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Hub71’s Startup Ecosystem Now Boasts Over 200 Members
Companies from 6 individual countries have been welcomed by the Abu Dhabi-based tech ecosystem in the latest round of admissions.
Hub71, Abu Dhabi’s global tech ecosystem that assists creators in tech businesses, has grown its ranks to over 200 members. After a 60% increase in applications, an additional 20 firms were chosen to join the community, helping more startups than ever to maximize opportunities for funding and other business development in the UAE’s capital.
Entrepreneurs joining Hub71 gain access to huge networking potential within the ecosystem, which has now grown into a sizable community of tech entrepreneurs and attracted the attention of leading investors, as well as corporate, governmental, and academic partners.
Startups from six different nations have been welcomed to Hub71 in this latest round of admissions, and another 11 companies have relocated to Abu Dhabi after joining the growing community. The UAE is enjoying something of a tech renaissance of late, as it draws more and more top-flight companies from around the globe.
Also Read: How To Find The Best Remote Work Opportunities In The Middle East
“This success is a testament that Abu Dhabi is becoming a destination for high-quality startups that showcase great potential and impact,” says Badr Al-Olama, acting CEO of Hub71.
Among the companies chosen to join Hub71 is 44.01, an unusually-named business that aims to reduce carbon emissions by converting CO2 into rock. Adding to the community’s green credentials is Finland’s iFarm, which develops agricultural tech solutions to support automated vertical farming, highlighting the importance of cleantech and agribusiness development in the Hub71 portfolio.
News
Saudi Digital Payments Reach 80% As Cash Use Shrinks
Visa data shows cards and mobile wallets dominate spending, with smartphones now driving a growing share of daily transactions.
Digital payments now account for 80% of all transactions in Saudi Arabia, according to Visa’s latest Where Cash Hides report, another marker of how quickly the Kingdom is moving away from cash.
The share is up four percentage points from a year ago. Around 67% of consumers are now largely non-cash users, paying mainly with cards or mobile wallets. Smartphones are taking a bigger role, with mobile payments making up 16% of transactions.
Cash is retreating in routine spending. Eating out dropped 9%. Bill payments fell 8%, as shoppers opt for faster checkouts and app-based payments.
“The data shows a steady move toward digital payments in Saudi Arabia. Such progress is possible only because banks, fintechs, merchants, and technology partners are moving together in the same direction, in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030,” said Ali Bailoun, Visa’s Senior Vice President and Group Country Manager for Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Oman.
Also Read: UAE Users Sleep Less, But More Efficiently, ŌURA Data Reveals
Despite the recent findings, it’s important to note that cash hasn’t yet disappeared. It still shows up for tips (39%), peer-to-peer transfers (28%) and rent (14%).
Visa points to security features such as tokenization, along with rewards and cashback, as factors nudging more spending onto cards and phones — a shift that tracks with Saudi Arabia’s wider Vision 2030 push to digitize commerce.
Saudi Digital Payments Reach 80% As Cash Use Shrinks
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