News

Foundster Is Dubai’s New AI-Driven Company Setup Service

The AI-powered platform revolutionizes business formation using conversational AI while offering personalized guidance on visas and more.

Published

2 years ago

December 16, 2024

Nour Nasir

foundster is dubai's new ai-driven company setup service

Foundster is a new AI-powered platform designed to simplify the often convoluted process of starting a business in Dubai. Using conversation-based artificial intelligence, the service streamlines company formation, making the process far more efficient for aspiring entrepreneurs.

At its core, Foundster employs advanced AI technology trained on over 980,000 words of specialized content related to UAE corporate law and Freezone regulations. This gives the chatbots the expertise needed to act like knowledgeable business consultants. Entrepreneurs can share their business ideas with AI Assistants through the Foundster website or even via WhatsApp. After evaluating the business concept, AI then ensures compliance with legal requirements and offers tailored solutions to create an optimal company structure.

The process is straightforward and conversational: Founders describe their project, and the AI responds with relevant questions to guide them, helping with everything from selecting the right business activities to choosing a company name and configuring the shareholder structure. The entire experience feels more like chatting with a seasoned consultant than dealing with the traditional complexities of setting up a business.

Even after a company is established, the Foundster Assistant remains a reliable guide. It supports visa applications by sending reminders, providing directions to government offices, and offering quick answers to questions about processes like medical checks and biometric scans. This 24/7 assistance ensures a smooth journey through every stage of the business setup.

Also Read: The Most AI-Proof Career Opportunities In The Middle East

Tobias Hieb, a successful German internet entrepreneur and the driving force behind Foundster, shared his vision in a press release: “At Foundster, we use AI in a very focused way: It handles tasks where it provides founders with the greatest added value. Our experience from supporting hundreds of companies has shown us where the most common challenges lie. We address exactly these pain points with our AI Assistant, making the formation process significantly more efficient”.

The platform’s current focus is on formations in the IFZA Freezone, but the team has ambitious plans for growth. “The successful launch […] is just the beginning,” Hieb stated. “We’re expanding Foundster to include additional Freezones and Mainland formations. Our ultimate goal is to make Foundster the central digital hub for company setups in the UAE. Founders will be able to compare all available options and identify the best solution for their business model”.

News

NEOPAY Wants To Follow Merchants Across Channels And Borders

A controlling 65% stake in noon payments would give NEOPAY access to marketplace sellers, online merchants and the payment flows they generate.

Published

1 day ago

October 5, 2026

Nour Nasir

neopay wants to follow merchants across channels and borders

It’s been a long time since checkouts were single defined places. A merchant might take payments at a physical register, on its own website and through an online marketplace, sometimes in more than one country. NEOPAY wants to follow those transactions wherever they happen.

The UAE payments company has entered into an agreement to acquire a 65% controlling stake in noon payments. NEOPAY already runs the acquiring infrastructure that lets merchants accept card payments, along with omnichannel acceptance and a merchant services platform. This new deal would add noon payments’ embedded payments platform, e-commerce gateway and merchant network across the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. That would considerably expand both NEOPAY’s digital commerce capabilities and its regional reach.

For merchants, the attraction is a single provider for online and in-store payments, plus faster settlements, data and analytics, and value-added financial services.

“Payments should be simple, reliable, and built for the markets they serve,” said Faraz Khalid, CEO of noon. His counterpart at NEOPAY, Vibhor Mundhada, added: “We have built a strong payments business in the UAE, and our ambition is now to take that capability across the region”. The acquisition, Mundhada added, would “expand our footprint into Saudi Arabia and Egypt” while reinforcing NEOPAY’s position at home.

Also Read: In Kuwait, Your Surgeon Might Be Operating From Another Country

NEOPAY is also keen to point out potential payment volume increases. The company says noon payments’ integrations with marketplace sellers and online merchants create high transaction density in some of the region’s fastest-growing digital commerce segments. It also believes control of the business would give it access to those merchant relationships and payment flows, and speed up the rollout of alternative payment methods and installment options.

The combined roadmap targets faster merchant onboarding, better payment performance, tighter fraud controls and embedded financial services. The deal could also strengthen cross-border payments and settlement along key regional commerce corridors.