s youth and providing a platform to amplify young people’s voices and ideas.

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Emirates NBD and Techstars announced a strategic partnership to shift from traditional startup mentorship towards a commercially driven “Acceleration-to-Enterprise” model, designed to integrate high-growth AI and Fintech innovations directly into Emirates NBD’s banking ecosystem encompassing multiple markets. This partnership follows Emirates NBD’s recent #1 ranking in the inaugural Evident AI Index for Banks – Middle East and Africa, where it was the only bank to achieve top three performance across Talent, Innovation and Leadership, underscoring the bank’s position as one of the region’s most advanced financial institutions in artificial intelligence maturity.

The partnership unites Techstars with Emirates NBD’s established innovation ecosystem, including its Fintech engagement initiatives, AI-driven transformation programmes, and strategic partnerships with global technology leaders. By combining Techstars’ global pipeline of over 11,000 founders with the bank’s advanced analytics infrastructure, which currently manages over 50 active AI use cases, the alliance will deliver scalable, commercial pathways for agentic Fintech startups, with a focus on compliance, wealth management, SME banking, and capital markets.

This initiative is a core component of Emirates NBD’s commitment to the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33), which aims to rank Dubai as one of the top four global financial centres by 2033.

Miguel Rio Tinto, Group Chief Digital and Information Officer at Emirates NBD, commented: “With Dubai now home to nearly 60% of GCC FinTech companies, we are pleased to partner with Techstars to tap into and capture Fintech’s new wave of innovation in agentic finance. Leveraging Emirates NBD’s regional footprint and digital capabilities, we are providing selected AI and Fintech startups with a direct pathway into enterprise banking, supporting solutions that can transform how we serve our nine million active customers.”

Neeraj Makin, Group Head of Strategy, Analytics and Venture Capital at Emirates NBD, said: “The partnership with Techstars reflects Emirates NBD’s continued focus on strengthening its innovation ecosystem and deepening engagement with global technology and startup networks. By combining access to emerging founders, market intelligence and new technology trends, we aim to accelerate innovation opportunities that support the Group’s long-term strategic, digital and AI ambitions across the region.”

Unlike standard accelerator programmes, this partnership emphasises enhancing the customer experience through highly personalised, secure, and resilient AI-driven banking services. Startups that solve real use cases and deliver bottom-line impact will gain access to Emirates NBD’s cloud-native infrastructure to pilot solutions that address fast-growing opportunities in the MENAT region and the surging demand for transparent, AI-powered investor intelligence.

David Cohen, CEO of Techstars, stated: “Techstars has always been about helping founders go faster. By partnering with a proactive, AI-first institution like Emirates NBD, we are giving our Fintech and AI founders a front-row seat to one of the most dynamic financial markets in the world. The UAE’s commitment to becoming a global hub for intelligent, data-driven innovation makes it the perfect launchpad for enterprise-grade solutions that will redefine the future of finance.”

In 2025, Emirates NBD advanced its AI-enabled capabilities, strengthened customer journeys, and built a more modern, cloud-native, and modular technology foundation with next-generation capabilities across the Group. The bank’s year-on-year growth is a direct result of its strategic investment in GenAI and digital initiatives, which are now being opened to the Techstars ecosystem to drive the next wave of financial inclusion and growth in the digital economy.

The initiative complements Emirates NBD’s broader innovation agenda, including programmes such as the National Digital Talent Incubator (NDTI), which focuses on developing the next generation of regional FinTech entrepreneurs.

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SupperClub Global today announces the launch of its new mobile app, now available to download on iOS and Android, marking a significant milestone in the premium dining and lifestyle platform’s continued growth and evolution. The app brings SupperClub’s global network of hospitality venues and exclusive offers directly into its members’ hands, with access across more than 21 countries.

The new SupperClub Global mobile app serves as a key consumer-facing touchpoint within the broader tech ecosystem, connecting members, partners and platforms in a more immediate way. The launch further proves SupperClub Global’s momentum as a female-owned UAE business that has scaled rapidly both regionally and internationally. The last year was the most successful yet for the brand, achieving 2,000% membership growth, 30% year-on-year increase in platform partners, double-digit growth in reservations with over 100,000 bookings facilitated, and more than 400 new restaurant partners added.

While SupperClub Global has previously operated via its web platform alongside a dedicated WhatsApp concierge, the introduction of the mobile app represents a natural next step, simplifying how members discover, book and access elite benefits. The design remains aligned with SupperClub Global’s core philosophy of discreet, experience-led offers, and works seamlessly alongside the other booking options.

