Author: Emirates Insight
January has already been piping hot for startup funding, and this week is no different. Four ANZ startups raised more than $307 million across rockets, AI and engineering platforms. Here’s who: Gilmour Space: $217 million Gilmour Space cofounders Adam and James Gilmour, at the Bowen Orbital Spaceport. Gilmour Space Technologies has landed $217 million in a Series E funding round that lifts the Queensland-founded rocket maker’s valuation above $1 billion. This makes it Australia’s first space unicorn. The round was jointly led by the National Reconstruction Fund Corporation (NRFC) and superannuation fund Hostplus. It also saw participation from the Future…
Dubai’s First-Time Home Buyer (FTHB) Programme is accelerating the path to home ownership for residents across the emirate, having already enabled over 2,000 residents to purchase their first home in the last 6 months and driving more than AED3.25 billion in residential property sales, according to the latest figures from the Dubai Land Department (DLD). Launched in July 2025, the FTHB Programme was developed jointly by the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) and DLD to make home ownership more accessible for residents of all nationalities and income levels by bringing together government partners, developers, and financial institutions to…
The Dubai First-Time Home Buyer (FTHB) Program is accelerating access to homeownership across the emirate, enabling more than 2,000 residents to purchase their first home in the past six months and generating more than AED3.25bn ($885m) in residential property sales, according to figures from the Dubai Land Department (DLD). Launched in July 2025, the initiative was jointly developed by the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) and DLD to make homeownership more accessible for residents of all nationalities and income levels. The program brings together government entities, developers, and financial institutions to offer priority access to new projects, tailored…
DP World has officially unveiled the Dubai Food District, a major expansion and rebranding of the Al Aweer Central Fruit and Vegetable Market that will transform it into one of the world’s largest and most advanced centres for the trade of food. The new market, initially announced in July 2024 by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, will have a broader scope to cater to fruits and vegetables as well as dairy, gourmet foods, staples, and speciality products, positioning Dubai as an integrated gateway for the global food trade. The…
Solana users will gain access to on-chain U.S. equities with brokerage-level pricing and deep Wall Street liquidity. Jupiter and Ondo Finance have teamed up to bring over 200 tokenized U.S. stocks and ETFs to the Solana blockchain. The offering is being introduced through its new platform, Ondo Global Markets, which initially debuted on Ethereum and BNB Chain in late 2025. Solana Users Get Access to New Tokenized Stocks Ondo Global Markets, one of the largest issuers of tokenized securities, is expanding its offerings to Solana, enabling investors to buy, sell, and trade more than 200 tokenized U.S. stocks and…
We may only be a couple of weeks into January, but the Australian startup funding tap is already starting to trickle. This week saw $39.8 million raised across startups in deceased estate management and fitness spaces, as well as neuroscience. EstateXchange: $12.5 million EstateXchange co-founders Marielle Yeoh and Sarah Poole. Source: Supplied. A startup addressing the challenges of deceased estate management, co-founded by childhood friends, has banked $12.5 million in its first raise. Backing EstateXchange are Macquarie Capital, OIF Ventures, and billionaire Paul Little’s family office, with business exec Carol Schwartz and Pier 12 Capital chair Christine Christian also on board as…
The fast-growing UAE grocery sector will take centre stage at Gulfood 2026, as the global food exhibition launches Gulfood Grocery Trade, a new platform designed to serve the fast-moving consumer goods, private label and grocery segments driving the region’s food economy. Taking place from January 26–30, 2026 at the Dubai Exhibition Centre in Expo City Dubai, the platform reflects the rising strategic importance of grocery trade in ensuring product availability, price stability and supply chain resilience across GCC and wider regional markets. The Middle East stands out as one of the world’s fastest-evolving retail landscapes, fuelled by population growth, urbanisation…
Discussions about artificial intelligence usually begin in the same place: the future. Autonomous cities, machines that think like humans, systems that completely transform the workforce… On conference stages, in blog posts, and across social media, AI is often described as the technology of tomorrow. However, there is an important reality that is often overlooked: artificial intelligence is no longer a matter of the future, but of today. And for today’s people, these future-focused narratives are becoming increasingly insufficient.Because the main question people now ask is no longer, How will AI change the world? The real question is this: What can…
Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, one of the three chambers operating under the umbrella of Dubai Chambers, has announced that it successfully supported the establishment and expansion of 1,690 digital startups in Dubai during 2025. This represents an increase of 39.7% compared to 2024, reflecting the chamber’s significant role in strengthening Dubai’s position as a preferred global destination for the growth of digital companies and entrepreneurial ventures. Businesses specialising in artificial intelligence accounted for around 15% of the companies supported by the chamber, while fintech enterprises represented 12%. The combined share of companies specialising in mobility tech, software-as-a-service (SaaS), and…
The bAXS overhaul introduces reputation-based selling fees, aiming to reduce sell pressure and retain value in-game. The AXS token from gaming project Axie Infinity jumped 209% this month, going past $2.70 for the first time since July 2025. The move has put Axie back on traders’ radar at a time when most of the crypto market remains under pressure, with investors focusing on whether structural token changes can support longer-term demand. bAXS Plan Reshapes Rewards and Selling Mechanics The rally followed a statement from Axie Infinity co-founder Jeffrey “Jihoz” Zirlin, posted on X last week, outlining plans to transition…