Latest news with #AlRabbanCapital
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Qatar makes a $1 billion bet on quantum computing
Qatar plans to pour $1 billion over the next decade into quantum computing, one of the biggest government sponsorships of the technology. A joint venture between US quantum computing company Quantinuum and privately held Qatari investment firm Al Rabban Capital is spearheading the effort to boost adoption in Qatar and the Gulf. The government's investment will go toward building an ecosystem that includes infrastructure and funding for research, development, and training. The Quantinuum venture will provide the technology and offer services to academic institutions and industrial partners, Quantinuum's CEO Rajeeb Hazra told Semafor. Quantum computers — which have had some recent breakthroughs but aren't commercially deployed yet — rely on the physical properties of atoms to create exponentially more powerful software than those that rely on ones and zeroes. They have the potential to make breakthroughs in materials science, energy, health care, and financial modeling, Hazra said. Qatar's $1 billion pledge surpasses all other government investments in the field, Hazra said. The initiative has been more than a year in the works and aligns with US President Donald Trump's approach to the Gulf, emphasizing deep collaboration in technology. Unlike artificial intelligence, quantum computing doesn't require massive amounts of power, but it does need large data sets and AI capabilities to make advancements — making the Gulf a logical place to expand the technology, he said. The venture with Al Rabban Capital — the investment arm of a Qatari family that made its wealth in bottled water and construction — will focus on providing hardware, codeveloping industry-specific applications, and running education programs. Al Rabban has been investing in tech companies and is committed to helping Qatar diversify its economy, Hazra said. The venture is focused on creating commercially viable applications and building an industry that young Qataris would want to pursue as a career. 'It's no good just having a computer,' he said. 'What are you doing with it?'
The Independent
15-05-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Watch live: Trump addresses troops at Qatari air base after skipping Ukraine Russia peace talks
Watch live as Donald Trump speaks from a Qatarii air base after skipping the Ukraine Russia peace talks in Turkey on Thursday (15 May). The Qatari air base was used as a major staging ground during the U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Trump will address troops at the al-Udeid Air Base, which was also used to support the recent U.S. air strikes against the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen. The Qatari base houses some 8,000 U.S. troops, down from about 10,000 at the height of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Before visiting the base, Trump attended a business roundtable which included executives from Boeing, GE Aerospace and Al Rabban Capital. Later on Thursday, the president will travel to the United Arab Emirates capital, Abu Dhabi, where he will visit the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and be honored with a state visit with UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan at the Qasr Al Watan palace.
The Hindu
15-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Donald Trump to meet U.S. troops in Qatar as he rejects America's 'interventionist' past in region
President Donald Trump on Thursday (May 15, 2025) would visit a U.S. installation at the centre of American involvement in the Middle East as he uses his four-day visit to Gulf states to reject the 'interventionism' of America's past in the region. Mr. Trump plans to address troops at Qatar's al-Udeid Air Base, which was a major staging ground during the U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and supported the recent U.S. air campaign against Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis. The President has held up Gulf nations such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar as models for economic development in a region plagued by conflict as he works to entice Iran to come to terms with his administration on a deal to curb its nuclear programme. Before addressing the troops, President Trump would take part in a roundtable with business leaders. The group includes top executives from Boeing, GE Aerospace and Al Rabban Capital. Later on Thursday (May 15, 2025), he would travel to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates for the final leg of his Mideast tour and visit the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and be honored with a state visit with UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan at the Qasr Al Watan palace. Mr. Trump has also used his trip to announce plans to recognise the government of Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and to ease sanctions on the war-torn country. The U.S. has deployed more than 1,000 troops in Syria for years to suppress a return of the Islamic State group. Mr. Trump heaped praise on Al-Sharaa, who was tied to al-Qaida and joined insurgents battling U.S. forces in Iraq before entering the Syrian civil war, after the two met in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday (May 14, 2025) The President called Al-Sharaa a 'young, attractive guy. Tough guy. Strong past. Very strong past. Fighter.' It was a stark contrast from earlier years, when Al-Sharaa was imprisoned by U.S. troops in Iraq. Until December, there was a $10 million U.S. bounty for his arrest. President Trump, speaking in Saudi Arabia on his first day in the region, told Gulf leaders, 'It's really incredible what you've done. In the end, the so-called nation builders wrecked far more nations than they built, and the 'interventionalists' were intervening in complex societies that they did not even understand themselves.' The Qatari base houses some 8,000 U.S. troops, down from about 10,000 at the height of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. The gas-rich Gulf country has spent some $8 billion over two decades in developing the base, built on a flat stretch of desert about 20 miles (30 km) southwest of Qatar's capital, Doha. The base was once considered so sensitive that American military officers would say only that it was somewhere 'in southwest Asia'. Mr. Trump said he and the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, would also see a demonstration of American air capability, as the U.S. leader looks to boost defence exports to the region. 