SupperClub Global continues to evolve beyond a membership platform into a scalable, API-driven ecosystem. In addition to the new app, the business has built a modular infrastructure that enables integration with banks, payment networks and enterprise systems, allowing curated experiences to function as a programmable benefit layer embedded within external partner platforms. For example, SupperClub Global operates “Premium Dining Edition” for Visa Infinite cardholders, accessed directly through the Visa Airport Companion App. SupperClub Global can support capabilities such as card-linked offers, real-time eligibility validation, and partner-specific rule engines, enabling the frictionless deployment of fully configurable, high-value privileges, engineered for strategic collaborations.

“At the heart of this launch is our commitment to creating seamless, elevated access to the best of hospitality,” said Mehreen Omar, CEO and Co-Founder of SupperClub Global. “The new mobile app puts SupperClub Global in the palms of our members’ hands, with even more convenient ways to browse and book offers, ensuring an effortless brand experience wherever they are. At the same time, we are building the infrastructure to deliver these benefits more intelligently across partners and external platforms. As we continue to grow, our focus is to further elevate membership access with an expanded curated network around the world, while strengthening support for both our venue partners and enterprise partners.”

The SupperClub Global mobile app is available to download now on iOS and Android. For more information, visit https://supperclubme.com/memberships.

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UAE-based startup Taggy, a fashion resale platform, today announced it is entering its next phase of growth with a clear goal: to make buying and selling pre-loved fashion more effortless, intelligent, and accessible in the Middle East.

As the UAE continues to embrace more conscious ways of shopping, Taggy is positioned at the intersection of fashion, technology and sustainability. The platform encourages users to extend the life cycle of clothing, unlock the value of pieces they no longer wear and access quality fashion at more affordable price points.

While interest in resale continues to grow globally, selling fashion online can be time-consuming. Sellers often need to photograph items, write descriptions, set prices, respond to enquiries, manage packaging, and coordinate delivery. Buyers, meanwhile, can face inconsistent listings, limited search tools, slow delivery and uncertainty around product quality.

The need for more circular fashion solutions is increasingly urgent. The fashion industry is a major contributor to global emissions: the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change estimates that fashion contributes around 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions due to long supply chains and energy-intensive production. In the UAE, the shift towards more responsible consumption aligns with the country’s wider sustainability agenda, including its Net Zero 2050 Strategy and Circular Economy Policy 2021–2031, which promote resource efficiency, waste reduction and more sustainable consumption models. By helping users extend the life of clothing already in circulation, Taggy supports a more conscious way of shopping that reduces waste, encourages reuse and makes sustainable fashion choices more accessible.

Through AI-assisted listing tools, personalised shopping recommendations, secure payments, buyer protection and fulfilment-led services, the platform makes resale as easy and reliable as shopping new. For sellers, Taggy simplifies the process of turning unworn pieces into earnings. The platform’s listing technology can help generate product titles, descriptions, categories, style tags and pricing recommendations, reducing the effort required to list items. Sellers can choose to self-list through the app, while Taggy’s longer-term service model includes additional support such as virtual listing, in-person listing, and professional photography.

For buyers, Taggy offers a curated shopping journey. The platform learns from each user’s favourite brands, sizes, style preferences, wishlists and shopping behaviour to create a personalised discovery experience.

“Taggy was created to make resale feel effortless,” says Mark Leeming, Co-Founder of Taggy. “Our goal is to build the region’s most intelligent fashion marketplace, one that uses technology to remove the friction from selling, buying and discovering pre-loved fashion. By making resale easier, more trusted and more accessible, we can help build a future where sustainable shopping becomes the first choice, not the alternative.”

Taggy is now inviting UAE residents to explore the platform, list their pre-loved pieces and discover a smarter way to shop second-hand.

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Tally Solutions today announced the launch of TallyPrime 7.1, which introduces three key enhancements for UAE businesses: e-Invoicing readiness, direct EmaraTax-powered VAT compliance, and enhanced invoice personalization, helping organisations align with the country’s evolving digital ecosystem while continuing to operate with simplicity and confidence.

As one of the few business management software providers offering direct integration with the EmaraTax portal, Tally continues to simplify tax and compliance workflows for businesses across the UAE. Businesses using TallyPrime for VAT e-return filing have experienced an average improvement of over 17% in filing efficiency through direct API-based integration with EmaraTax.

A key highlight of the latest update is comprehensive support for UAE e-Invoicing workflows. TallyPrime 7.1 offers a guided onboarding journey, from initial setup through EmaraTax registration, helping businesses become e-Invoicing ready through a simple and intuitive process.

