News

Hub71 Launches Exclusive Capital Club In Abu Dhabi

The global tech ecosystem’s new venture will help family offices to access technology and startup investments in the region.

Published

2 years ago

October 28, 2022

Nour Nasir

Hub71

Abu Dhabi’s tech ecosystem, Hub71, has just launched a new platform called Tech Barza, an exclusive capital club dedicated to increasing investment in technology companies and startups in the region.

The platform targets regional family offices for exclusive entry to Hub71’s community of nearly 200 startups, with an aim to accelerate funding. In 2021, $2.6 billion was generated across the MENA region for startup-related projects, representing a massive 138% improvement from the previous year. Tech Barza will help to continue this trend, helping startups and tech innovators to hook up with investors and get products to market faster.

The inaugural meetup of Tech Barza included leading family offices at Hub71, which is based in the international financial center Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM). Members of the exclusive club will gain access to pitch days, investor networks, and other business events, with many led by Hub71’s partner Mubadala Investment Company.

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“The private sector has a key role in shaping the next 50 years of our nation, and family offices are, without a doubt, the heartbeat of the economy. With the launch of Tech Barza, we will not just support the economic growth of the region, but we will also bring diversity and inclusivity to family offices, removing the misconception of crowding out, and reinforcing the mission of knowledge sharing,” says Badr Al-Olama, Acting Chief Executive Officer of Hub71.

Since the launch of Hub71 in 2019, the global tech ecosystem has channeled AED 3.2 billion into the startup community and secured funding to grow several sustainable ventures which will positively impact the UAE’s capital.

News

Joby To Establish All-Electric Air Taxi Ecosystem Across The UAE

The comprehensive agreement with Abu Dhabi’s government includes a training program, infrastructure development, and a manufacturing presence.

Published

5 days ago

May 1, 2024

Nour Nasir

joby to establish all-electric air taxi ecosystem across the uae

Joby Aviation

All-electric aircraft company Joby Aviation has secured three separate agreements with departments of Abu Dhabi’s government that lay the groundwork to develop and scale air taxi services in the Emirate and beyond.

The deal was signed at the recent DRIFTx thought-leadership and exhibition platform and gave Joby exclusive rights to not only operate air taxi services in Dubai but also unlock inter-emirate services between Abu Dhabi.

joby air taxi partnership abu dhabi

Joe Ben Bevirt, founder and CEO of Joby Aviation, said: “Today’s agreement demonstrates the incredible momentum behind the adoption of clean flight across the UAE. We’re looking forward to delivering a fantastic experience for our future customers in Abu Dhabi and we’re excited to be unlocking the potential for zero-emissions flight between Abu Dhabi and Dubai. We’re grateful for the support and collaboration of our governmental partners and the entire ecosystem in Abu Dhabi and we remain deeply impressed by their commitment to building out a world-class aviation ecosystem in the Emirate”.

Joby’s all-electric aircraft went on display for the first time in Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina at the DRIFTx event. The air taxi is designed to carry a pilot and four passengers and can reach speeds of 200 miles per hour (321 km/h). The zero-emission craft is said to have an extremely low acoustic footprint and can travel a maximum of 100 miles (161 km) on a single charge.

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Once operational, Joby’s air taxi fleet would enable fast, clean travel across the UAE, with journeys between Abu Dhabi to Dubai taking just 30 minutes compared with two hours by car during peak times.

Joby continues to work closely with the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) to help the Emirates become a world leader in the introduction of air taxis. Additional testing and analysis will be required before inter-emirate travel becomes a reality, but the cutting-edge technology already appears to have great potential.