Pure Harvest raises $60m; Dubai's 2040 Plan focuses on sustainability
Good morning,
Here’s your roundup of Middle East AI News!
Abu Dhabi-based smart farming startup Pure Harvest has raised $60 million in its latest funding round; STC and the Saudi Data and AI Authority (SDAIA) have signed a strategic partnership to develop AI services and infrastructure; the Egyptian government plans to start moving into its new smart city capital this summer; and Dubai announces its master plan for 2040, with a strong focus on sustainability.
Scroll down for these and more stories from around the region.
Stay safe and have a great weekend!
/Carrington
Startup News
UAE-based Pure Harvest Smart Farms raises $60m in new funding round — gulfbusiness.com
#UAE #funding - UAE-based agritech company Pure Harvest Smart Farms has raised $60m as part of a new funding round. Shuaa Capital led a $50m structured sukuk for Pure Harvest co-investing with Franklin Templeton and Sancta Capital, among others, in Pure Harvest through its managed funds as part of this funding round. (Gulf Business)
Password security software developed by Qatar startup to be demoed at MILIPOL Qatar 2021 — www.zawya.com
#Qatar #cybersecurity - STROKK – AI-powered software that increases the security level of any password by a factor of 10,000 has been developed by deep technology startup, ADGS Qatar, and will be demonstrated during the upcoming MILIPOL Qatar 2021 exhibition. (Zawya)
Proven Arabia launches new AI and robotics startup: Proven Solution — www.zawya.com
#Saudi #startups - Proven Arabia's AI and robotics-centered new tech start-up Proven Solution plans to help automate business operations for customers by developing a wide range of technology solutions. The company has already partnered with Softbank Robotics Europe. (Zawya)
National AI Strategy
SDAIA, STC sign strategic agreement to establish AI infrastructure — www.saudigazette.com.sa
#Saudi #NDAI - The Saudi Data and AI Authority (SDAIA) represented by the National Center for Artificial Intelligence (NCAI) has signed a strategic partnership agreement with stc (Saudi Telecom Company) to develop solutions using AI for healthcare, Smart Cities and national AI infrastructure. (Saudi Gazette)
Egypt’s Communications Ministry, France’s Thales sign MoU to develop apps, build capacity in AI — www.egypttoday.com
#Egypt #France #AI - Egypt's Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and French multinational Thales Group signed an MoU Tuesday to cooperate in developing AI-powered applications for smart cities, transportation, digital government and infrastructure. (Egypt Today)
Smart Cities
Egypt prepares to start move to new capital, away from the chaos of Cairo — www.reuters.com
#Egypt #smartcities - Egypt is racing to prepare its new capital city in the desert east of Cairo before the first civil servants move in this summer and ahead of the delayed official opening of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's flagship project. (Reuters)
Dubai 2040 Plan will 'strengthen allure' of the emirate, says leading economist — www.arabianbusiness.com
#UAE #smartcities - The Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan will cement the emirate’s place as the preferred destination in the Gulf for relocation amid increasing competition from neighbouring countries, according to a leading economist. (Arabian Business)
Serco partners with Abu Dhabi’s G42 to boost digital transformation — www.thenationalnews.com
#UAE #smartcities - British outsourcing company Serco is teaming up with Abu Dhabi-based a AI and cloud computing firm, Group 42 (G42), to facilitate the adoption of innovative technologies of Middle East government clients and the shift towards data-driven operations. (The National)
Healthcare
UAE Ministry of Health calls for nationwide participation in genome programme — gulfnews.com
#UAE #genomics - The UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) has called upon all UAE citizens to participate in the Emirati Genome Programme, a ground-breaking genomics initiative of Group 42 Healthcare’s recently launched Omics Centre of Excellence, the largest and most technologically advanced omics facility in the region. (Gulf News)
Education
Egypt and UAE collaborate to develop certified online education system — wam.ae
#Egypt #UAE #digitalschool - Egypt and the UAE are discussing development of content for the Digital School, an online education project launched by Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives last November. The initiative aims to provide a certified high-tech online education to reach students in disadvantaged communities across the world. (Emirates News Agency)
Environment
Video: Drones drop seeds from sky in tree planting drive — www.thenationalnews.com
#UAE #forestry - Around 10,000 Ghaf trees will soon dot the green belt of Sharjah’s Mleiha desert, as a result of seeds planted by drones in just a few hours by Dubai-based tech startup CAFU. It would normally take months to plant thousands of trees in the desert by hand. (The National)
UAE to test cloud-busting drones to boost rainfall — www.bbc.com
#UAE #climate - Drones that fly into clouds, giving them an electric shock to "cajole them" into producing rain, are about to be tested in the United Arab Emirates. The Emirates already uses cloud-seeding technology, dropping salt to encourage precipitation. (BBC)
Smart Farming
Plan to use drones in palm pollination in Bahrain — www.zawya.com
#Bahrain #drones - Drones could soon be used to help pollinate palm trees following a Northern Municipal Council proposal suggesting the move. The proposal has now been referred to the Interior Ministry to determine the drone logistics and procedures under Bahraini law. (Gulf Daily News)
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