Built-in validations proactively identify missing or incorrect information before invoices are exchanged, helping improve accuracy and ensuring smoother interactions with the e-Invoicing ecosystem.

Businesses can choose between instant invoice exchange and bulk processing based on their operational requirements, while bilingual support in English and Arabic ensures ease of adoption across the UAE’s diverse business community. To further strengthen security, TallyPrime 7.1 incorporates two-factor authentication fore-Invoice exchange, adding an additional layer of protection through OTP-based verification and helping safeguard business transactions from unauthorised access.

As an FTA-accredited solution for VAT filing, TallyPrime 7.1 further strengthens its connected compliance capabilities through direct integration with the EmaraTax portal. Users can securely access filing statuses, download and reconcile Customs Import and Tourist Refund Scheme data, compare VAT returns against their books, and submit VAT 201 returns directly through TallyPrime.

By bringing compliance workflows closer to day-to-day business operations, the release enables businesses to maintain greater accuracy, visibility, and control over their tax processes. For organisations maintaining accurate accounting records, VAT returns can typically be prepared in less than five minutes using TallyPrime’s built-in VAT reporting capabilities.

The release also introduces a substantially enhanced invoice personalisation experience, enabling businesses to create invoices that reflect their unique identity while maintaining the trust and credibility associated with a Tally invoice. With a range of modern,customisable invoice templates, businesses can personalise invoices with logos, signatures, watermarks, and business-specific information, allowing them to express their brand in a way that is uniquely their own. The result is an invoice that reflects boththe business’s identity and Tally’s consistency, professionalism, and credibility.

Commenting on the launch, Vikas Panchal, Senior General Manager – MENA, Tally Solutions, said, “The UAE continues to set a strong benchmark in driving digital transformation initiatives that are creating a more connected and future-ready business environment. As businesses prepare for the next phase of the country’s e-Invoicing journey, they needtechnology that not only supports evolving requirements but also works the way they do. With TallyPrime 7.1, we have focused on helping businesses embrace this transition with confidence through e-Invoicing readiness, connected compliance through direct EmaraTax integration, and greater flexibility in everyday business operations. By bringing these capabilities together in a single experience, we are enabling businesses to participate more effectively in the UAE’s digital economy while staying focused on growth.”

The launch comes at a pivotal moment as businesses across the UAE prepare for a more digitally connected business and compliance ecosystem. Through TallyPrime 7.1, Tally Solutions continues its commitment to building technology that adapts to the way businesses operate, helping them simplify operations, stay aligned with evolving regulatory requirements, and confidently participate in the UAE’s digital economy journey.

TallyPrime 7.1 is now available for businesses across the UAE. Existing customers can seamlessly upgrade to the latest release and immediately access the new e-Invoicing, connected VAT compliance, reconciliation, security, and invoice personalisation capabilities.

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Advancing its 2030 vision to support 1,000 ventures and facilitate AED 50 million in commercial deals for Sharjah-based businesses, the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa) has launched the ‘Sheraa Membership’, a unified founder support system designed to provide entrepreneurs with continuous access to mentorship, funding opportunities, relevant networks, and ecosystem resources throughout every stage of their growth journey.

By 2030, the membership aims to support the launch of more than 50 youth-led businesses and create 1,000 jobs. Applications to the annual membership are now open on a rolling basis through Sheraa’s official website: https://sheraa.ae/membership. Applicants of all nationalities interested in setting up or growing their ventures in Sharjah are eligible to apply.

Sheraa Membership brings together access to the center’s founder support ecosystem through a single, integrated platform. Designed to support entrepreneurs at different stages of their journey, the membership provides access to tailored programmes, expert guidance, community connections, growth opportunities, and resources that help founders move from idea validation to business growth and expansion. By creating a more connected experience, the membership enables entrepreneurs to access the support most relevant to their needs as their businesses evolve.

Additionally, the membership enables Sheraa to support entrepreneurs throughout their entire journey, creating ongoing access to its ecosystem beyond individual programme cycles. From aspiring founders and early-stage startups to alumni and growing SMEs, members can engage with the resources, networks, opportunities, and support most relevant to their evolving needs.

How the membership programme works
Sheraa Membership is built across sequential stages. Each stage is structured around defined entry and exit criteria, giving founders a clear framework for progression. Members follow a guided curriculum and task-based roadmap tailored to their stage, complemented by regular in-person sessions that provide hands-on support and direct access to Sheraa’s network of advisors and partners.

