Tech News
Hamdan bin Mohammed inaugurates Dubai AI Campus cluster at the DIFC Innovation Hub
His Highness: We prioritise Dubai’s competitiveness and leading position as a hub for the digital economy in all projects and programmes we launch, in line with goals of the D33
– We are confident this campus will be a key addition to Dubai’s economy by hosting hundreds of businesses and offering thousands of jobs over the next few years
– Move is part of phase one of the DUB.AI programme launched with the aim of accelerating AI adoption across all relevant sectors
– Phase one of the campus has already drawn more than 75 businesses while phase two is set to attract over 500 companies
His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai and Chairman of the Higher Committee for Future Technology and Digital Economy, today inaugurated the Dubai AI Campus cluster at the Innovation Hub, Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC).
The move is part of phase one of the annual Dubai Universal Blueprint for Artificial Intelligence (DUB.AI), which was recently launched with the aim of accelerating AI adoption across all relevant sectors, thus creating the optimal nurturing ecosystem for AI businesses and talents to drive innovation in AI.
Sheikh Hamdan said that Dubai continues to launch strategic plans with the aim of accelerating the adoption of AI and its applications in all sectors in line with the vision and directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to establish Dubai as a global hub of the digital economy and the preferred destination for major AI businesses and top talent from around the world.
“Our efforts continue to harness the huge potential of advanced technology. The Dubai AI Campus at DIFC is a key step towards achieving our goals of doubling economic growth and increasing AI’s contribution to Dubai and the UAE’s GDP. We are confident this campus will be a key addition to Dubai’s economy by hosting hundreds of businesses and offering thousands of jobs over the next few years, further cementing Dubai’s standing as a favourite destination for tech companies,” His Highness said.
“We prioritise Dubai’s competitiveness and leading position as a hub for the digital economy in all projects and programmes we launch, in line with goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33). Today we move steadily towards a new era of leadership and sustainable growth of Dubai’s economy, which is based on knowledge, innovation, and future tech applications. Dubai will always remain a beacon of economic prosperity, regionally and globally, and the preferred choice of innovative minds,” he added.
Region’s top AI destination
Announced in 2023, the Dubai AI Campus is the largest dedicated cluster of AI and advanced tech in the MENA region.
The launch contributes to boosting the objectives of Dubai Economic Agenda (D33), including generating an average AED 100 billion annually for Dubai’s economy through digital transformation. Furthermore, it marks another landmark initiative in realising the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid to establish Dubai as a global hub of the digital economy and a key player on the global digital landscape.
The new campus also aligns with Dubai’s vision to emerge as the chosen destination among tech businesses and will drive its contribution to innovation and tech integration across all sectors. It is estimated that AI will contribute $230 billion to the Middle East’s economy by 2030, while making up 14% of the UAE’s GDP by 2030.
The inaugural ceremony was attended by His Excellency Omar bin Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications; His Excellency Issa Kazim, Governor of the Dubai International Financial Centre; and Arif Amiri, CEO of the DIFC Authority.
The Dubai AI Campus cluster will be part of the DIFC Innovation Hub, which offers dedicated co-working spaces to tech startups, including AI businesses. Phase one of the campus is already complete with more than 75 businesses registered on a 10,000-square-foot campus. Phase two of the campus will extend over 100,000 square feet and is set to attract over 500 companies creating more than 3,000 jobs by 2028.
A global hub
His Excellency Essa Kazim welcomed His Highness Sheikh Hamdan to the opening of the Dubai AI Campus, saying the cluster will accelerate the realisation of goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda while supporting future technology and digital economy strategies of the emirate.
“The opening of Dubai AI Campus is part of the first phase of the annual Dubai Universal Blueprint for Artificial Intelligence (DUB.AI), acting as a key enabler that will bolster Dubai’s position as a global hub accelerating the adoption of advanced technology,” he said.
Easy investor access
“Through Dubai and DIFC’s innovative structure, startups have direct access to investors, investment funds, major corporations and traditional financial institutions. This ensures that high-potential businesses receive the necessary funding needed to achieve their goals,” HE Essa Kazim added.
Catalyst for fintech ecosystem
Arif Amiri, CEO of the DIFC Authority, said: “Dubai AI Campus helps accelerate the objectives of DIFC’s 2030 Strategy, which aims to further empower our growing fintech and innovation ecosystem.
“The cluster will also cement DIFC’s position as the largest incubator of the financial sector across the MEASA region as we look forward to collaborating with regional players to help them simplify and expand their business through AI,” he added.