'You're buying a lot of that equipment actually,' Mr. Trump said on Wednesday (May 14, 2025) when he and Sheikh Tamim signed a series of bilateral and business agreements between the two countries. 'And I think we're going to see some of it in action tomorrow at the — we won't call it an air fair, but it's going to be sort of an air fair. We're going to be showing a display that's going to be incredible. They have the latest and the greatest of our planes and just about everything else.' Among the agreements the two leaders signed on Wednesday (May 14, 2025) was a document clearing the way for Qatar to purchase American-made MQ-9B drones — the export version of the Reaper. Mr. Trump told Al-Sharaa that he wanted the new government to take control of prisons in Syria holding Islamic State fighters and their family members, who are currently guarded by U.S.-backed Kurdish fighters. If it comes to pass, it would further reduce the need for U.S. troops in the country.
Indian Express
15-05-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
Trump to visit US troops in Qatar as he rejects America's ‘interventionist' past in region
President Donald Trump on Thursday will visit a US installation at the center of American involvement in the Middle East as he uses his four-day visit to Gulf states to reject the 'interventionism' of America's past in the region. Trump plans to address troops at Qatar's al-Udeid Air Base, which was a major staging ground during the US wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and supported the recent US air campaign against Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis. The president has held up Gulf nations like Saudi Arabia and Qatar as models for economic development in a region plagued by conflict as he works to entice Iran to come to terms with his administration on a deal to curb its nuclear program. Before addressing the troops, Trump will take part in a roundtable with business leaders. The group includes top executives from Boeing, GE Aerospace and Al Rabban Capital. Later Thursday, he will travel to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates for the final leg of his Mideast tour. He will visit the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and be honored with a state visit with UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan at the Qasr Al Watan palace. Trump has also used his trip to announce plans to recognize the government of Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and to ease sanctions on the war-torn country. The U.S. has deployed more than 1,000 troops in Syria for years to suppress a return of the Islamic State group. Trump heaped praise on al-Sharaa — who was tied to al-Qaida and joined insurgents battling U.S. forces in Iraq before entering the Syrian civil war — after the two met in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday. The president called al-Sharaa a 'young, attractive guy. Tough guy. Strong past. Very strong past. Fighter.' It was a stark contrast from earlier years, when Al-Sharaa was imprisoned by U.S. troops in Iraq. Until December, there was a $10 million U.S. bounty for his arrest. Trump, speaking in Saudi Arabia on his first day in the region, told Gulf leaders, 'It's really incredible what you've done. In the end, the so-called nation builders wrecked far more nations than they built, and the 'interventionalists' were intervening in complex societies that they did not even understand themselves.' The Qatari base houses some 8,000 U.S. troops, down from about 10,000 at the height of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. The gas-rich Gulf country has spent some $8 billion over two decades in developing the base, built on a flat stretch of desert about 20 miles (30 kilometers) southwest of Qatar's capital, Doha. The base was once considered so sensitive that American military officers would say only that it was somewhere 'in southwest Asia.' Trump said he and the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, would also see a demonstration of American air capability, as the U.S. leader looks to boost defense exports to the region. 'You're buying a lot of that equipment actually,' Trump said Wednesday when he and Sheikh Tamim signed a series of bilateral and business agreements between the two countries. 'And I think we're going to see some of it in action tomorrow at the — we won't call it an air fair, but its going to be sort of an air fair. We're going to be showing a display that's going to be incredible. They have the latest and the greatest of our planes and just about everything else.' Among the agreements the two leaders signed on Wednesday was a document clearing the way for Qatar to purchase American-made MQ-9B drones — the export version of the Reaper. Trump told al-Sharaa that he wanted the new government to take control of prisons in Syria holding Islamic State fighters and their family members, who are currently guarded by U.S.-backed Kurdish fighters. If it comes to pass, it would further reduce the need for U.S. troops in the country.