The membership includes three interconnected layers of support. The first covers discounted licensing and co-working access to help founders establish and operate in Sharjah, in addition to rent concessions and accommodation, insurance, education discounts, and lifestyle benefits.

The second delivers hands-on knowledge-building through masterclasses, business clinics, sprint labs, one-to-one advisory sessions with Entrepreneurs-in-Residence, and regular office hours. The third connects members to the broader ecosystem through investor introductions, access to Sharjah’s procurement platform, trade missions, and participation in the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival and other local and global showcase and networking opportunities.

Commenting on the evolution of the center’s founder support, H.E. Sara Abdelaziz Al Nuaimi, CEO of Sheraa, said: “Sheraa Membership is, at its core, a commitment to the founder. Every entrepreneur who walks through our doors can expect access to a program, and a sustained partnership that grows with them at every stage, from their first idea through to scale. As Sheraa enters its next decade, we are focused on broadening our impact through this membership. Looking ahead to 2030, our focus extends beyond supporting more ventures; it emphasises on enabling founders to build resilient businesses that contribute to Sharjah’s innovation-driven economy.”

The announcement of the membership came during a curated gathering of founders and ecosystem stakeholders at the Sheraa HQ at Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park (SPARK). The event featured the Sheraa Founders Roundtable, which brought together entrepreneurs from Sheraa’s community, including RAWA Wellness, a homegrown UAE wellness brand, Eshara AI, an AI-powered platform providing real-time sign language translation through digital avatars, and Little Sprouties, a business providing healthy, farm-to-spoon meals for children aged 6 months to 4 years. Together, they discussed the role of community in scaling businesses and shared their experiences of growing their ventures within Sheraa’s ecosystem.

For 2026-27, Sheraa is looking to onboard up to 400 members across all stages. The membership’s goals align directly with Sharjah’s strategic priorities to build a competitive, knowledge-based economy and strengthen its startup and SME sectors.

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Cloudflare and beehiiv announced a strategic partnership to redefine the creator economy and how independent creators interact with AI. By integrating Cloudflare’s advanced Crawl Control technology directly into the beehiiv platform, the partnership equips creators with clear visibility and granular control over how AI models use their work.

As AI models evolve to offer new forms of search and discovery, independent creators are looking for flexible ways to understand and manage how their content is accessed. This integration simplifies the process by letting beehiiv users manage their digital footprint through two clear choices: publishers can either opt-in to maximum discovery to allow AI search engines and agents to crawl their work freely for broader distribution, or choose content protection, blocking AI scraping to preserve their archives for future monetization and licensing opportunities.

“Cloudflare is dedicated to protecting and enabling content creators, from independent bloggers to the world’s largest publishers,” said Matthew Prince, co-founder and CEO of Cloudflare. “As the Internet evolves, our commitment remains the same: ensuring creators have the tools they need to thrive. This partnership with beehiiv is the next logical step in that mission, giving newsletter operators the transparency and control to navigate the AI era on their own terms, whether they are optimizing for discovery or preserving their work for future opportunities.”

“beehiiv was built to support creator independence,” said Tyler Denk, co-founder and CEO of beehiiv. “As AI changes how people find and consume content, publishers need real leverage. Our partnership with Cloudflare gives creators the data and controls they need to either maximize discovery and distribution, or protect their writing and dictate their own terms.”

Managing AI bots historically required complex technical engagement, like manual robots.txt updates or firewalls. This partnership removes those technical hurdles, giving publishers of all sizes–from large media outlets to individual creators–the ability to easily set automated preferences. Key features of the integration include:

• Personalized Analytics: Creators get an on-platform dashboard powered by Cloudflare APIs. This shows exactly which AI crawlers are attempting to access their content, which ones are being blocked, and the referral traffic those crawlers send back to the newsletter.
• One-Click Toggle Permissions: The ability to block or allow specific AI models based on the creator’s business goals.
• Future-Proof Rights Management: Automatic updates that adapt to new AI crawlers as they emerge on the web, ensuring creators have the most up-to-date control without needing to update code.

AI Crawl Control will be available to all beehiiv users in beta, giving every publisher visibility into how AI services interact with their content and the traffic they generate. beehiiv Max customers will also have access to AI Crawl Control, enabling them to block AI crawlers and decide how their content is used across the AI ecosystem.

The new AI control features will be available through the platform’s standard dashboard settings.