Tech partnerships
The Dubai AI Campus facilitates multinational tech partnerships with leading tech companies such as Amazon Web Services, HP, Microsoft, Oracle and Nvidia, who will join the cluster as key partners, further highlighting its empowering nature and making it home to the first innovation lab offering AI solutions to the UAE’s small businesses, in collaboration with du.
Additionally, the cluster will provide high computing capabilities, including DGX platforms, and state-of-the-art business accelerator programmes that advance implementation of AI applications in the private sector.
Unique licences
The Dubai AI Campus will be offering a unique AI licence specially designed to meet the requirements of the next generation of AI-dependent businesses. This licence utilises DIFC’s independent legal framework.
Businesses within the cluster will also benefit from DIFC’s Digital Assets Law, the first of its kind globally, offering legal certainty to investors and users of digital assets.
Future tech showcase
Further testifying to its leadership and focus on leveraging technological advancements for the greater good, Dubai is set to host the premier Dubai AI and Web3 Festival, organised by Dubai AI Campus in collaboration with the Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy & Remote Work Applications Office, and DIFC, on 11 and 12 September 2024 at Madinat Jumeirah.
The event, highlighting Dubai’s unwavering commitment to promote future technology, is expected to attract over 5,000 visitors and participants, besides more than 500 investors and 100 exhibitors.
Since its launch in 2021, DIFC’s Innovation Hub continues to grow and forge milestone partnerships while driving innovation and helping shape forward-looking plans. It is now home to over 1,000 startups. As part of the Dubai Metaverse Strategy, the Innovation Hub launched the Metaverse Accelerator Program, which enrolled more than 150 students in its first cohort.
Tech News
FVC and SearchInform Join Forces to Boost Insider Threat Prevention and Data Protection in MENA
FVC, a prominent distributor specialising in innovative technology solutions, is pleased to announce its strategic partnership with SearchInform, a leader in information security and insider threat prevention solutions. Together, they are committed to strengthening organizations’ defenses against data leaks, corporate fraud, human-factor related risks.
K.S. Parag, Managing Director, FVC:
“We are excited to welcome SearchInform to our cybersecurity portfolio. The company offers the most powerful and localized DLP on the MENA market. SearchInform solution stands out from the competition due to a number of advantages. The system can be deployed within a few hours, protects the maximum number of data transfer channels, provides smart content-based blocking for all controlled channels and also use digital watermarks to trace the source of potential leaks. SearchInform DLP supports analysis of data in Arabic and has security policies, tailored for requirements of local organizations, enabling timely detection and prevention of confidential data leaks. The solution leverages AI to monitor atypical data transfer channels, recognize graphic elements, transcribe audio into text, detect attempts to photograph PC screens with smartphones.”
SearchInform offers a range of products, including DCAP, DLP, and SIEM. All the tools are seamlessly integrated. Technical support is provided through a specialist assigned to the company, who has extensive experience thanks to clients from various fields.
Commenting on the Partnership, Artem Volodin, CEO SearchInform MENA, stated:
“We are proud to collaborate with FVC, whose expertise in the Middle Eastern market will strengthen our efforts to combat insider threats and data leaks. The region needs a comprehensive solution that will enable organizations to meet regulatory standards, including SAMA, PDPL, DCC, ECC, UAE Information Assurance (IA) Regulation etc. and global ones, such as GDPR, PCI DSS. SearchInform delivers tools for data protection and risk mitigation across all levels: FileAuditor secures file systems, DLP covers workstations and human risks, Risk Monitor addresses corporate fraud, and SIEM protects IT infrastructure.”
The partners are currently conducting expert training, partner enablement sessions, and are also negotiating the implementation of SearchInform products in local companies.
Tech News
Etihad Salam and AFR-IX telecom Join Forces to Boost Intercontinental Digital Links Across Europe, Middle East, and Africa
Etihad Salam, a premier telecommunications and digital infrastructure company in Saudi Arabia, has entered into a strategic with AFR-IX telecom, an infrastructure and telecom operator and the developer and operator of the Medusa Submarine Cable System.
This collaboration aims to elevate digital connectivity spanning Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, and Asia. Through this agreement, Etihad Salam becomes the primary landing and interconnection hub for the Medusa system within Saudi Arabia through Aqaba (Jordan), solidifying the Kingdom’s position as a pivotal digital gateway connecting Asia, Europe, and Africa.
