Author: Mahdeehassan

erad, the Riyadh-headquartered alternative financing platform for SMEs, has successfully raised $16 million [SAR 60 million] in a Pre-Series A round to accelerate its growth and expand its operations in Saudi Arabia and beyond. The round was backed by leading global and regional funds, including YCombinator, Nuwa Capital, Khwarizmi Ventures, Aljazira Capital, VentureSouq, Oraseya Capital, and Joa Capital. SMEs remain the backbone of the GCC economy, but access to capital remains a constant growth challenge with an estimated $250 billion credit gap. The funding will fuel erad’s mission to offer fast and flexible financing solutions to underserved small and medium-sized businesses…

Built in the UAE, Munsit sets a new global standard for Arabic speech recognition, powering seamless transcription across private and public services DUBAI, UAE – April 30, 2025 – CNTXT AI, the UAE-based Data and AI company, today announced the launch of Munsit — a next-generation Arabic speech-to-text model that outperforms every global model on Arabic, including those from OpenAI, Meta, Microsoft and ElevenLabs. Munsit” — derived from the Arabic root for “to listen” — symbolizes a breakthrough in voice technology that truly listens with attentiveness and understands the richness of Arabic speech. Developed entirely in the UAE, Munsit sets…

Abu Dhabi-based Resolv Labs has announced a $10 million seed funding round to accelerate the growth of its yield-bearing stablecoin protocol, Resolv. The round was led by Cyber.Fund and Maven11, with notable participation from Coinbase Ventures, SCB Limited, Arrington Capital, Animoca Ventures, and others including Gumi Cryptos, NoLimit Holdings, and Robot Ventures. The new capital will be used to diversify Resolv’s yield sources, including the addition of Bitcoin-based strategies, and deepen integration with institutional digital asset managers. The company also plans to expand its reach by launching on additional blockchain networks to target a broader user base. Resolv’s core innovation lies in offering a delta-neutral yield strategy through its stablecoin, USR, which is pegged to the…

Arabic.AI emerged from stealth mode today, unveiling what executives call the first truly agentic AI platform specifically engineered for the Arabic language. The Dubai-based startup, with offices spanning MENA, the U.S., and Europe, enters the market with substantial technical advantages over global competitors. Founder’s Vision: A Deeply Local, Globally Competitive Model Founded by serial entrepreneur Nour Al Hassan, recognised for building language technology provider Tarjama& Arabic.AI has developed Pronoia, a proprietary large language model that benchmarks show outperforming GPT-4, Deepseek, Cohere and other leading systems on Arabic language tasks. “For too long, Arabic has remained an afterthought in the global…

BenQ, internationally renowned innovator of digital lifestyle devices, today debuted GV50 smart laser projector, built with ultra-flexible projection angles and bedside audiovisual optimization to provide the most comfortable viewing experiences while lying down.Advertise here. “For today’s digital entertainment enthusiasts, GV50 offers the unique flexibility to stream high-quality content in cozy personalized spaces for the ultimate me-time,” said Manish Bakshi, Managing Director, BenQ Middle East. “Even first-time projector users can easily replace their TVs and indulge in laid-back movie nights at bedtime.” As the new flagship, GV50 retains the 135° vertical projection flexibility of the popular GV ceiling projector series, along with comprehensive…

Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University participated in the ‘Education Interface Exhibition’ and the ‘Middle East Youth Conference,’ held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre – Marina. This step reflects the University’s commitment to strengthening its presence at major educational events and reinforcing its leadership in the field of smart learning at both the local and regional levels. This participation comes as part of the University’s strategy to empower youth through a flexible and innovative learning environment that can adapt to the ever-changing labour market, while supporting the development of a competitive and sustainable knowledge-based economy, in line with the…

MAHY Khoory Automotive, the exclusive distributor of Dongfeng Motor Corporation in the UAE, proudly announces the upcoming launch of the DONGFENG 007, at Electric Vehicle Innovation Summit Abu Dhabi 2025, the Middle East’s premier electric vehicle innovation summit, taking place from April 21 to 23 at the ADNEC Centre. This highly anticipated electric vehicle combines futuristic design, cutting-edge performance, and long-range sustainability, marking a breakthrough moment for the UAE’s growing EV market. With an exceptional driving range of up to 1,200 kilometres on a single charge, the DONGFENG 007 is engineered for forward-thinkers who demand power and innovation without compromise.…

Moroccan regtech startup VOVE ID has secured new investment from The Baobab Network to accelerate its growth across Africa and the Middle East. The funding (amount undisclosed) marks a key milestone for the high-end digital identity verification company, which launched earlier this year and has already gained rapid traction with its secure, AI-driven Know Your Customer (KYC) platform. Founded in 2024 by Khalid Aoussar, Tarik, and Youssef—alumni of Timeless Investment GmbH, RemotPass, and Pipedrive respectively—VOVE ID is aiming to transform how businesses verify identities in the $18.6 billion global KYC market. Its “verify once, use everywhere” approach allows users to reuse a verified…

Development Partners International LLP (“DPI”) is announcing the launch of DPI Venture Capital, which will target investments in early-stage, growth-orientated technology businesses across Africa. DPI has identified a unique opportunity to support early-stage companies and expand its strategy of investing in companies that positively impact the growing middle class in Africa. DPI has an eighteen-year track record of supporting growing innovation-led businesses, and its existing portfolio is embracing digitisation to improve access to a range of goods and services for Africa’s growing population. DPI Venture Capital will be supported by the firm’s reach in over 43 African countries and its…

Panasonic Marketing Middle East & Africa (PMMAF) has announced the regional debut of the MX-HG6401 Cooking Blender, a revolutionary appliance designed to simplify and elevate the home cooking experience. This all-in-one blender seamlessly handles cutting, blending, cooking and cleaning, offering a new level of convenience for consumers seeking healthy, homemade meals. The appliance also features nine specially curated Middle Eastern Auto Cook Menus for both hot and cold recipes, helping home cooks prepare wholesome dishes without constant supervision. Unlike standard blenders, which are designed only for blending or cutting the ingredients, Panasonic’s Cooking Blender can make hot soups, purees, sauces,…