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Freedom Telecom International has opened a Silicon Valley Innovation Center with Nokia near Nokia’s Sunnyvale campus, creating a collaborative space focused on next-gen digital infrastructure, AI, cloud technologies for telecom-fintech convergence, and state-of-the-art consumer applications.

Complementary to Nokia’s recently launched AI Networking Innovation Lab, the center will serve as a testing ground for joint initiatives across Freedom Holding Corp. (FRHC), Freedom Telecom International, Freedom Lifestyle Group, and Nokia, where teams can experiment, build, test, evaluate, and demonstrate digital solutions designed for direct application across FRHC’s operational footprint.

The collaboration combines Nokia’s expertise in networks, cloud, edge computing, and AI-ready infrastructure with Freedom Holding Corp.’s expanding ecosystem in finance, banking, insurance, telecom, payments, e-commerce, and lifestyle services. The parties are determined to discover and develop the most promising next-generation digital infrastructure solutions. Early focus will be on AI data center blueprints, cloud infrastructure and advanced networking, 5G and edge use cases, and enabling AI-powered consumer services.

By being located in the heart of Silicon Valley, the center will bring together:

• Nokia’s infrastructure, engineering expertise, global innovation network, and technology testbeds;
• Freedom’s ecosystem, market access, investment capabilities, and experience scaling digital financial and lifestyle services;
• Silicon Valley’s unique energy: the closeness of all technology partners, world-class entrepreneurs and world-class tech talent.

During the opening ceremony, Timur Turlov, CEO of Freedom Holding Corp., said, “Financial services represent a tremendous global opportunity due to their inefficiencies. Too much time, effort, and human capital are spent on processes that can already be automated. We have proven that it is possible to approve a mortgage within hours, and this encourages us to completely rethink the role of traditional structures. AI opens our horizon and allows us to tackle complex processes which can be redesigned and assisted through its capabilities. I trust our partner, Nokia, that together we can move our ideas to real, scalable solutions for the benefit of our ecosystem.”

Mikko Lavanti from Nokia commented, “This partnership is about delivering tangible value together. At Nokia, we bring deep expertise in designing and deploying high-performance AI infrastructure at scale, backed by a strong track record of innovation. We are proud to support Freedom in launching state-of-the-art consumer applications across its markets, helping to accelerate its AI ambitions with resilient and future-ready infrastructure.”

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AXON successfully concluded its exclusive Investor Summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, bringing together a distinguished group of investors, decision-makers, and leaders from the fintech and investment sectors across the Kingdom and the wider region to discuss the future of financial infrastructure connecting traditional finance with the digital economy.

The event was attended by representatives from some of Saudi Arabia’s leading investment firms and financial institutions, including organizations connected to the Kingdom’s national investment ecosystem and prominent venture capital funds such as the Ministry of Investment, Raed Ventures, Sadu Capital, and Takamol Ventures, alongside representatives from other investment firms, funds, and financial technology companies.

Held under the theme “Connecting Traditional Finance with the Digital Economy: The Future of Financial Infrastructure in the GCC,” the summit showcased AXON’s vision of building a unified financial orchestration layer that seamlessly connects banks, payment networks, stablecoins, and digital asset infrastructure within a fully integrated ecosystem designed to meet the highest standards of regulatory compliance.

During the event, the AXON team presented an overview of the company’s flagship products, including AXON Transfer and AXON Pay, which are designed to simplify and accelerate cross-border payments and settlements. The platform aims to reduce settlement times for international transfers and payments from several days to as little as one hour. The company also presented its product roadmap and expansion plans across Saudi Arabia as well as regional and global markets.

The summit concluded with the signing of a strategic investment agreement between AXON and Maarej Real Estate, under which Maarej committed to invest approximately SAR 4 million (approx. $1 million) in the company. The investment reflects growing confidence in AXON’s vision and its role in developing the next generation of financial infrastructure across the region.

Commenting on the occasion, Malek Alzubi, Co-Founder and CEO of AXON, said: “We are witnessing a fundamental transformation in the way value moves across the global economy. Our mission at AXON is to build the infrastructure that enables institutions to move seamlessly between traditional and digital financial systems within a comprehensive regulatory framework. Maarej’s investment marks an important milestone in our journey and reinforces the market’s confidence in the growth opportunities we are creating.”

For his part, Tamim Al-Juhani, Chairman of Maarej Real Estate, said that the investment reflects the company’s strong belief in AXON’s significant potential and its ability to play a pivotal role in supporting the region’s financial transformation. He added that the investment aligns with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 and contributes to strengthening the Kingdom’s position as a global hub for financial innovation. The agreement also marks the beginning of a strategic partnership between the two companies to support AXON’s growth and expand its presence in the Saudi market.

