Author: Emirates Insight
As wall calendars are replaced and the fireworks smoke dissipates, our colleagues at SmartCompany put together an annual list of startups they’ll be paying close attention to in the year ahead. The 2026 list includes startups capturing carbon emissions in concrete, making life easier for parents with autistic children, launching rockets into space, and more. Three of them are also led by women founders or cofounders. Here they are. 1. Andromeda Andromeda founder Grace Brown with an Abi unit. Source: Supplied Led by founder and CEO Grace Brown, Andromeda is the company behind Abi, a robot designed to reduce loneliness among…
As the Holy Month of Ramadan begins, The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal introduces a distinguished collection of experiences designed to honour tradition, connection, and generosity. From lavish iftars and serene suhoors at the award-winning Giornotte and Mijana to beautifully curated indoor and outdoor venues for private gatherings, alongside a special Ramadan market designed for gifting, the hotel invites guests to embrace the season’s spirit in its most meaningful form. Each moment is crafted to bring people together; to share stories, savour cherished flavours, and reflect in an atmosphere shaped by warmth and harmony. Set in the shade of the…
The UAE is set to outperform the global economy in 2026 after Standard Chartered raised its GDP growth forecast for the country to 5 per cent. The upgrade reflects the UAE’s strong trade performance, resilient non-oil economy and growing role as a global connector amid fragmented trade flows. The revised outlook places the UAE well ahead of projected global growth of 3.4 per cent next year, according to Standard Chartered Global Research. UAE growth outlook upgraded In its latest Global Focus report, Standard Chartered Global Research raised its 2026 GDP growth forecast for the UAE to 5 per cent, up…
The suspected scammers are using leaked order data to personalize messages, making the emails much harder to dismiss. Cybercriminals have reportedly launched a targeted phishing campaign using a fake merger between cryptocurrency hardware wallet manufacturers Ledger and Trezor. This follows a recent data leak at Ledger’s third-party e-commerce partner, Global-e. Details of the Phishing Scam On January 5, Ledger disclosed to its customers via email that Global-e had suffered a data breach, exposing customer information, including names, email addresses, phone numbers, and order details. Shortly after the incident was made public, affected users began receiving phishing emails falsely claiming…
The Anti-Fraud Centre at Dubai Police’s General Department of Criminal Investigation is urging the public to be vigilant against scammers offering fake work visas. These fraudsters often lure victims with hollow promises of employment and visa sponsorship that have no legal basis. As part of the ongoing #BewareOfFraud campaign, police officials are reminding everyone that the only safe way to secure a visa is through official government channels and legally licensed recruitment agencies. How to Protect Yourself To avoid falling victim to these schemes, Dubai Police recommend the following: Verify First: Always double-check the authenticity of any visa offer through…
LMArena, a startup that originally launched as a UC Berkeley research project in 2023, announced on Tuesday that it raised a $150 million Series A at a post-money valuation of $1.7 billion. The round was led by Felicis and the university’s fund, UC Investments. The startup bolted out of the gate as a commercial venture with a $100 million seed round in May at a $600 million valuation. This new round means it raised $250 million in about seven months. LMArena is best known for its crowdsourced AI model performance leaderboards. Its consumer website lets a user type a prompt…
Saudi Arabia’s low-cost airline flyadeal has launched five new routes from Madinah, marking a major expansion of its newest operational base in the Kingdom. The move lifts weekly capacity by 40 per cent and underlines the airline’s intention to develop Madinah into a core hub for domestic and international travel. The expansion takes flyadeal’s destinations from Madinah to eight and significantly increases connectivity from the holy city for residents, business travellers and pilgrims. Flyadeal adds five new routes The airline has introduced scheduled services to Sabiha Gökçen in Istanbul, alongside four domestic destinations: Abha Al Hofuf Jazan Tabuk The additions…
Emirates SkyCargo concluded 2025 with a clear roadmap for growth in 2026, following major investments in fleet expansion, network development, digital transformation and new product launches, reinforcing its role as the cargo arm of the world’s largest international airline. Badr Abbas, Divisional Senior Vice President of Emirates SkyCargo, said the airline strengthened its core operations in 2025 to prepare for its next growth phase, noting that 2026 will be pivotal with the expected delivery of up to 10 Boeing 777 freighters by December. The additional capacity will support network expansion, greater operational flexibility and enhanced customer solutions. During 2025, Emirates…
XRP tapped $2.40 earlier today – can it continue upward? Ripple’s native cross-border token stole the show on Tuesday, surging by double digits to a new seven-week peak of over $2.40 before it slipped slightly to just below that level. Here are some of the possible reasons behind the asset’s recent resurgence, which drove it from under $1.85 to $2.40 in the span of just several days. 3 Possible Reasons Although the entire crypto market has shown signs of revival since the start of the new year, XRP’s performance has dwarfed that of many of its larger-cap competitors. Perhaps…
Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence and Chairman of the Emirates Cricket Board, attended yesterday evening in Dubai the closing ceremony of the fourth edition of the Dubai Global Cricket Championship (DP World ILT20). The tournament concluded at Dubai International Stadium in front of a large crowd, marking the end of a highly competitive season. The championship kicked off on 2 December, coinciding with the Eid Al Etihad celebrations, with matches hosted across Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah, and featuring six professional teams. Desert Vipers were crowned champions after defeating MI Emirates by 46 runs…