Business News
Sharjah’s RUWAD Reports 108% Jump in SME Funding in Q1 2026
Government contracts awarded to RUWAD member projects totalled AED2.32 million during the first quarter, compared to AED1 million during the same period last year.
Startups
Growth Strategies
Beyond the Billion: Why Revolut Built a Startup Factory Inside a Global Bank
By David Tirado
Business News
Dubai Founders HQ Generates 15 Advanced Deals, 3 Signed Agreements in First Wave of Accelerator Program
Partnerships that typically take 12 months or more to develop were accelerated into a three-month timeline, with some moving from introductions to signed agreements within a single cycle.
Business News
Istanbul Is Not a Footnote. Turkey’s US$31 Billion Unicorn Economy Demands Your Full Attention.
The State of Unicorns: Turkey 2026 Report, developed and published by Lucidity Insights and Entrepreneur Middle East, covers the global unicorn landscape as context, Turkey's structural advantages and constraints, full company profiles and milestone timelines for all eight unicorns, the female founder data, the cautionary tales of Getir and Papara told fully and fairly, and a chapter on the earlier generation of Turkish startups — GittiGidiyor, Yemeksepeti, Gram Games — that paved the way.
Business News
Creative Zone Teams Up with RAKEZ, Mashreq NEO Biz to Launch Young Entrepreneurs’ Business Setup Program
The initiative brings together Creative Zone, RAKEZ, Mashreq NEO BIZ, DHL, Zoho and other partners to provide bundled startup support valued at more than AED 15,000 at no additional cost.
Business News
UAE Tops Global Entrepreneurship Rankings for Fifth Straight Year
The country posted strong results in the quality of its entrepreneurship environment, scoring 7.0 in the National Entrepreneurship Context Index (NECI) for 2025, which measures the quality of a country’s entrepreneurial environment based on expert assessments.
Starting a Business
Comfi Raises US$65M Pre-Series A Led by Iliad Partners, with First Regional Investments from Yango Ventures and Raw Ventures
The new funding will support Comfi’s next stage of growth, including scaling its
underwriting and risk capabilities, expanding its product offering, and accelerating
growth across key regional markets.
By Tamara Pupic
Starting a Business
“We Got Funded!” Saudi Tech Startup Signit Raises US$15 Million Series A Led By Raed Ventures to Scale AI-Powered Contract Management
The funding will support its next growth phase as it expands beyond e-signatures into AI-powered contract lifecycle management, including tools for drafting, negotiation, tracking, and compliance
Business News
TikTok, Blossom Launch Second SME Empowerment Program for AI-driven Startups in KSA, Offering Up to US$60,000 in Grants
The three-month accelerator program offers mentorship, funding support, and ecosystem access. Participants may receive up to US$60,000 in grants to implement their innovative solutions in the market.
Business News
Saudi Arabia: FII Institute Launches 2026 FII Innovators Pitch in partnership with MIT Solve
Startups are invited to apply for the opportunity to pitch live on stage at the 10th Edition of the Future Investment Initiative (FII10), gaining exposure to a global community of leading investors, policymakers, and changemakers.
Starting a Business
How Tunisian-born Clusterlab is Making Voice AI Smarter for the Region
Voice AI is rapidly reshaping contact centers, but building systems that work across Arabic dialects remains a challenge. Tunisian-born and UAE-headquartered startup Clusterlab, through its product Callab.ai, is tackling that gap, and its entry to Y Combinator, a seed-stage startup accelerator, marks a key milestone in scaling its vision.
Starting a Business
The New Executive Advantage: How PRsonaME is Using AI to Help Leaders Build Influence Across Markets
In a digital-first world, visibility is influence, not just presence. In response to this demand, Dubai-based personal branding platform PRsonaME offers AI-powered tools to help leaders turn expertise into credibility and build lasting impact across global markets.
Business News
DWTC Free Zone Partners With Wio Bank to Simplify Digital Banking for UAE Businesses
The agreement is aimed at improving access to banking services for businesses in the free zone, supporting entrepreneurs, start-ups and established companies through faster onboarding and digital financial solutions.
