Latest news with #NextGenFDI
Hi Dubai
21-05-2025
- Business
- Hi Dubai
AVITA joins UAE's NextGen FDI initiative to drive AI innovation
AVITA, a leading Japanese technology firm known for its generative AI and avatar-based solutions, has joined the UAE's NextGen FDI initiative, marking a significant step in the country's push to become a global hub for artificial intelligence. The Ministry of Economy announced the move, highlighting AVITA's decision to establish operations in the UAE as a strategic win for the nation's innovation ecosystem. The company's arrival is expected to support economic diversification and elevate the UAE's standing in the global tech arena. AVITA's suite of AI-driven tools — including the AVACOM customer-support platform and Ava Training — leverages lifelike avatars to enhance service delivery, streamline operations, and foster human-like interactions across industries. These solutions are particularly valuable in addressing challenges such as labour shortages while opening new avenues for digital engagement. Hiroshi Ishiguro, AVITA's CEO and a recognised authority in human-robot interaction, has already been involved in AI research in the UAE through a collaboration between Dubai Future Lab and Japan's Science and Technology Agency. He was previously honoured with the Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Award in 2015. Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade, welcomed the collaboration, calling it a reflection of the UAE's commitment to attracting 'visionary companies that push the boundaries of technology.' AVITA joins over 100 companies that have entered the UAE under the NextGen FDI program, which offers a suite of incentives and infrastructure aimed at enabling global firms to scale from the Emirates. Cofounder Shogo Nishiguchi described the UAE as both a gateway to the region and a springboard for international growth. News Source: Emirates News Agency
Mid East Info
16-05-2025
- Business
- Mid East Info
Capital.com accelerates regional growth, with MENA clients accounting for more than half of trades global trading volumes in Q1 2025
The value of customer trading reached $656 billion, an 11% increase when compared to Q1 2024 Staff numbers surpassed 1,000, as the company grows its strength across tech and engineering teams UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, MAY, 2025 — the high-growth global trading platform and fintech group, has released new statistics showcasing its rapid growth as well as its regional and global expansion from its UAE headquarters. The group opened a regional headquarters in Dubai in April 2024 under the UAE's NextGen FDI scheme, which aims to attract the world's best minds and companies. Thanks to the MENA securities trading subsidiary, the Middle East contributed more than half of trading volume by global clients, making up 53% compared with Europe's 24% share. The platform reported strong trading activity in the first quarter of 2025, amid global market volatility and increased customer demand. For the period 1 Jan 2025 to 31 March 2025, the platform reported $656 billion in client trading volumes. This is 11% higher than the previous quarter. Over the same period, the number of users who opened a new account on reached over 800,000. The platform's solid quarterly performance follows a record-breaking 2024, during which client trading volumes exceeded $1.7 trillion. As continues to scale, the company has now surpassed 1,000 employees globally, marking a major milestone in its evolution from a fast-growing start-up to a high-growth fintech. Tarik Chebib, CEO, MENA said: 'In Q1, we saw a clear uptick in gold trading across the MENA region, as traders turned to the precious metal as a safe haven amid ongoing market volatility. It's a strong signal of how actively engaged and responsive this community is to global risk trends.' In the first quarter of 2025, the most actively traded markets on the platform were major stock market indices, notably the Nasdaq 100 Index. This was followed by commodity markets, primarily gold. 'Interest in these markets were fuelled by increased market attention surrounding the inauguration of US President Donald Trump, and sentiment regarding potential Trump administration policies. Meanwhile, ongoing inflation worries and geopolitical instability sustained the demand for gold as a safe-haven asset,' explained Mr Chebib. Clients from the Middle East were the most active traders in Q1 2025 and accounted for the highest volume of trades over the period (53%), followed by traders from Europe (24%), affirming growing presence in these markets. Building on this momentum, is actively expanding its product and engineering teams to support the development of new trading and investment products. The company is currently hiring across its global offices in Europe, the Middle East, and Australia. In late 2024, announced plans to onboard 200 additional tech and engineering professionals. 