AXON continues to advance its regulatory approvals while expanding strategic partnerships with leading global financial and technology institutions. The company’s long-term vision is to establish a unified financial layer connecting traditional banking systems with modern digital infrastructure, helping accelerate cross-border trade and payments across the region and beyond.

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NinjaOne announced a $12.3 billion valuation following more than $400 million in Series C extensions. The extensions included participation from Wellington Management, Teachers’ Venture Growth (TVG), BDT & MSD Partners’ affiliated funds, Sequoia Capital, ICONIQ, Hedosophia, NEA, Washington Harbour Partners, CapitalG, and Pinegrove Opportunity Partners.

“We’re in a rare position to collaborate with some of the most forward-thinking investors in the world, and those partnerships are shaping how we bring AI into every layer of our business, from our platform roadmap and market expansion to our internal operations. This will fundamentally accelerate how we build and scale for our customers and partners, and will ensure our growth is not just intentional, but inevitable,” said Sal Sferlazza, CEO and co-founder at NinjaOne. “NinjaOne is well positioned to be the control plane for unified IT – rooted in a powerfully simple platform, our automation DNA, and our relentless focus on making customers and partners successful.”

“By 2030, over 50% of digital workplace tasks will be automated via digital workplace operations automation platforms, an increase from less than 5% in 2026,” according to Gartner. Nearly 40,000 organizations in 140+ countries use the NinjaOne Unified IT Operations Platform to unify IT and simplify work for everyone. The cloud and multi-tenant native platform manages, protects, and supports endpoint and IT operations workflows in a single console that delivers intelligent automation and efficiency at scale. This combination of modern architecture, automation at scale, market and use case coverage, and results delivers significant return on investment to our customers and partners. IDC Research** found NinjaOne customers on average enjoy:

• 720% three-year return on investment
• 4-month payback on investment
• $1M in annual benefits per 5,000 endpoints managed

NinjaOne remains founder-led and controlled. Co-founders Sal Sferlazza and Chris Matarese are still the largest equity holders in the company and have majority control of the Board of Directors and the company’s voting power. NinjaOne has nearly 40,000 customers, including Arc’teryx, Audi Revolut F1 Team, Birkenstock, Carnival Cruise Line, Deloitte, Executech, GoFundMe, Hyundai, Kawasaki, Mitsubishi, PGA Tour, Porsche, TeamLogic, and UCLA – Anderson School of Management.

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Sia Arora, photographer and leading visual storyteller, explains how the next‑gen startup landscape is unlocking new opportunities for photographers, blending vision, authenticity, technology, and community to help creators thrive in today’s fast‑moving digital and gig‑driven economy.

How is today’s startup landscape — especially one driven by next‑gen founders — creating new opportunities for photographers and content creators?
The startup ecosystem has completely reshaped the creative economy. Today’s founders, especially Gen Z and young millennial entrepreneurs, understand the power of storytelling better than any generation before them. They build brands that live online first, and that means they need visuals that communicate identity, purpose, and emotion instantly. This shift has opened enormous opportunities for photographers and content creators. Startups move fast, experiment constantly, and rely heavily on digital presence — from pitch decks and product launches to social media campaigns and community‑building. In the gig economy, this creates a steady demand for creators who can deliver high‑quality, multi‑platform content with agility. What excites me most is that startups value creativity as a strategic asset, not an afterthought. They want collaborators, not just service providers. For photographers, this means you’re not just capturing images; you’re helping shape the brand narrative of the next generation of companies. It’s a space where fresh ideas are welcomed, experimentation is encouraged, and creators can grow alongside the startups they support.

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Music Nation, a pioneer in music rights management based in the United Arab Emirates, and the Human Artistry Campaign, a global alliance of more than 200 organizations across the creative and technology communities, today announced that MusicNation has joined the coalition advocating for responsible AI that supports innovation, while protecting human creativity, consent and creator rights.

MusicNation becomes the first signatory to the Human Artistry Campaign from the Middle East, expanding the campaign’s international reach at a critical moment for the global music and creative industries.

The Human Artistry Campaign brings together organizations across music, film, television, publishing, journalism, voice acting, photography and other creative sectors to advance principles for ethical AI. The campaign supports innovation that respects human expression, protects creators’ rights, and ensures that artists, performers, songwriters, composers, publishers, labels and other rights holders retain control over the use of their work, voice, image and likeness.