Business News
Abu Dhabi to Host Global Entrepreneurship Festival 2026 in April
The festival will bring together entrepreneurs, investors, business leaders and government stakeholders for free panels, workshops and consultations aimed at supporting startups and creating investment opportunities.
Business News
Khalifa Fund Partners with Keeta to Empower Emirati Homegrown Concepts and SMEs in the F&B Sector
Both parties aim to strengthen the presence of homegrown businesses, startups and SMEs across modern sales channels.
Entrepreneurs
How Exscape is Shaping the Evolution of Gaming in the Attention Economy
As the gaming industry evolves beyond downloads and into engagement-driven ecosystems, Exscape is positioning itself at the forefront of this shift.
By Mina Vucic
Starting a Business
The Visionary: Amiral Elmehdawi, Group CEO, A10
A10’s strategy is rooted in staying ahead of the curve, says its Group CEO Amiral Elmehdawi.
Business News
Blossom Accelerator Launches DominAite to Support AI Startups in Saudi Arabia
The three-month, highly curated accelerator is offering venture capital through Blossom Capital, advanced technical enablement, market-entry support, enterprise and government pilots, and connectivity to MENA’s investor ecosystem.
Business News
“We Got Funded!” Data Analytics Company Presight Announces First Six AI Startups to Receive Investment from US$100M Presight–Shorooq Fund I
Presight is investing in six AI startups under its AI Innovation Ecosystem to advance next-generation intelligent systems worldwide.
Starting a Business
Startup Spotlight: How Medy Navani is Making Personal Safety Part of Everyday Life with INSTINKT
"Everything around us has evolved except the tools we rely on to protect ourselves in an emergency. That felt like a problem worth solving.”
By Tamara Pupic
Business News
UAE Fintech Platform Ziina Partners With Business Setup Firm Virtuzone to Simplify Payments for Startups
Ziina’s platform allows merchants to accept payments in several ways, including payment links, QR code payments, Tap to Pay, card acceptance, and bank transfers.
Business News
“We Got Funded!” UAE-Based Investment Firm Shorooq Joins US$1.03 Billion Funding Round for Ex-Meta Chief AI Scientist Yann LeCun’s New Venture
Shorooq joined a global group of investors backing Yann LeCun’s Paris-based AI startup AMI Labs in a US$1.03 billion seed round aimed at developing next-generation “world model” artificial intelligence.
Business News
When Uncertainty Hits, the Strongest Startups Protect Cash First
In times of geopolitical and economic uncertainty, startups that prioritize cash flow management gain the stability needed to survive and adapt. Entrepreneur Moyn Islam explains why financial discipline, not rapid growth, becomes the most important strategy for founders navigating volatile markets.
By Mina Vucic
Starting a Business
Meet the Scale-Ups Shaping the Future of the UAE’s Circular Economy
Meet the 15 scale-ups shaping the future of the UAE's circular economy with the support of Dubai Holding.
Entrepreneurs
“We Got Funded!” UAE-Based Rewa Secures Undisclosed Seed Funding Round, and Launches New Digital Rent Payments and Rewards App
The newly secured funding will support Rewa’s expansion across Dubai, with plans to scale across the wider UAE and into the GCC.
Business News
Why the UK’s Tech Talent is Finding its Heart in Dubai
"While the UK media focuses on the "exit," the UAE is focused on "The 3 Cs" I hold dear: Competence, Credibility, and Care."
By Farida Gibbs
Business News
Abu Dhabi Can Now Build the Next Silicon Valley
If Silicon Valley were being designed today, it would require more than talent and capital.
By Adam Haklili
Business News
Create Apps Success Stories: How UAE-Based Rūhi Is Redefining Wellness for a Faith Driven Generation
“This is a UAE-born innovation addressing a gap that exists globally: wellness tools have largely ignored the spiritual foundations that guide daily life for so many, both here and around the world."