
Saudi Firm Equivator Commits SR 30M to UAE Rewards Platform Related
Jun 25, 2025
Equivator, a Riyadh-based alternative investment firm, has made a strategic SAR30 million ($8 million) investment in Related, a UAE-founded company specialising in loyalty and rewards technology for retail and consumer-facing industries. This deal signals Equivator's push to strengthen its presence in fintech and digital payments across the region.
Related has quickly found traction in the MENA loyalty market with its platform, designed to help brands deploy rewards and incentives across channels. The firm plans to support Related's growth by providing capital and strategic backing as it scales its technology and client base across the region.
This marks Equivator's latest move to expand its fintech reach, following earlier investments in venture platforms and digital financial services. With this capital injection, Related is poised to roll out new features, deepen market penetration, and strengthen its position as a loyalty infrastructure provider across Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and beyond.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


CairoScene
3 hours ago
- CairoScene
Dukkan Avantique Builds a Creative Hangout From Third Culture Heritage
From story-led clothes to a creative hub, UAE-based brand Dukkan Avantique is building a space where third-culture heritage meets art, fashion, and community. The first thing UAE-based brand Dukkan Avantique launched was a bucket hat. Reversible, with one side bright and colourful, the other plain and minimalistic. Rima Roukh, who designed it with her business partner Sally Batha, says it wasn't meant as a big statement. But its success showed what they wanted the brand to be: adaptable, with more than one way of wearing. The idea for the brand came together quickly. Sally Batha calls it 'an impulsive decision.' She had always wanted to start something and thought Rima Roukh was the right partner. Roukh had just graduated with a degree in business and finance and didn't want to work in that field. 'I knew I had everything to gain and nothing to lose,' she says. Two months after deciding to try, they had their first small collection. Batha brought negotiation and contract skills, Roukh brought a strategic overview, and they agreed on the direction. That direction came from their experience of growing up between cultures. 'Our third culture experience influenced everything we did,' Roukh says. The term 'third culture' first appeared in the 1950s, when sociologists John and Ruth Useem used it to describe children who spend part of their upbringing in a culture different from their parents'. Since then, it's been used to describe a wider set of experiences, people who don't belong entirely to one place and whose identities are made up of elements from more than one. For Dukkan Avantique, this is not a label for marketing but rather how they think about design. Collections start with a story, often from a photograph. Then Roukh distorts, layers, and collages these images until they form a united visual language. 'Once it feels right, we translate it into silhouettes that help carry the story, not overpower it. The aim is to have the garment hold the story without locking it into a single meaning.' This method stems from how cultural memory works: layered, overlapping, and sometimes rearranged. In design history, collage has often been used because it allows multiple sources to sit in the same space without erasing their differences. The bucket hat set the tone and later pieces kept the balance between wearability and experimentation. On walking this delicate rope between avantegarde and actually wearing the piece to the supermarket or the club, 'There's no formula,' Roukh says. 'It's intuitive. That instinct keeps the art alive.' Many of the silhouettes are oversized and fluid, borrowing from menswear. These gender-neutral choices reflected how they dressed themselves. 'We loved to wear and shop in the men's section,' Roukh says. More gender-specific pieces are to come later. Palestinian references appear in their work but are used carefully. 'We never created a Palestinian piece just because it was trending,' Roukh says. Their first Palestine references made it before October 7, using Handala, olive branches, and the map of Palestine with butterflies. The keffiyeh was part of set design, reimagined in bright colours, and food motifs appeared in prints. 'We try to go for subtler reimagined symbols,' she says. They are also clear about limits. 'If success comes at the cost of censorship, it is not success at all,' Roukh says. That stance puts them in line with other small labels that prioritise political and cultural honesty over rapid growth. It means slower expansion, but it also means they retain control over how their work is presented. Neither came from a technical fashion background. They learned production, sourcing, and pattern-making on the job. 'It was so cool to learn,' Roukh says, but the harder part was building a network. 'Being third culture also meant networking is scattered,' Batha tells Scenestyled. 'The biggest challenge is not having a place to grow a deep network in. But we are creating a community now.' That idea of community is central to their long-term plan and this is exactly why they created Club Avantique. Club Avantique is turning the brand from a clothing label into a place where creative work can happen collectively. They picture it as a physical hub with space for designing, making, and sharing ideas, where fashion sits alongside other disciplines like photography, art, and music. 'We'd love to see it evolve into a place of co-creators,' Batha says. The aim is to give Dukkan Avantique a living community, not just a customer base, and to create an environment where collaboration and experimentation are part of the daily rhythm. Looking back, they see how little they knew about what it would take to build a brand. 'At a young age we were so naive with what it takes,' Roukh says. But that lack of certainty also helped them start. 'You have to start and fall in love with the purpose,' they both say. In a global fashion market, cultural symbols are often flattened so they can be consumed quickly. Dukkan Avantique's approach, like many slow brands, pushes against that. It's not necessarily anti-commercial, but it treats the work as more than a product. It's a record of memory, of shifting belonging, and of the choices made to keep both intact.


