News

Kuwait’s Raha Is An E-Grocery And Logistics Tech Startup

The company has already raised $7 million and plans to secure further funding to fuel GCC growth.

Published

1 year ago

January 2, 2024

Nour Nasir

Raha

Launched in 2022, Raha, a Kuwaiti e-grocery and logistics startup founded by Saleh Al Tunaib, plans to disrupt the local food delivery sector using a mixture of advanced robotics and automation.

Raha offers a full range of fresh produce, groceries, and other household essentials. The company’s smart ordering platform leverages user data to provide a personalized experience, while a robot fulfillment team manages a mixture of products and made-to-order recipes inside Kuwait’s first fully automated distribution center.

Despite upfront costs, the robot-operated systems have better profitability margins from the third year onwards compared to conventional labor-intensive sorting and picking systems, Al Tunaib says: “it saves on manpower, it saves you the amount of real estate you require […] and it’s also very energy efficient”.

Saleh Al Tunaib began his career in Kuwait in 2010 and co-founded the crowdfunding platform Jaribha in 2011. By 2013, Al Tunaib was working at the OnCost Cash and Carry chain of grocery stores and had risen to the position of chief executive by 2016.

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Due to changing habits in the wake of the pandemic, the MENA online grocery market is currently booming and was valued at $4.5 billion last year. The sector is forecast to grow massively by 2030, reaching a peak of $25 billion, according to consultancy firm RedSeer.

Since the launch, Raha has raised nearly $14 in seed funding and grown to become a multi-sector technology provider. The startup now has its sights firmly set on further GCC expansion.

News

HUMAIN & NVIDIA Partner To Build Saudi AI Factories Of The Future

In a push to position the Kingdom as a global AI hub, the partnership will co-develop next-gen AI infrastructure, digital twins, and workforce training.

Published

2 days ago

May 14, 2025

Nour Nasir

humain and nvidia partner to build saudi ai factories of the future

HUMAIN, the AI-focused subsidiary of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, has announced a strategic partnership with NVIDIA to build the infrastructure powering Saudi Arabia’s next industrial revolution: AI factories capable of driving massive-scale innovation and digital transformation.

The partnership reflects HUMAIN’s plans to turn the Kingdom into a global AI powerhouse by building new infrastructure, real-world applications, and investing in talent. Through the alliance, HUMAIN and NVIDIA will construct hyperscale AI data centers, digital twins, and launch national upskilling programs.

At the heart of the partnership is HUMAIN’s plan to deploy AI factories with a capacity of up to 500 megawatts, fueled by hundreds of thousands of NVIDIA GPUs over the next five years. Phase one includes the installation of 18,000 NVIDIA GB300 Grace Blackwell superchips and InfiniBand networking, creating one of the world’s most powerful AI supercomputing environments.

These centers will provide the scale and security needed to support innovation across Saudi Arabia’s industries — from energy and logistics to healthcare and finance.

“AI, like electricity and the internet, is essential infrastructure for every nation,” said Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of NVIDIA. “Together with HUMAIN, we are building AI infrastructure for the people and companies of Saudi Arabia to realize the bold vision of the Kingdom”.

HUMAIN will also leverage NVIDIA Omniverse to drive the next phase of industrial transformation — physical AI. By simulating and optimizing complex environments in digital twin form, sectors like manufacturing, utilities, and logistics can operate more efficiently, safely, and sustainably.

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“Our partnership with NVIDIA is a bold step forward in realizing the Kingdom’s ambitions to lead in AI and advanced digital infrastructure,” said Tareq Amin, CEO of HUMAIN. “Together, we are building the capacity, capability, and a new globally enabled community to shape a future powered by intelligent technology and empowered people”.

In tandem with infrastructure development, HUMAIN and NVIDIA will also launch large-scale AI education and training initiatives, designed to upskill thousands of Saudi professionals in advanced AI, robotics, and digital twin technologies.

These efforts will contribute to building a self-sustaining AI ecosystem and support Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 ambitions for economic diversification and digital leadership.