The partnership introduces resilient, high-bandwidth, and low-latency pathways from the Mediterranean to the Arabian Peninsula, fostering expansion for hyperscale data centers, cloud service providers, and digital operators throughout the region.
With this partnership, Etihad Salam will deliver terrestrial backhaul services and capacity swapping to seamlessly incorporate Medusa’s network into Saudi Arabia and the broader GCC, and onward to Asia. This initiative represents a significant advancement in Etihad Salam’s global cable strategies and underscores its dedication to Saudi Vision 2030’s goals for digital innovation and economic diversification.
Medusa Submarine Cable System is an 8,760 km undersea cable network linking critical points in the Mediterranean, such as Spain, France, Italy, Malta, Greece, Cyprus, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt. Engineered for high-speed, reliable data transfer between Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East, Medusa delivers up to 480 Tbps of capacity, serving as a vital conduit for surging intercontinental data flows.
Quote from Salam
“Our partnership with Medusa underscores Salam’s commitment to positioning Saudi Arabia as a central hub for regional connectivity,” stated Amjad Arab, Chief Wholesale and Alliances Officer at Etihad Salam. “By linking the Medusa cable to our robust infrastructure, we’re creating innovative international routes that expand our worldwide presence and meet the surging needs for digital and cloud services in the Kingdom. Through this partnership, we seek to offer enriched connectivity services, experiences and bring the world closer, ultimately empowering businesses to scale and innovative in an increasingly digital landscape.”
Quote from AFR-IX telecom
“We’re excited to collaborate with Etihad Salam, whose expertise and network complement our objective of providing secure, expansive, and high-performance connectivity from the Mediterranean outward,” said Norman Albi, Chief Executive Officer of AFR-IX. “This partnership elevates reliability and coverage for carriers worldwide, driving forward digital advancement across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.”
Tech News
Infinia Technologies and Satya Retail Launch AI and Blockchain-Powered Retail Transformation at GITEX 2025
- Revolutionizes India’s retail market by empowering merchants with first time real use case of AI and Blockchain
- SAII is a world’s first initiative set to turn millions of low-tech, high-potential neighbourhood retailers into a data-rich, AI-enabled commerce network
Infinia Technologies, a subsidiary of Sirius International Holding, announced a strategic partnership with Satya Retail, a DS Group affiliate, at GITEX Global 2025, the world’s largest technology and innovation event in Dubai. Through this collaboration, Infinia Technologies aims to leverage its advanced AI operating ecosystem to power Satya Retail’s merchant network with AI-driven analytics, blockchain-based invoicing, and digital financial tools, transforming India’s retail landscape.
By combining Infinia Technologies’ AI and blockchain infrastructure with DS Group’s unmatched distribution expertise and Satya Retail’s deep merchant network, this initiative will create an intelligent, scalable, and inclusive retail ecosystem designed to empower millions of small businesses across the country. The official signing took place today at GITEX Global 2025, in the presence of Arif Khan, CEO of Infinia Technologies, along with Ritesh Kumar, Director at DS Group.
The collaboration marks the launch of SAII – Smart AI Integrator, a world’s first initiative that turns millions of low-tech, high-potential neighbourhood retailers into a data-rich, AI-enabled commerce network. Branded as “The Digital Saathi for Merchants,” SAII provides a single platform for all merchant needs; from blockchain-based e-invoicing and micro-financing to insurance, hyperlocal advertising with two-way data transfer for merchants and vendor network.
For the first time, India’s retailers will receive access to powerful digital capabilities at scale through SAII. It will help merchants operate smarter, improve efficiency, and build deeper partnerships across the supply chain.
Commenting on the announcement, Arif Khan, CEO of Infinia Technologies, said: “This partnership represents a defining moment in how AI and Blockchain can drive real-world impact. This collaboration will positively accelerate India’s digital economy. Through SAII, we’re enabling millions of India’s retailers to access intelligent tools and digital services that were once out of reach, while advancing our mission to take advanced AI from Abu Dhabi to the world. This is only the beginning; we plan to extend the SAII model across Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa, with more projects to be announced soon.”

Ritesh Kumar, Director at DS Group added: “Our collaboration with Infinia Technologies brings together the strength of our retail network and their AI innovation to empower small businesses across India. SAII will help local merchants modernize their operations, access financial and digital tools seamlessly, and become part of a larger connected commerce ecosystem. This is a major step toward building a more inclusive and technology-driven retail economy.”
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