Today’s fastest-growing firms leverage technology, AI, and platform models to achieve exponential revenue growth, transforming industries from healthcare to fintech and logistics at unprecedented speed and scale.

EBANX deepens partnership with Stripe to enable Pix payments for global merchants, boosting Brazilian market reach and revenue. Pix now supports cross-border transactions, empowering Brazilian consumers and businesses with local payment methods.

In this episode of Born to Disrupt, former Deputy Mayor of London for Business Rajesh Agrawal joins the hosts to reflect on his remarkable journey from modest beginnings in India to becoming a successful fintech entrepreneur and senior policymaker. Over the course of the conversation, Rajesh shares his personal story, the challenges he faced, the lessons learned from building a business, and his perspective on London’s position as a leading global hub for innovation.

Founder mode empowers entrepreneurs with hands-on leadership and rapid innovation, but risks burnout without strategic self-care. Sustainable founder-led growth requires boundaries, delegation, support networks, and wellbeing practices to maintain long-term effectiveness and company success.

Reboot Coding Institute is launching AI programs for professionals and youth in Bahrain, including the AI Generalists Program and AI First workshops, to equip participants with practical AI skills and foster innovation across industries.

AI startup Gradient Labs secures $13M in Series A funding to expand its automation platform for regulated sectors, enabling 90% query resolution at 98% quality. Backed by Redpoint Ventures, it's redefining customer service for fintech and financial services.

Neuroscience reveals that stories trigger brain synchrony, release trust-building chemicals, and drive engagement. Business leaders leveraging authentic narratives can foster deeper connections with employees, customers, and stakeholders—unlocking a powerful competitive advantage in the age of AI.

Emirates signs MoU with Crypto.com to explore integrating crypto payments, aligning with Dubai’s push for financial innovation and appealing to a younger, digital-first customer base.

Backed by a $20M investment from Unique Properties, AIR unveils an AI-native platform to transform property transactions in Dubai, blending machine intelligence with human expertise for smarter, data-driven real estate experiences.

Paris–Silicon Valley startup Arago secures $26M seed funding to commercialize “JEF,” a groundbreaking photonic AI chip offering 10× lower energy use than GPUs, aiming to redefine sustainable AI compute.

Vertiv hosted a hands-on training in Riyadh, showcasing advanced switchgear and busbar technologies to support Saudi Arabia’s growing digital infrastructure and Vision 2030 goals.

TBC Uzbekistan expands its digital ecosystem with the full rollout of TBC Insurance, offering seamless, app-based life insurance services and plans to broaden into personal insurance.

Canva and Stripe show how a clear vision can drive hypergrowth, attract top talent, and build resilient cultures—proving that purpose, not just product, is the true differentiator in today’s startup ecosystem.

Carbon credit retirements surged to a record 95 million in H1 2025, driven by higher-quality credits and compliance with global schemes like CORSIA, signaling growing maturity and alignment in voluntary and regulated carbon markets.

Dubai Land Department invites Emiratis to join its Real Estate Broker Programme, enhancing national talent participation with specialised training, licensing, and incentives to strengthen Dubai’s real estate sector and support Emiratisation goals.

Skyfire unveils Agent Checkout, the first production-ready platform for AI agent-native payments and identity, enabling seamless, secure, and monetizable transactions for autonomous agents across digital services.

In an era dominated by data, true innovation stems from human stories. Margaret Heffernan reveals how narrative, not metrics, drives creativity, resilience, and long-term success in uncertain times.

ZIGChain unveils its mainnet beta, enabling high-performance DeFi, real-world asset tokenization, and Shariah-compliant finance with a $100M fund backing, aiming to revolutionize programmable financial infrastructure globally.

Bold missions, community focus, and fame-building—not ads—are the keys to scaling today. Insights from Scott Galloway, Rory Sutherland, and Jonathan Mildenhall.
Category: Marketing & Brand Strategy

Property Finder welcomes Owen Wilson to its Board, aiming to boost innovation and leadership across MENA’s real estate landscape.

Airbus signs MoU with Cluster 2 to deploy smart airport solutions across 22 Saudi airports, enhancing efficiency, safety, and coordination with Agnet Turnaround.

In this episode of Born to Disrupt, leadership coach and transformation expert Martin Ewart joins the hosts to explore how modern organisations can embrace purpose-led leadership, empower their people, and drive meaningful cultural change. Drawing on his extensive corporate and coaching experience, Martin shares why trust, collaboration, and clarity of purpose are essential for successful transformation—especially in today’s rapidly evolving world of work.

ClearScore, Zopa Bank, and Serene among standout winners at Fintech Awards London 2025, honouring excellence, inclusion, and leadership in financial technology.

Digital-native brands like Gymshark and Airbnb reveal how purpose, community, and culture-driven strategies power scale-up success in today’s innovation-driven landscape.

e& UAE, Nokia, and MediaTek achieve 5.8 Gbps speeds in the region’s first 6CC 5G SA trial, unlocking ultra-fast downloads and paving the way for 5G Advanced.

Backed by Lightspeed and Ribbit, Multiplier is transforming professional services by acquiring boutique firms and embedding custom AI to boost efficiency and client outcomes.

NaroIQ secures $6.5M to modernise Europe’s ETF and fund infrastructure, empowering smaller providers with cost-efficient digital solutions.

Tracxn reports $7.8B in UK tech funding for H1 2025, driven by strong late-stage deals and sectoral growth in FinTech, Media, and Enterprise. London led funding, with notable acquisitions and global investor interest.

Forget spreadsheets—fame and persuasion are the real business cheat codes. Learn why brands that master storytelling, psychology, and bold positioning win bigger, grow faster, and attract opportunity effortlessly.

Philippines-based fintech Salmon secures $88M in equity and bonds to expand AI-driven credit solutions, marking a milestone Nordic bond issuance in Southeast Asia.