MusicNation’s participation reflects the company’s role in helping implement the UAE’s vision for the protection and enforcement of musical copyrights, while supporting the country’s broader ambition to lead in responsible innovation. In 2017, the UAE became the first country in the world to appoint a Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, signaling a national commitment to shaping the future of AI across every sector. As the UAE continues to rapidly advance AI across government, industry and the digital economy, MusicNation is uniquely positioned to help ensure that the creative industries are part of that leadership, reinforcing the importance of clear licensing frameworks, trusted rights infrastructure and creator-focused policies that allow technology and human creativity to grow together.

Rasha Khalifa Al Mubarak, MusicNation’s Founder and Chairwoman, said, “The UAE has quickly established itself as one of the world’s most forward-looking markets for AI, innovation and the creative economy. As that momentum accelerates, MusicNation and our allies in the Human Artistry Campaign seek to support the next phase of growth on trust, transparency and respect for human creativity. We are proud to join the Human Artistry Campaign to support responsible AI, clear licensing frameworks and protections that ensure creators and technology companies can thrive together.”

Amer M. Samhoun, MusicNation’s CEO, said, “Human creativity is the foundation of music. As new technologies emerge, our goal is not to impede innovation, but to help ensure it develops on a foundation of respect for creators, clear licensing, transparency and trust. That is essential for artists, for technology companies and for the future of the creative economy.”

Dr. Moiya McTier, Human Artistry Campaign senior advisor, said, “MusicNation’s support reflects the growing global recognition that responsible AI must be built with respect for human creativity. Innovators and policymakers around the world are working to embrace powerful new technologies while preserving the uniquely human artistry, identity and rights that fuel culture. MusicNation’s leadership in the Middle East is an important addition to this growing international movement that prioritizes creators.”

With best-in-class tools, technology and leading industry partnerships with Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI), the largest performing rights organization in the world, and SoundExchange Inc., the recording industry’s top digital global collective management organization, MusicNation is building the region’s premier rights management organization capable of supporting the timely, transparent and accurate collection and distribution of music royalties. BMI and SoundExchange are existing Human Artistry Campaign members.

The Human Artistry Campaign is a leading voice in global discussions around AI and creativity, including advocacy for protections against unauthorized deepfakes, voice clones and digital replicas, as well as support for market-based licensing models that allow technology companies and creators to collaborate responsibly.

MusicNation’s decision to join the Human Artistry Campaign follows a period of increased international attention on AI, copyright, licensing and personality rights. The Human Artistry Campaign has advocated for clear guardrails to ensure AI systems are developed in ways that respect existing law, require authorization for the use of creative works, and protect individuals from the unauthorized use of their voice, image and likeness.

For MusicNation, joining the campaign also reflects a broader commitment to helping build a robust music economy in the UAE and the broader Middle East and North Africa region. As AI becomes a growing part of the global creative economy, MusicNation and the Human Artistry Campaign share the view that innovation is strongest when supported by consent, transparency, licensing and respect for the people whose work, voices, images and ideas make creative technologies possible.

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Masdar City has officially launched Biosphere Labs, the GCC’s first commercially scaled shared laboratory facility, marking a major milestone for startups in biotechnology, life sciences, and deep‑tech innovation. Announced at the BIO International Convention 2026 in San Diego, the new facility directly addresses one of the biggest barriers facing early‑stage science‑driven ventures: access to specialised, capital‑intensive lab infrastructure.

For startups, the launch represents a transformative shift. Instead of spending months — and millions — building compliant lab environments, founders can now access ready‑to‑use bench space, advanced equipment, operational support, and a fully integrated life sciences ecosystem from day one. This dramatically reduces the cost, complexity, and time required to validate ideas, run experiments, and scale prototypes.

Developed in partnership with M42 and Attentive Science, Biosphere Labs is a plug‑and‑play innovation hub where emerging companies can build, test, and commercialise new technologies within a single, connected environment. For global startups looking to enter the Middle East, the facility also serves as a soft‑landing platform, offering immediate access to Abu Dhabi’s fast‑growing life sciences cluster.

The new lab builds on Masdar City’s HELM cluster — a dedicated hub for health, longevity, medicine, and advanced biotechnology — which already hosts leading organisations such as Thermo Fisher Scientific, Oxford Nanopore Technologies, Insilico Medicine, and the Abu Dhabi Biobank. For founders, this means proximity to potential partners, customers, and investors, all within a single innovation district.

