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Futuristic Electric Self-Driving Trucks Are Coming To The UAE
Startup Einride is about to begin its expansion into the Middle East.
Einride, a Swedish startup and pioneer in electric autonomous freight transport, is expanding into the Middle East. The move follows a collaboration agreement with the government of the United Arab Emirates to accelerate the transition to sustainable logistics and shipping.
Founded in 2016, Einride has a grand vision to decarbonize the freight industry by developing an entire ecosystem of electric and autonomous vehicles, charging stations, and connectivity networks.
The Scandinavian firm is already operating in Europe and the United States and will soon add over 550 km of its autonomous logistics ecosystem to Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah. The project, known as Falcon Rise Grid, will encompass 2,000 electric trucks, of which 200 will be fully autonomous. Einride will develop the project over the next five years, which will include the installation of 500 charging points and other network hardware.
“This collaboration gets to the core of what Einride provides — the transformation to effective and sustainable shipping that is fully electric,” announced Einride founder and CEO, Robert Falck. The startup, which has already partnered with the likes of Coca-Cola and Oatly, says its clients have reduced emissions by up to 95% while staying competitive.
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The UAE’s Falcon Rise Grid project follows a series of expansions for Einride over the past year, including Germany, Benelux, and the UK. In 2019 the company became the first to deploy an autonomous electric vehicle on a public road in Sweden, and in 2022, received approval to do the same in the United States.
News
Checkout.com Set To Launch Card Issuing In The UAE
The payment service provider’s expansion is a first-of-its-kind investment and could reshape digital transactions across the region.
Checkout.com is laying the groundwork to become the first global payments platform to introduce card issuing in the United Arab Emirates — a move that could reshape how businesses in the region manage financial transactions.
The company plans to roll out its domestic card issuance offering in the UAE by 2026, subject to regulatory approval. The launch would give businesses the tools to issue both physical and virtual branded cards. This, in turn, opens up new ways to reward customers, streamline expense processes, and handle B2B payouts efficiently.
Checkout.com’s CEO and Founder, Guillaume Pousaz, revealed the plans during Thrive Abu Dhabi, the firm’s debut conference in the Emirates. Joined on stage by Remo Giovanni Abbondandolo, General Manager for MENA, Pousaz presented to an audience of over 150 partners and merchants at Saadiyat Island. Also in attendance was H.E. Omar Sultan Al Olama, the UAE’s Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications.
Abbondandolo highlighted the strategic importance of the announcement: “As a global business, we focus on bringing products to markets that our customers want and need. Today’s announcement is proof of our commitment to the MENA region and its rising influence in the digital economy. The appetite for innovation here is real, and we’re proud to be building the infrastructure that powers it”.
One early adopter of Checkout.com’s UAE acquiring services is Headout, a travel experiences marketplace, which recently named the payment provider as its main partner in Europe. The company has already begun card issuing there and is keen to expand that offering into MENA once approval is granted.
The expansion of services in the UAE and beyond builds on Checkout.com’s track record in the region. It was the first global payments firm to secure a Retail Payment Services license from the UAE’s Central Bank and was instrumental in rolling out Mada and Apple Pay in both the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
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The firm has also been rolling out new products: One of the latest is Flow Remember Me, currently in beta testing. It allows shoppers to store their card information once and access it across Checkout.com’s entire network, potentially cutting checkout times by up to 70%.
Earlier this year, Checkout.com also introduced Visa Direct’s Push-to-Card solution in the UAE, enabling both domestic and international payouts. Its collaboration with Mastercard has grown as well, making it easier for businesses to send funds directly to third-party cards securely and quickly.
With regional tech ambitions on the rise — spurred by initiatives like Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and the UAE’s 2031 Agenda — Checkout.com sees its role as one of a key enabler. “Our mission is to help ambitious businesses navigate the complexity of payments, so they can move faster, go further, and make the most of every opportunity,” said Abbondandolo. “In MENA, performance is personal. It’s local. It’s built on trust. And when payments perform, businesses thrive”.
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