Al-Ahram Weekly
16 hours ago
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Chinese Trina Storage completes Egypt 1st utility-scale solar facility in Aswan - Energy
Trina Storage, a subsidiary of global solar giant Trinasolar, announced on Tuesday the completion of a 300 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) in Aswan Governorate, Egypt's first integrated solar and battery storage facility, according to a statement by the Chinese company shared with Ahram Online. The project, developed in partnership with Dubai-based AMEA Power, was delivered in just 60 days, ahead of its scheduled commercial operation date. It set a new regional benchmark for large-scale energy storage deployment across North Africa. The newly commissioned BESS is co-located with AMEA Power's 500 MW solar PV plant, which began operations in December 2024. The combined facility is expected to enhance the resilience of Egypt's national electricity grid and ensure reliable solar power delivery beyond daylight hours. 'Faced with high desert temperatures and a complex grid environment, we successfully completed the project — from installation to grid connection — in just two months,' said Vincent Wu, Global Sales vice president and MEA MU head at Trinasolar. 'This achievement demonstrates not only our technological capabilities but also our commitment to fast and reliable project execution in support of Egypt's energy stability,' he added. The energy storage system, built on Trina Storage's advanced Elementa 2 platform, includes in-house-manufactured LFP battery cells and a full-stack solution from DC compartments to the AC interface, enabling direct connection to the national grid. The system is tailored for harsh desert climates, boasting high energy density, modular design, liquid cooling, and safety-driven engineering. Chairman of AMEA Power Hussain Al Nowais described the facility as a 'landmark' for Egypt's renewable energy ambitions. 'We are proud to bring this project online, which significantly strengthens the resilience of Egypt's power grid,' Al Nowais said. 'This milestone reaffirms our commitment to innovation and sustainability in Egypt and across the African continent.' According to the statement, the rapid delivery was made possible through close coordination between Trina Storage's global technical teams and local partners, as well as early-stage customization to adapt to the local environment. The project is part of Egypt's broader Vision 2030 strategy, which aims to generate 42 percent of the country's electricity from renewable sources by 2035. The integration of large-scale energy storage is seen as a key enabler for this goal, allowing for greater flexibility and reliability as renewables are added to the grid. Trina Storage's involvement in Egypt underscores its growing footprint across the Middle East and Africa, positioning the company as a strategic partner in the region's accelerating energy transition. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:


CairoScene
a day ago
- CairoScene
Beyond the Natural Stone of the Grand Egyptian Museum
This is how Cairo-based Hossam Zeitoun Contractors coated the highly anticipated museum with natural beauty. Originally Published on Sep 13, 2023 The Grand Egyptian Museum's (GEM) opening is Egypt's most anticipated event of the year, if not the decade. The largest museum dedicated to a single civilisation has the world on the edge of its cosmic seat to view the incomprehensible wealth of Egyptian heritage under one roof. Much like the artefacts contained within, the museum's slanted ceiling was made of locally-sourced natural stone - although in this case, it has been sliced with (quite literally) cutting-edge technology by Cairo-based marble manufacturers Hossam Zeitoun Natural Stone Contractors. Also known as Marble Art Egypt and El Sarh, Hossam Zeitoun Contractors is managed by architect Hossam and engineer Faten Zeitoun. With two manufacturing plants, the marble manufacturers offer custom fabrication and installation in Egypt, the UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, as well as Italy, Greece, Singapore, USA and China, amongst others. 