Author: Arabian Media staff
Along with optimism that President Trump can lock Israel and Hamas into a deal, many expressed anxiety about being disappointed once more. Source link
In a speech that lasted just minutes, the Israeli prime minister boasted that he had defied his critics to secure the release of the remaining hostages in Gaza. Source link
The tie between startups and the U.S. government have strengthened in recent years, a shift buoyed by an interest in using AI, automation, space, robotics, and climate tech for defense. And while that has provided another welcome path to capital, the relationship is getting complicated. A growing share of startups have the U.S. government as customers, or are aiming for permits and defense-related contracts. When the government is operational, that connection can provide a needed boost and revenue to startups. But when the government ceases to function, as it did starting October 1, those close ties can stifle or even…
Israel said it would cooperate with the White House to end the war, but much is still unclear about Hamas’s future and whether it will agree to disarm. Source link
Agriculture is a thirsty industry, consuming 70% of all fresh water used worldwide. In some countries, like India or Chile, it can be more than 90%. For Mario Bustamante, who lives in Chile, the problem hits close to home. “Lack of water is a big issue here,” he told TechCrunch. Bustamante is betting that AI can help slash water use in farms across the world. His startup, Instacrops, was originally founded to deploy internet-of-things (IoT) sensors on farms to warn farmers about damaging frost conditions, but as the hardware became commoditized, the company pivoted to software and water use. Now,…
The UAE’s first federally licensed lottery is just a week away and people in the country are looking forward to the AED100m ($27.2m) prize draw. Find out everything you need to know, from game types and rules to the odds of winning major cash prizes. Also this week, we looked ahead to the 2025 public holiday dates, the Riyadh Metro made its long-awaited debut, Mohamed Alabbar spoke out on ambitions for the future of Noon, off-plan property in Dubai was in the spotlight and more. Catch up with 10 of the best stories this week as selected by Arabian Business…
This represents an increase of 120 per cent compared to 2023, underlining Dubai’s growing appeal among entrepreneurs and startups specialising in key digital sectors. The chamber also trained 1,333 Emiratis in the fundamentals of mobile application development in 2024, achieving growth of 170 per cent compared to the previous year. Digital startups in Dubai The training was completed as part of the “Create Apps in Dubai” initiative, launched by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, which aims to train and qualify 1,000 Emiratis…
Lendo, the leading debt crowdfunding platform in Saudi Arabia, announced securing a $690 million (SAR 2.6 billion) warehouse facility led by J.P. Morgan. Supported by Fintech Saudi, this milestone underscores the growth in Saudi Arabia’s fintech sector and the vast opportunity in SME financing in the economy, the company said. Lendo said J.P. Morgan’s facility will be strategically deployed to increase the company’s lending capacity, introduce more innovative products, and expand its SME coverage in the Kingdom. The facility is also expected to contribute to an increase in job creation in the Kingdom. “This landmark facility represents a transformative moment…
AI-based e-commerce provider qeen.ai announced it has raised $10 million in funding, which it claims is one of the largest seed investments in the MENA region to date. The funding was led by Prosus Ventures, with participation from existing investors including Wamda Capital, 10x Founders and Dara Holdings. This brings qeen.ai’s total funding to $12 million. The company said the seed funding will support its growth strategy by expanding the reach and capabilities of its agentic AI platform, scaling the team, and attracting a wider customer base. It said it will expand its existing fully autonomous content and marketing agents…
An innovation hub in the UAE is inviting sports entrepreneurs and startup businesses to join its incubator program to receive funding support and advice. Ethara 1TW Innovation Hub (E1H), the region’s first dedicated sports and entertainment innovation hub, has opened applications for its incubator programme. E1H, based in Abu Dhabi and launched in December 2024 by event management and venue operator Ethara, in collaboration with sports investment specialists OnetoWatch (1TW), is designed to fast-track talented entrepreneurs and early-stage businesses. UAE sport business incubator Given the exponential rise in global sports and entertainment investment in the MENA region, E1H was created…