Skipr Raises $2M to Fortify AI Communication with Sovereign Infrastructure

Skipr, a startup based at Abu Dhabi’s Hub71, has secured USD 2 million in seed funding, closing the round at a USD 10 million valuation. The fresh capital will help the company scale what it calls “sovereign AI infrastructure”, essentially the plumbing that allows autonomous AI systems to work together securely while keeping data and decision-making firmly under national or enterprise control.

If you’ve been following the AI space, you’ll know that the conversation has shifted. It’s no longer just about building smarter models. It’s about how these systems talk to each other, across clouds, across organisations, and sometimes across borders. And that’s where things get a bit tricky. Governments and large enterprises are understandably cautious; no one wants sensitive data floating around without oversight. Well… I mean, who would?

Skipr is trying to plug that gap. The company positions itself as an “autonomous trust fabric” for the AI age, a platform designed to enable secure AI-to-AI communication. In simpler terms, it builds infrastructure so intelligent systems can coordinate, exchange data, even transact, while staying compliant with national regulations and internal policies.

The startup says it is already working with telecom operators, AI and cybersecurity labs, and data centre partners on national and enterprise-scale deployments. These early collaborations are focused on enabling sovereign digital services, systems where control doesn’t slip through the cracks when AI becomes more autonomous.

At the technical level, Skipr’s platform relies on cryptographic identity, policy-driven routing and auditable interoperability. That might sound like a mouthful, but the principle is straightforward: every AI system has a verified identity, interactions follow predefined rules, and everything can be tracked and audited. For governments especially, that level of traceability is not just nice to have, it’s crucial.

Andreas Hartl, CEO of Skipr Technologies, said the funding will accelerate efforts to build what the company views as a foundational layer for the AI era. He noted that as AI systems grow more interconnected and autonomous, secure interoperability under sovereign control is becoming essential rather than optional.

I reckon this focus on sovereignty is spot on, particularly in the Gulf. Countries like the UAE are investing heavily in AI, but they are equally serious about data governance and digital independence. Being part of the Hub71+ Digital Assets ecosystem gives Skipr proximity to regulators, infrastructure players and fellow innovators, which, in this region, can make all the difference.

On the flip side, building infrastructure is never glamorous. It’s hard, often invisible work, and progress can feel a bit slow-burn. I’m not a fan of buzzwords, and “trust fabric” risks sounding like one of them. That said, if Skipr manages to become the quiet backbone for cross-border, AI-ready systems, it could be chuffed to bits with how this plays out.

From where we sit at Arageek, watching startups across MENA push into deep tech, there’s something encouraging here. Founders are not just launching apps; they’re tackling the foundations of our digital future. It’s definately not the easy route. But sometimes the less flashy path is the one that shapes the ecosystem for years to come.

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