'Our aim is to create an everlasting culture of natural stone appreciation,' Mariam Zeitoun, Creative Director and Managing Partner, tells SceneHome. 'The world of natural stone is vast and wondrous. We take pride in constantly adapting to meet technological advances that help produce a wonderful stone-clad world.' Dedicated to natural stone design, supply and installation since 1979, Hossam Zeitoun has been developing state-of-the-art solutions in the industry, both locally and globally. Hossam Zeitoun sources their materials from all over the globe, from Argentina and Italy to the Philippines. But when it came to the Grand Egyptian Museum, they went back to the roots. 'This is a monument of Egyptian heritage. We were keen on using locally sourced materials to ensure authenticity and sustainability,' Zeitoun says, pointing to the materials used to clad the stiletto (slanted ceiling) that hovers over the museum, as well as the Temple Garden pavement, ripple benches, retaining walls, restaurant flooring and facade cladding. Approximately 25,000 sqm of surfaces were covered with their natural stone. The Grand Egyptian Museum was, understandably, highly sought after by the world's most prominent marble manufacturers. 'We were officially chosen after presenting a technique developed in-house called 'Slim Panelling',' Zeitoun says. The state-of-the-art technology slices the blocks into slabs of stone as thin as 5-6mm, fused to sandwich panels. 'It saves cost and is extremely efficient in creating the effect desired by the architects in the main facade,' she adds, referring to the Heneghan Peng Architects design. Initially, the design's facades were completely onyx backlit. This was narrowed down to a more simplified solution; only the pyramid-shaped entrances were to have the feature, with Egyptian limestone cladding the rest of the facade. The same technique was used for the challenging stiletto ceiling. Slim stone panels are ultra-thin and light sheets of natural stone; a fusion between thin stone slabs and durable reinforcement panels. The panels used in GEM possess an unmatched stiffness-density ratio when used in sandwich construction. The result is an efficient, consistent, lightweight structure. 'They assist in envisioning designers' creations into reality, making stone more reliable and flexible,' Zeitoun says. 'The stiletto ceiling, which is slanted and hovers over the museum, requires lightweight tiles that are perfectly fixed.' Hossam Zeitoun managed to reduce marble thickness to a minimum, achieving a light weight which was reinforced with aluminum honeycomb to ensure its durability. 'We strive to look for nature's beautiful harvests and bring them home,' Zeitoun says. Amber onyx was used for the backlit pyramid-shaped entrances. Egyptian limestone, also known as Trieste limestone, was used on the facade, while Egyptian granite was used for the monument pedestals. 'Amber onyx and alabaster have always been used in ancient Egyptian artifacts. The gold colour of the stone reflects warmth and richness, glowing vibrantly when backlit as the sun sets,' Zeitoun says, describing the feature that allows the museum to appear as a landmark from a distance. Floorings and claddings are made of the famous Trieste limestone, sourced from various Egyptian quarries. 'The beige colour helps it blend with the surrounding environment. Earthy colours reflect Egyptian colour palettes, blending with the Great Pyramids of Giza, which are seen from the museum,' Zeitoun explains. 'Seeing how in awe everyone feels of the museum's grandeur is very satisfying. It's a proud moment to realise that we've taken part in accomplishing a valuable addition to modern and ancient Egyptian heritage.' Hossam Zeitoun has made it common practice to participate in national projects that often attract global attention to Egypt's wealth of heritage. From their contributions to international airports such as Luxor International Airport and Cairo International Airport to the New Administrative Capital's Opera House and the Marriott Zamalek Gardens and the renovation of Moez St. But those are stories for another day. Photography Credit: Nour El Refai