Government and industry leaders emphasised the accelerator‑like impact Biosphere Labs will have on early‑stage ventures. H.E. Dr Noura Khamis Al Ghaithi, Undersecretary of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, noted that the facility “provides researchers, startups and biotechnology companies with the infrastructure needed to build, test and scale new technologies,” helping translate discoveries into real‑world solutions. M42 and Attentive Science echoed this, highlighting the lab’s role in enabling scientific breakthroughs and supporting the creation of globally competitive intellectual property.

With more than 2,000 organisations already operating in the Masdar City Free Zone — including clean‑tech startups supported by The Catalyst — the addition of Biosphere Labs strengthens Abu Dhabi’s position as a rising global destination for science‑driven entrepreneurship. For founders across biotech, genomics, precision medicine, and advanced materials, the message is clear: Abu Dhabi is building the region’s most accessible, startup‑ready life sciences ecosystem.

Ahmed Baghoum, Chief Executive Officer of Masdar City, said: “Biosphere Labs is a defining milestone in Masdar City’s life sciences journey and proof of what becomes possible when the foundations, partnerships, infrastructure and policy are built with intention. Masdar City was designed to be a test bed, a place where new models are not just imagined but demonstrated, and Biosphere Labs is precisely that. We are proud to help create the conditions for scientific innovation by removing barriers, attracting global expertise, and giving researchers, startups and biotechnology companies the platform they need to develop, test and scale new innovations.

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500 Global and Sanabil Investments announce the eleventh batch of the Sanabil Accelerator by 500 Global, a hybrid program supporting early-stage founders building in sectors critical to the region’s future. Running from April 5 to July 1, 2026, the cohort brings together a highly selective group of eight startups, chosen from more than 690 applications, with companies building across AI-driven products, fintech and payment infrastructure, healthcare diagnostics, digital risk and fraud, insurance distribution, compliance, and content and IP monetization.

For this cohort, the team looked for companies that demonstrate the potential for strong operating discipline, clear business fundamentals and a sharp focus on execution, qualities we believe are important in this region. In response to ongoing uncertainty across the Middle East, the program has adapted its format, with Phases 1 and 2 delivered fully remotely as part of its hybrid model. The approach reflects how the Sanabil Accelerator by 500 Global continues to evolve alongside the MENA ecosystem, giving founders practical support while maintaining the flexibility needed to build through changing market conditions.

Participating founders have received targeted mentorship, operator-led workshops, access to regional and global networks, and exposure to ecosystem stakeholders ahead of Demo Day on July 1, 2026. Rather than following a one-size-fits-all accelerator model, Batch 11 has been designed around hands-on execution support, with a particular concentration of AI-enabled and infrastructure-driven companies addressing foundational challenges in the region.

“Batch 11 reflects the rising caliber and ambition of founders building from the region today,” said Amal Dokhan, Managing Partner at 500 Global MENA. “We are seeing entrepreneurs develop globally relevant companies with stronger execution, deeper innovation, and clearer paths to scale. We remain committed to empowering these founders with the capital, mentorship, and network needed to help accelerate their growth.”

A spokesperson for Sanabil Investments added, “This cohort demonstrates the strength and relevance of the region’s next generation of founders, particularly those building solutions in sectors that matter most to long-term economic resilience and growth. Through the Sanabil Accelerator by 500 Global, we remain committed to backing ambitious entrepreneurs with access, insight, and institutional support as they scale solutions with regional and global potential.”

The Sanabil Accelerator by 500 Global, Batch 11 companies are:

• Carevision – An AI platform that transforms any smartphone camera into a 60-second cardiometabolic risk scanner.
• Emtethal – A computer Vision and IoT technology helping hospitality operators detect and prevent food safety and operation violations in real-time.
• IBEA – Solves late B2B payments by turning them into revenue for buyers while giving suppliers early, debt-free access to capital.
• Kami – An AI-powered tools platform empowering Gen-Z content creators to monetize their work from day one by transforming short fictional stories into immersive, multi-format experiences.
• Melon Digital – An Insurtech app providing personalized coverage, transparent pricing, and AI-powered claims processing through mobile phones.
• Raid AI – Instantly detects deepfakes across channels, helping businesses prevent losses from identity theft and fraud.
• TPP – A media intelligence company that creates and scales Arabic content, helping brands make data-driven marketing investments.
• Xsquare – Helping businesses connect their financial operations in one unified view, saving them time from navigating disconnected tools to make sense of their money.

With Batch 11 concluding in July, applications for the next cohort are open. Startups from across the MENA region are invited to join the strong and growing community of ambitious founders shaping the future of innovation in the region. Apply here.

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