Korea Herald
15-05-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
Quantinuum and Al Rabban Capital Launch Joint Venture to Accelerate Quantum Computing Adoption in Qatar and the Region
Up to $1 Billion Investment Over 10 years by Qatar in State-of-the-Art Quantum Technologies and Workforce Development to be Provided by the Joint Venture to Academic and Industrial Partners DOHA, Qatar, May 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Quantinuum, the world leader in quantum computing, is establishing a Qatari-incorporated Joint Venture with Al Rabban Capital, a division of Al Rabban Holding Company, one of Qatar's most prominent companies. The Joint Venture will accelerate quantum computing adoption in Qatar and the region, strategically positioning the U.S. and Qatar as global leaders in the quantum revolution. This first of its kind quantum technology partnership was highlighted by the President of the United States during his historic state visit to Qatar. The Joint Venture has three core objectives: enabling access to Quantinuum's world-leading quantum technologies in the region; co-developing quantum computing applications tailored to regional needs in areas such as New Energy, Materials Discovery, Precision Medicine, Genomics, and Financial Services, with new opportunities emerging in the era of Generative Quantum AI (GenQAI); and, training the next generation of quantum computing developers in Qatar and the region. Quantinuum is steadily expanding its global presence to meet the growing international demand for its technology and applications. The company's expansion into the Gulf region, starting with Qatar, follows its successful growth across the U.S., U.K., Europe and Indo-Pacific. This Joint Venture reflects a shared commitment by the U.S. and Qatar to strengthen strategic ties, spur bilateral investment in future-defining industries, and foster technological leadership and shared prosperity. Quantinuum's Joint Venture with Al Rabban Capital builds on its partnership announced last year with Hamad Bin Khalifa University and the Qatar Center for Quantum Computing (QC2), Qatar's premier quantum research hub. "This is a defining moment in Qatar's ambition to become a regional hub for advanced technologies like quantum computing," said Abdulaziz Khalid Al Rabban, Chairman, Al Rabban Capital. "We're partnering with Quantinuum to deliver world-class quantum solutions, driving economic growth in Qatar and the region." "This Joint Venture demonstrates our shared vision to lead in transformative technologies," said Dr. Rajeeb Hazra, President & CEO of Quantinuum. "Together with Al Rabban Capital, we're accelerating the commercial adoption of quantum computing in Qatar and the region whilst serving U.S. and Qatari strategic interests." About Quantinuum Quantinuum is the world leader in quantum computing. The company's quantum systems deliver the highest performance across key industry benchmarks. Quantinuum's over 550 employees, including 370+ scientists and engineers, across the US, UK, Germany, and Japan, are driving the quantum computing revolution. About Al Rabban Capital Al Rabban Capital (ARC) is a Qatari investment and advisory firm driving business growth across Qatar and the GCC. ARC enable market entry and expansion through joint ventures, strategic partnerships, and deep local insight. ARC supports both public and private sector initiatives with tailored, end-to-end solutions. Beyond capital, ARC provide strategic guidance, governance, and access to a robust regional network. ARC's focus includes AI, quantum tech, healthcare, and sustainability, with a commitment to impactful growth.