'Great products are built by great people. As we increase our presence across the MENA region, we will continue to hire top-tier talent to ensure we remain competitive and offer our clients the best products and services,' added Mr Chebib. Ariel Segev, Chief Financial Officer at commented: 'With client trading volumes totalling $656 billion in Q1 alone, we're seeing extraordinary momentum across our global business. This growth not only reflects the strength of our platform but also our commitment to give clients access to a broader range of markets and smarter tools. As we grow our team beyond 1,000 people, our focus is on innovation, diversification, and delivering choice for every trader.' Client engagement levels in Q1 were equally robust. The number of trades executed on the platform in Q1 2025 totalled 48 million, reflecting a 23% increase over the previous quarter. Strong client activity in the first quarter of this year coincides with commitment to speed and reliability where trades are executed in as little as 0.024 seconds and 91% of withdrawals are processed within 5 minutes. About is a high-growth fintech company empowering people to participate in financial markets through simple and innovative online trading platforms. Launched in 2016, its intuitive award-winning platform—available on web and app—enables investors to trade thousands of world-renowned markets. To help investors trade with confidence, the platform is fitted with robust risk management controls, transparent pricing and extensive educational content to support clients in their trading journeys. is one of the fastest-growing trading platforms in the sector with client trading volumes exceeding $1.7 trillion. In 2024, the company was recognised as the fastest growing tech-enabled platform in the Middle East and Cyprus for the third-straight year by Deloitte Technology's Fast 50 programme.
Zawya
16-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Capital.com accelerates regional growth, with MENA clients accounting for more than half of trades global trading volumes in Q1 2025
Staff numbers surpassed 1,000, as the company grows its strength across tech and engineering teams UNITED ARAB EMIRATES — the high-growth global trading platform and fintech group, has released new statistics showcasing its rapid growth as well as its regional and global expansion from its UAE headquarters. The group opened a regional headquarters in Dubai in April 2024 under the UAE's NextGen FDI scheme, which aims to attract the world's best minds and companies. Thanks to the MENA securities trading subsidiary, the Middle East contributed more than half of trading volume by global clients, making up 53% compared with Europe's 24% share. The platform reported strong trading activity in the first quarter of 2025, amid global market volatility and increased customer demand. For the period 1 Jan 2025 to 31 March 2025, the platform reported $656 billion in client trading volumes. This is 11% higher than the previous quarter. Over the same period, the number of users who opened a new account on reached over 800,000. The platform's solid quarterly performance follows a record-breaking 2024, during which client trading volumes exceeded $1.7 trillion. As continues to scale, the company has now surpassed 1,000 employees globally, marking a major milestone in its evolution from a fast-growing start-up to a high-growth fintech. Tarik Chebib, CEO, MENA said: 'In Q1, we saw a clear uptick in gold trading across the MENA region, as traders turned to the precious metal as a safe haven amid ongoing market volatility. It's a strong signal of how actively engaged and responsive this community is to global risk trends.' In the first quarter of 2025, the most actively traded markets on the platform were major stock market indices, notably the Nasdaq 100 Index. This was followed by commodity markets, primarily gold. 'Interest in these markets were fuelled by increased market attention surrounding the inauguration of US President Donald Trump, and sentiment regarding potential Trump administration policies. Meanwhile, ongoing inflation worries and geopolitical instability sustained the demand for gold as a safe-haven asset,' explained Mr Chebib. Clients from the Middle East were the most active traders in Q1 2025 and accounted for the highest volume of trades over the period (53%), followed by traders from Europe (24%), affirming growing presence in these markets. Building on this momentum, is actively expanding its product and engineering teams to support the development of new trading and investment products. The company is currently hiring across its global offices in Europe, the Middle East, and Australia. In late 2024, announced plans to onboard 200 additional tech and engineering professionals. 'Great products are built by great people. As we increase our presence across the MENA region, we will continue to hire top-tier talent to ensure we remain competitive and offer our clients the best products and services,' added Mr Chebib. Ariel Segev, Chief Financial Officer at commented: "With client trading volumes totalling $656 billion in Q1 alone, we're seeing extraordinary momentum across our global business. This growth not only reflects the strength of our platform but also our commitment to give clients access to a broader range of markets and smarter tools. As we grow our team beyond 1,000 people, our focus is on innovation, diversification, and delivering choice for every trader." Client engagement levels in Q1 were equally robust. The number of trades executed on the platform in Q1 2025 totalled 48 million, reflecting a 23% increase over the previous quarter. Strong client activity in the first quarter of this year coincides with commitment to speed and reliability where trades are executed in as little as 0.024 seconds and 91% of withdrawals are processed within 5 minutes.
