stc and Ericsson signed a multi-year deal to widen Saudi 5G coverage and capacity. 
It includes the first commercial deployment of Ericsson’s Radio 4496 anywhere worldwide. 
The new 600 MHz layer should boost rural reach and improve indoor connectivity. 
stc will pair low-band and mid-band spectrum for broader coverage and busier areas. 
The expansion should strengthen fixed wireless broadband and support enterprise and public sectors.

Sabic and Lenovo signed an MoU to explore industrial innovation and knowledge transfer. 
The deal is a &#8220;framework first&#8221;, with no firm projects or rollout yet. 
Sabic offers industrial know-how; Lenovo brings enterprise technology and digital infrastructure expertise. 
The talks fit Saudi Arabia’s push for advanced manufacturing, digitalisation and capability building. 
Real impact depends on future &#8220;specific use cases&#8221;, investment, timelines and execution.

ServiceNow becomes the core platform for Aramco Digital’s workflows across operations in 50 countries. 
The deal aims to cut a &#8220;patchwork of systems&#8221; and create a standardised setup. 
AI-powered automation should reduce manual work, connect systems better, and improve execution. 
Shared services and ERP modernisation will target duplication, legacy tech, scalability and cost efficiency. 
The biggest test is execution: aligning many entities without losing local business needs.

CrowdStrike launched a Cyber Superintelligence Lab focused on AI safety and cyberdefence. 
It also unveiled SafeMind, pairing &#8216;offensive&#8217; and &#8216;defensive&#8217; models in a closed loop. 
Falcon Guardian aims to secure AI agents at runtime, not just set rules. 
The firm is expanding with Google Cloud to protect enterprise AI apps. 
The wider shift is clear: vendors now guard &#8216;the behaviour of AI itself&#8217;.

3C Coding School raised USD 3 million in seed funding to fuel growth. 
The Egyptian startup teaches coding, AI and tech through &#8220;project-based&#8221; interactive lessons. 
It has reached 120,000 students and recorded 230% revenue growth. 
Saudi Arabia is the main expansion target, with local partnerships planned. 
An AI-powered platform will track progress and tailor learning to each student.

Nokia has opened its first Saudi R&amp;D centre in Riyadh, focused on AI-powered networks. 
The team will build &#8216;more autonomous&#8217; systems that spot faults and optimise performance. 
Energy efficiency is central, with aims to cut bills 10% to 15%. 
The centre also backs &#8216;AI-native 6G research&#8217;, plus training, bootcamps and certifications. 
Saudi Arabia wants local engineering, software and patents, not just imported telecoms technology.

KACST and Pasqal signed a World Quantum Day deal on &#8216;quantum-safe&#8217; cybersecurity. 
The multi-year programme will research and test encryption that survives future quantum attacks. 
Pasqal brings neutral-atom systems and cloud services; KACST adds national research infrastructure. 
The wider Saudi push spans hardware, cloud access, commercial rollout and post-quantum security. 
The real test is turning research into locally tested products and stronger Saudi talent.

Accenture and AWS have agreed a six-year Middle East technology modernisation partnership. 
It will help firms leave &#8220;legacy infrastructure&#8221; and build a stronger digital core. 
A dedicated regional team will focus on migration, modernisation, data, AI, and enterprise platforms. 
Sector programmes target energy, finance, and government, each with security and regulatory demands. 
The real test is turning cloud, data, and ageing systems into AI that works.

NTT DATA will open an AI Factory Lab in Riyadh in September 2026. 
It gives organisations a hands-on space to test AI before &#8220;full deployment&#8221;. 
The lab will cover generative and agentic AI, plus cybersecurity and sector-specific uses. 
Cisco and NVIDIA will provide enterprise infrastructure, with security and governance built in. 
It supports Vision 2030 and could bridge pilots to &#8220;measurable results&#8221; across the region.

HUMAIN unveiled Horizon Ultra at LEAP 2026, built with Qualcomm for AI-focused enterprise computing. 
It uses Snapdragon X2 Elite so AI can run &#8220;directly on the PC&#8221;. 
HUMAIN says local processing improves speed, privacy and works better with patchy connectivity. 
The PC launches on Windows first, with enterprise sales starting 20 September 2026. 
A wider roadmap includes HUMAIN OS in 2027 and a more &#8220;full-stack AI&#8221; push.

AWS is set to open its first Saudi cloud region in December 2026. 
The project includes $5.3 billion investment and promises more local data control. 
AWS and HUMAIN plan an AI Zone with 50 megawatts by 2028. 
Arabic model ALLAM will join Amazon Bedrock, easing access to local AI tools. 
Training schemes aim to equip 100,000 Saudis and support startups with mentoring.

Adobe, MCIT and HUMAIN will give over 27 million people free creative AI tools. 
The year-long access includes Firefly Standard and Express Premium for anyone aged 13+. 
A new Arabic prompt model aims for “culturally relevant visuals” that fit Saudi users. 
Adobe Express is adding proper Arabic right-to-left support, fixing a long-standing weak spot. 
Startups also get free subscriptions, training and practical courses in creativity, marketing and AI.

