
Strategic Development Fund and QuantCube Technology launch joint venture
Abu Dhabi, UAE: Strategic Development Fund (SDF), an Abu Dhabi based investment company wholly owned by EDGE Group PJSC, and QuantCube Technology, a Paris-based expert in real-time macroeconomic intelligence, announced today that they have entered into an agreement to establish a joint venture in Abu Dhabi. The announcement, made during the AIM Congress 2025, reflects a shared ambition to align with the UAE's focus on artificial intelligence and data-driven decision-making.
The joint venture, to be jointly owned by SDF and QuantCube Technology, will build on QuantCube's advanced capabilities in alternative data and AI to deliver real-time, actionable economic and financial intelligence. Designed for institutional investors, corporates, financial institutions, and government agencies across the region, the platform will support strategic planning, forecasting, and data-driven decision-making.
In addition to macroeconomic and financial analytics, the partnership will enable dynamic tracking of global supply chains and physical asset flows, leveraging QuantCube's real-time nowcasting and geospatial data tools to support operational readiness and strategic insight. By combining powerful AI-driven analytics with deep regional integration, this collaboration aims to unlock new use cases and broaden access to advanced intelligence solutions for organizations navigating increasingly complex environments.
'This joint venture with QuantCube reflects our commitment to introducing innovative technologies that can be customized, implemented, and delivered across different industries in the region through the UAE, providing them with strategic and financial value,' said Mohamed Al Mazrouei, Chief Portfolio Management Officer, SDF. 'As a strategic investor in QuantCube, we recognized significant potential in applying this capability across various sectors to optimize supply chain management. This joint venture is an opportunity to unlock and bring advanced, AI-powered and customizable data & analytics solutions and insights to the UAE and regional markets - making timely intelligence more accessible to private and government clients.'
'We are excited to collaborate with SDF, one of our strategic shareholders in QuantCube, to bring our nowcasting expertise to the UAE and wider region,' said Thanh-Long Huynh, Co-Founder & CEO, QuantCube. 'Through this joint venture, we aim to deliver innovative solutions that provide institutions across various industries with timely, accurate insights and forecasting analytics. These capabilities will help drive their growth within the region's thriving economy and support more informed, strategic decision-making in a rapidly evolving global landscape.'
The joint venture builds on SDF's initial investment in QuantCube in 2022, which was followed by further investments over the past few years, and reflects SDF's continued confidence in the company's capabilities. By establishing operations in the UAE, the partners aim to make AI-powered nowcasting tools and alternative data analytics available to decision-makers in the region.
As the collaboration evolves, the joint venture is well positioned to enable data-informed strategies and broaden the use of advanced analytics as practical tools for organisations navigating an increasingly complex regional landscape.
About Strategic Development Fund (SDF):
Strategic Development Fund (SDF) is an Abu Dhabi-based investment company, wholly owned by EDGE Group PJSC. Established in 2019, SDF focuses on generating financial returns and fostering economic impact within the UAE's strategic sectors. The company invests in dual-use and commercial technologies across areas such as aerospace, advanced mobility, autonomous systems, robotics, and artificial intelligence. By leveraging global partnerships, SDF accelerates the growth of its portfolio companies and fosters the development of cutting-edge technologies within the UAE. Additionally, SDF contributes to enhancing critical supply chain resilience, aligning with the UAE's vision for innovation and economic diversification.
About QuantCube Technology:
QuantCube Technology uses artificial intelligence and big data analytics to deliver real-time macro-economic insights. The firm operates one of the largest alternative data lakes in the world, processing more than 14 billion data end points. Sources encompass news, social media, satellite data, professional networks and consumer reviews, as well as international trade, shipping, real estate, hospitality, telecoms and goods and prices data. QuantCube's macro nowcast indices, on variables including economic growth, inflation, employment and international trade, correlate highly with official data and significantly beat the consensus. Financial institutions using QuantCube data benefit from real-time insight, often ahead of official numbers, which they can use to inform their investment strategies.
Headquartered in Paris, QuantCube employs a diverse international team of data scientists with expertise in multilingual NLP, deep learning and machine learning techniques. The company's shareholders include SDF and Moody's and its R&D in computer vision has been partially funded by the European Space Agency (ESA) and French government space agency CNES.
Hashtags

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


Al Etihad
2 hours ago
- Al Etihad
Delta warns new tariffs could force it to stop buying foreign-made aeroplanes, impacting millions of customers
5 June 2025 21:29 WASHINGTON (REUTERS)Delta Air Lines warned that new tariffs on imported aeroplanes and parts could force the airline to stop buying foreign-made planes, impacting millions of customers. The Atlanta-based carrier told the US Commerce Department in comments seen by Reuters Thursday that in 2023 and 2024 it took delivery of 47 Airbus aircraft produced in Canada, Germany and France. If the carrier had not been able to take delivery of those planes because of tariffs, it would have forced flight cancellations impacting 10 million customers. Delta said a "similar impact could be expected going forward" if the Trump administration imposes new tariffs.