CairoScene
16-05-2025
- Business
- CairoScene
UAE-Based Arabic-First AI Company AqlanX Lands $10 Million Funding
The deal includes an AI Centre of Excellence in Dubai under the UAE's NextGen FDI program, in partnership with UOWD. May 16, 2025 AqlanX, a UAE-based artificial intelligence company, has secured a $10 million investment from Lakeba Group through its enterprise automation venture, DoxAI. This funding aims to scale AqlanX's Arabic-first AI solutions across the Middle East, focusing on enterprise process automation, national capacity building, and talent development 'With Lakeba and DoxAI behind us, AqlanX is equipped to deliver Arabic-first AI that is not only world-class but also born in, and for, the UAE,' Demetrio Russo, Founder and CEO of AqlanX, tells StartupScene. 'We are building an innovation hub that reflects the ambitions of this region and empowers its enterprises to lead globally.' The partnership also includes the establishment of an AI Centre of Excellence in Dubai, in collaboration with the University of Wollongong in Dubai (UOWD). This initiative is part of the UAE's NextGen FDI programme, which supports fast-tracked market entry and scaling for global tech-driven firms. AqlanX's technology stack, grounded in DoxAI's enterprise automation intellectual property, enables rapid deployment across sectors such as finance, legal, and operations. The company's founder, Demetrio Russo, previously led KERNO Enterprises, a UAE-based technology hardware manufacturer.
Hi Dubai
12-05-2025
- Business
- Hi Dubai
AqlanX Secures $10 Million Investment from Lakeba to Drive Arabic-First AI in UAE
UAE-based AI startup AqlanX has secured a $10 million investment from Australia's Lakeba Group through its venture arm, DoxAI, marking a major step in the region's push toward AI-driven enterprise transformation. The funding, enabled by the UAE's NextGen FDI initiative, will support AqlanX's efforts to localise and scale DoxAI's enterprise automation technology across the Middle East. Founded to build Arabic-first, UAE-made AI solutions, AqlanX is focused on streamlining business processes, improving operational efficiency, and modernising enterprise document management. The deal aligns closely with the UAE's digital economy agenda, which positions the country as a regional hub for innovation and emerging technologies. AqlanX's growth also reflects the country's broader strategy to attract forward-looking investments and foster a thriving tech ecosystem. As part of the collaboration, AqlanX, DoxAI, and Lakeba have partnered with the University of Wollongong in Dubai to launch an AI Centre of Excellence. The centre will focus on research, innovation, and talent development to support the UAE's national capacity-building efforts in artificial intelligence. The agreement was signed in the presence of Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade, who praised the partnership as a strong example of the NextGen FDI initiative's ability to spark high-impact, cross-sector collaboration. With backing from Lakeba and access to DoxAI's intellectual property, AqlanX is poised to become a leader in enterprise AI tailored to the needs of the Arabic-speaking world, reinforcing the UAE's ambition to lead in next-generation technology sectors. News Source: Emirates News Agency