Saudi Arabia plans “thousands of self-driving trucks” on major freight corridors by 2030. 
HUMAIN and Applied Intuition will start with routes linking ports, industrial cities and hubs. 
The software stack already supports Level 4 trucking, but Saudi desert conditions will test reliability. 
HUMAIN is moving into “physical AI”, with robotaxis, ports and mining also in view. 
Applied Intuition is building a Riyadh team as trucks begin operating on the ground.

Egypt is weighing Huawei’s 2,008-chip AI offer against a possible US rival package. 
Huawei’s plan covers &#8220;training and inference&#8221; chips plus data centre infrastructure within 12 months. 
The choice could shape Egypt’s future government AI backbone and wider technology ecosystem. 
Washington is sounding out NVIDIA, AMD and Microsoft, but export rules may complicate things. 
This tender is really about sovereignty, leverage and long-term strategic alignment.

Morocco and India agreed a joint commission to turn digital cooperation into practical action. 
Talks in Rabat covered AI, digital public infrastructure, digital skills and language technologies. 
The first focus is language access, helping citizens use public services in multiple dialects. 
Morocco wants to learn from India’s strong record in large-scale digital systems. 
No pilots, funding or timetable exist yet, but the direction is clearly deeper partnership.

LEAP 2026 opened in Riyadh, growing into a &#8220;marketplace for ideas, money and partnerships&#8221;. 
AI leads the agenda, with focus on real deployment during Saudi Arabia’s Year of AI. 
Robots, brain-signal tech and &#8220;flying taxis&#8221; made emerging technology feel practical and immediate. 
More than 1,289 investors bring $14.5 trillion, giving startups rare access to capital. 
The event backs Saudi ambitions to turn big announcements into local capability and business.

3D Engineering will showcase HelmX at LEAP 2026 in Riyadh. 
HelmX turns routine site walks into &#8220;time-stamped asset intelligence&#8221; for industrial teams. 
Its Visual Positioning System works in GPS-denied plants, linking data to the correct asset. 
The platform updates digital twins, flags anomalies, automates reports and supports robotics training. 
The company is seeking Saudi and GCC partners for pilots and wider industrial cooperation.

Dubai startup Tribe is expanding to Qatar with a local unit and Digital Assets Lab entry. 
But lab access is not a full licence; it is still &#8220;working through&#8221; regulation. 
Tribe offers fractional property investing, with Dubai access starting from AED 2,000. 
It says investor rights, fees and governance are defined before any capital is accepted. 
If licensed, Qatar would be Tribe’s second regulated Gulf market and a useful proving ground.

Saudi Arabia is chasing a bigger AI role, not just importing tools or hosting tech giants. 
Humain and Microsoft will offer Allam through Microsoft Foundry for Arab-market AI applications. 
The aim is moving from &#8220;pilot projects&#8221; to business use with &#8220;measurable outcomes&#8221;. 
Allam may link with Microsoft 365 Copilot for everyday workplace tasks and productivity. 
The partnership backs Arabic-first AI, with local nuance, engineering support and wider MENA reach.

Estaie has hired Michal Hicks as co-founder and chief product officer. 
The aim is making long-stay bookings feel more dependable and less &#8220;nerve-racking&#8221;. 
His focus includes &#8220;verified supply&#8221;, transparent pricing and smoother service for travellers and partners. 
The Dubai startup raised seven-figure pre-seed funding and plans 2,5 million properties by 2026. 
It is expanding into Riyadh, arguing long stays need a platform built &#8220;from the ground up&#8221;.

MIS Holdings is backing Syria’s digital shift with over $10 million since 2025.
It builds cloud-enabled SaaS systems replacing manual work across businesses and financial services.
Its technology supports Haram Pyramid Transfer’s 270+ branches and 300,000 daily customer interactions.
MIS also helped develop eCash Pay, Syria’s first licensed payment gateway and wallet.
New platforms target jobs, events, rewards and a broader “digital economy” for growth.

Egypt is rolling out biometric checks and e-signatures through telecom apps, avoiding branch visits. 
The system supports a wider push for a secure, integrated digital identity setup. 
Built with Egyptian expertise, it is now in a phased trial rollout. 
Security controls aim to protect personal data and keep verification legally reliable. 
If successful, it could unlock remote access to government and private services.

Dubai Chambers signed an MoU with Sukoon Insurance for broader member financial support. 
Members get tailored cover across motor, health, life, travel, home and property. 
Sukoon also offers investment options and End of Service Benefits solutions. 
Both sides will share knowledge and customise products for Dubai businesses’ changing needs. 
The deal aims to boost resilience, efficiency and “long-term growth” for chamber members.

Novo Nordisk and AWS are teaming up to speed drug discovery with AI and cloud tools. 
A London co-innovation hub aims to shorten the path to “first human dose”. 
AWS becomes Novo Nordisk’s preferred cloud and AI partner for research and operations. 
The collaboration has cut clinical documentation time and boosted productivity for 25,000 employees. 
Novo Nordisk also plans AI agents and broader Amazon links to improve patient access.

Disrupt.com is joining Hub71’s Initiate Programme to back very early-stage AI founders. 
Founders get hands-on help, from “testing ideas” to building minimum viable products. 
The operator-led model means startups are not left to “muddle through alone”. 
Hub71 is strengthening pre-seed support with investors, corporates and later-stage growth routes. 
The move follows Abu Dhabi’s rise into the top 50 emerging startup ecosystems.

Abdelrahman Amr

Abdelrahman Amr, Author at Arageek

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