Property Finder raised $170 million from Mubadala, a UAE sovereign fund, and BECO Capital, reinforcing its leadership in MENA’s property market and accelerating AI-driven innovation across the real estate journey.

CrowdStrike, in partnership with AWS and NVIDIA, selects 35 global startups for its 2026 Cybersecurity Startup Accelerator, offering mentorship, technical support, and funding to advance AI-driven cloud security innovations and prepare them for market impact.

Dubai SME has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Al Tadawi Healthcare Group to expand procurement access, commercial visibility, and growth opportunities for Emirati-owned SMEs. The partnership offers tailored procurement, discounted commercial spaces, and priority supplier opportunities, supporting the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33) and strengthening the UAE’s SME ecosystem.

BARQ Systems, iOCO, and PortfolioTech have formed a strategic alliance to help MENA governments and enterprises modernize public services through secure, scalable cloud solutions, addressing legacy systems, cybersecurity challenges, and digital transformation needs.

DXC Technology and Ripple are partnering to help banks adopt secure digital asset custody and blockchain-based payments, enabling regulated institutions to scale tokenization, custody, and programmable payments without disrupting core banking systems.

Saudi Arabia’s public relations industry is adopting performance-driven, AI-enhanced communication strategies. W7Worldwide exemplifies this shift, blending smart analytics with cultural insight to measure impact, build trust, and elevate corporate reputation under Vision 2030.

Freedom Bank Kazakhstan expands its SuperApp with an embedded eSIM miniapp, enabling instant activation of global mobile data — including unlimited plans — bringing seamless connectivity and digital banking together for modern, mobile users.

1337 Ventures opens applications for Inno4Her 2026, a hybrid accelerator supporting women-led and FemTech startups across Southeast Asia. The program offers mentoring, investor access, and hands-on guidance to scale solutions in women’s health and wellness.

Taranis Capital has introduced an invitation-only Global Investor Newsletter to provide sophisticated investors with curated updates on fund activations, sector-specific intelligence, and regulatory milestones across Data Centres, Biotech, Disruptive Technology, Green Biotech, and Real Estate. The newsletter ensures investors remain informed and strategically aligned as Taranis Capital scales its global platform.

MBZUAI and AWS launch a multi-year collaboration to boost AI research, technical training, and startup growth in the UAE. Initiatives include a Strategic Research Program, GenAI Academy hackathons, and support for MBZUAI’s incubation and entrepreneurship initiatives.

Careem grew its Everything App in 2025, expanding services, cities, and AI-powered personalization. Highlights include faster deliveries, international remittances, Careem Plus savings, and new partnerships, creating earning opportunities and simplified experiences for millions across the UAE.

Saudi Arabia hosted high-level delegates at WEF 2026, highlighting Vision 2030 initiatives, AI and digital infrastructure investments, advanced manufacturing, health collaborations, and upcoming global summits, driving international partnerships and economic transformation.

Riyadh Air has signed an MoU with Huawei to build a next-generation digital ecosystem, enhancing booking, loyalty, and travel experiences. The partnership supports smart aviation innovation and strengthens the airline’s expansion across China and global markets.

G42-backed Core42 has announced Dublin as its European headquarters, strengthening support for enterprises and governments seeking secure, high-performance AI and sovereign cloud infrastructure as demand for large-scale AI adoption accelerates across Europe.

MBZUAI has opened applications for its first Ph.D. cohort in Human-Computer Interaction, starting Fall 2026. The program focuses on human-centered AI, spanning human-AI alignment, multimodal interfaces, brain-computer interaction, and responsible, accessible system design.

Snowflake has made its AI Data Cloud generally available on AWS’s UAE region, enabling secure, low-latency, AI-powered data insights while supporting data residency, governance, and enterprise AI adoption aligned with the UAE’s National AI Strategy 2031.

HP’s Threat Insights Report reveals cybercriminals using polished animations, fake updates, and purchasable malware to evade detection, highlighting the need for advanced endpoint security and threat isolation to protect users.

Astra Tech’s botim has integrated Microsoft Azure’s Voice Live API, enabling real-time voice AI for seamless communication and fintech services, reinforcing its evolution into a fintech-first, AI-native platform in the UAE.

Abu Dhabi School of Management collaborates with Saal.ai to integrate AI-driven decision intelligence into management education, equipping future leaders with data-powered tools to enhance governance, strategy, and institutional performance across UAE sectors.

Xero Launches AI-Powered Analytics for Small BusinessesHashgraph Ventures has committed $1 million to the Hedera Africa Hackathon, supporting 13,000 developers and 1,300 startups across 20+ cities, accelerating Web3, AI, and blockchain innovation for economic inclusion in Africa.

Msheireb Museums, Earthna, and the German Embassy Doha hosted the second session of the Doha Climate Talks at Bin Jelmood House, focusing on financial approaches that promote climate-conscious development. Experts from Qatar and Germany discussed policy, investment priorities, and innovative financial tools, including AI-driven methods to measure and convert environmental improvements into tradable assets, advancing sustainability and ESG objectives in the region.

Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence, in collaboration with the UAE Presidential Court and the Gates Foundation, has launched a pioneering digital advisory hub for agriculture. The initiative aims to support over 43 million smallholder farmers worldwide with AI-driven insights on crops, pests, soil, weather, and markets, strengthening productivity and resilience against climate change.

A new study of 2,000 UK couples reveals that 74% speak different ‘money languages’, creating tension in 66% of relationships and delaying key milestones like home ownership and starting a family. Starling Bank’s research highlights seven distinct money languages, offering guidance on improving financial compatibility and communication for stronger, long-term partnerships.

Sustainable Bitcoin Protocol (SBP) completed the first transaction of its SBP token on Coinbase Project Diamond within ADGM, linking bitcoin mining to verified clean energy and creating a new climate-aligned digital asset class for institutional and retail investors.

Audi and Revolut reveal the Audi Revolut F1 Team name and logo, ahead of a Berlin launch, marking a milestone partnership combining motorsport innovation with fintech-driven fan engagement and global expansion.

botim money and Binance signed an MoU to explore providing secure, compliant digital asset access for UAE users. The collaboration aims to expand botim’s fintech ecosystem, support financial inclusion, and further integrate crypto into everyday financial services in the region.

Qwacks, a Saudi gaming technology startup, has raised SAR 1.8M in pre-seed funding from Merak Capital to scale its unified platform for backend services, AI-driven playtesting, and market intelligence as demand for local game development tools rapidly grows.

Hosts Mark Walker and Grant Niven are joined by Stephen Philips to explore the rapidly changing landscape of digital assets. With extensive engineering and blockchain experience spanning the Caribbean, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, Stephen shares valuable insights into how tokenisation is transitioning from policy to production. The episode dives into the practical applications of Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs), stablecoins, and the fundamental distinction between backed and unbacked assets.

The Property Finder Awards 2025 gathered top UAE real estate leaders at the Armani Hotel to honour outstanding agencies, agents, developers, and proptech innovators, spotlighting excellence, transparency, and rising talent across one of the region’s most competitive property markets.

Fikra Ventures joins Hub71 as a venture studio, creating AI-native startups in-house and forming joint ventures with global AI companies, accelerating commercialisation and scaling from Abu Dhabi to global markets.