Harpers Bazaar Arabia
2 hours ago
- Harpers Bazaar Arabia
The One That Started It All: Jane Birkin's Original Hermès Bag Heads to Auction at Sotheby's
This July, Sotheby's Paris will offer collectors and admirers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: to own the original Birkin—the very handbag designed for and with Jane Birkin herself, that would go on to define modern luxury. For decades, the Birkin has held court as the most recognisable and elusive accessory on the planet. But before it became […] This July, Sotheby's Paris will offer collectors and admirers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: to own the original Birkin—the very handbag designed for and with Jane Birkin herself, that would go on to define modern luxury. For decades, the Birkin has held court as the most recognisable and elusive accessory on the planet. But before it became synonymous with waitlists and wealth, it was just a beautifully made black leather bag, crafted by Hermès in 1984 for a woman known for turning simple into chic. That exact bag will lead Sotheby's inaugural Fashion Icons auction in Paris on July 10, just as the world's style set descends on the capital for Haute Couture Week. Exhibited publicly only a handful of times—from Sotheby's Paris galleries to their Hong Kong maison—the original Birkin is marked by seven unique design details that separate it from every iteration since. While the first Birkin bags created by Hermès were 40 cm in size, and then by 35 cm in size, the original Birkin is a hybrid of the two sizes; It has the width and height of a Birkin 35 with the depth of a Birkin 40, with unique studs, zipper, hardware and the strap. A handmade prototype rich with patina and lived-in character, it is unmistakably Jane: practical, iconic, and a little bit rebellious. Before it goes under the hammer, the bag will appear in a rare public showing at Sotheby's New York galleries from June 6-12. 'It's incredible to think that a bag designed as a practical solution has grown into such a defining emblem of luxury,' says Morgane Halimi, Sotheby's Global Head of Handbags and Fashion. 'The prototype that started it all carries a soul and legacy that no other handbag can claim.' 'There are rare moments when an object transcends trend and becomes a legend,' Halimi continues. 'Jane Birkin's original bag is such a moment. A true unicorn in fashion history, it belongs in the same breath as Princess Diana's Black Sheep jumper or Freddie Mercury's crown and cloak.' The bag's final sale estimate remains confidential, but expectations are unsurprisingly high. What Sotheby's does confirm is that the bag will join an illustrious line-up of archival fashion pieces in the Paris Fashion Icons sale—from sculptural pieces by Thierry Mugler to rare runway looks by Dior, Galliano, McQueen, and Azzedine Alaïa. Bidding will open online from June 26 to July 10, and viewings will be held at Sotheby's Paris galleries on rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré from July 3-9. As always, Sotheby's continues to lead the secondary market for Hermès handbags—whether it's a crisp white Himalaya, a neon Limited Edition, or the rarest collector's pieces in alligator, ostrich, or box calf. Today, over 1,200 Hermès bags are available for immediate purchase on Sotheby's Buy Now platform, a digital trove for serious collectors and first-timers alike. But none of them carry the legacy of this one. Because only one bag was carried by Jane Birkin—and only one started it all.


Khaleej Times
3 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
Procter & Gamble to cut 7,000 jobs to rein in costs as tariff uncertainty looms
Procter Gamble said on Thursday it would cut 7,000 jobs, or about 6%, of its total workforce over the next two years, as part of a new restructuring plan to counter uneven consumer demand and higher costs due to tariff uncertainty. The world's largest consumer goods company also plans to exit some product categories and brands in certain markets, executives said at a Deutsche Bank Consumer Conference in Paris, adding the program could likely include some divestitures without giving detail. The Pampers maker's two-year restructuring plan comes when consumer spending is expected to remain pressured this year, and global consumer goods makers including PG and Unilever brace for a further hit to demand from even higher prices. "This is not a new approach, rather an intentional acceleration of the current win in the increasingly challenging environment in which we compete," executives said. President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs on trading partners have roiled global markets and led to fears of a recession in the U.S., the biggest market for PG. The company imports raw ingredients, packaging materials and some finished products into the U.S. from China. Trump's trade war has cost companies more than $34 billion in lost sales and higher costs, a Reuters analysis showed, a toll that is expected to rise. In April, the Tide detergent maker said it would raise prices on some products and that it was prepared to pull every lever in its arsenal to mitigate the impact of tariffs. Pricing and cost cuts were the main levers, CFO Andre Schulten had said then. On Thursday, Schulten and PG's operations head Shailesh Jejurikar acknowledged that the geopolitical environment was "unpredictable" and that consumers were facing "greater uncertainty." The company had about 108,000 employees as of June 30, 2024, and said the job cuts would account for roughly 15% of its non-manufacturing workforce. PG added that the restructuring plan would help simplify the organizational structure by "making roles broader" and "teams smaller". The plans to divest certain brands will also help adjust its supply chain in order to reduce costs, PG said. (Reporting by Rishabh Jaiswal and Aishwarya Venugopal in Bengaluru; Editing by Janane Venkatraman, Rashmi Aich and Sriraj Kalluvila)