News
Meet Hotdesk: A Homegrown UAE Remote Workspace Platform
Co-founded by Mohamed Khaled, Hotdesk has already disrupted the tech industry, and is helping to support flexible and remote co-working worldwide.
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Although the UAE has become a favored location for tech startups in recent years, Hotdesk, founded by Mohamed Khaled, stands out as one of the most compelling success stories. Despite maintaining a technical and operational base in Egypt, Hotdesk has been headquartered in the UAE since its inception in 2020, making it a genuine homegrown platform.
Hotdesk has a simple USP: The app provides instant access to remote workspaces, opening the doors to over 148+ establishments in over 800 cities worldwide. In the same way Airbnb disrupted the hospitality industry, Hotdesk makes it simple to book a desk, meeting room, or whole office within seconds.
Cofounder and CEO Mohamed Khaled has over seven years of experience working in the UAE and beyond. In addition to having ambitious expansion plans, he has already assembled a team of 50 top-flight professionals with resumes featuring the likes of Google, Swvl, and WeWork.
“Prior to entering the startup world, I spent more than six years as a Senior Associate working for one of the Big Four [including] PwC, Deloitte, EY, and KPMG, accounting for nearly 40% of the industry’s $150 (Dh550.89) billion global market. I spent most of my time traveling and working from various locations across the region, often in silos; as a result, I was limited to the options of where to work from when it wasn’t at a client’s office. Towards the end of my time at the company, I began to rethink the ways of co-working, realizing that more flexible working options were needed for workforces of the future to adapt and thrive, and that was the germinal idea behind Hotdesk,” says Mohamed Khaled, co-founder and CEO of Hotdesk.
Also Read: Advanced Tech Adoption & Innovation Are UAE’s Top Priority
According to Khaled, Hotdesk is focused on supporting a hybrid work model known as “work 3.0”. Since COVID-19, many consultants, freelancers, and creatives now operate from a blend of different spaces, which means that traditional co-working venues, with their high fees and long contracts, aren’t always a good fit. Hotdesk overcomes this issue by allowing users to search for and book spaces at hourly, daily, monthly, or yearly terms without long contracts or tricky terms and conditions.
So how does Hotdesk benefit from offering this service to its users?
“Hotdesk matches supply and demand in the market, and the end-user always gets the best prices from the co-working hosts, enjoying us as a free service. We charge a market-based fee that varies slightly from market to market, and that fee is then collected from the co-working hosts’ revenue. Some might compare the model with Uber, Careem, or Airbnb, although we charge a lower fee and help our hosts sell workspaces, which otherwise would be vacant,” says Mohamed Khaled.
After a year of explosive growth, which saw Hotdesk grow from 15 bookings in its first month to over 10,000+ per month today, the company will next focus on expanding into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, before setting its sights on the lucrative European market.
News
Yabi Introduces AI Financial Coach For Smarter Money Moves
The app provides real-time, personalized financial guidance, helping UAE residents manage money smarter, reduce debt, and build wealth effortlessly.
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Imagine having 24/7 access to an expert financial advisor — someone who understands your spending habits, helps you save more effectively, and offers guidance for every financial decision. That’s the vision behind Yabi’s revamped platform, an AI-driven finance app designed to transform personal finance management in the UAE.
Unlike traditional budgeting tools, Yabi acts as an always-available AI advisor, analyzing your unique spending patterns and offering real-time, tailored financial advice. Whether you’re making everyday purchases, planning a big trip, or saving for a major milestone, Yabi keeps you on track and helps you make informed financial choices.
Rakhil Fernando, CEO of Yabi, explains the mission behind the platform: “Financial literacy is not optional — it’s essential. But most financial tools today feel outdated and overly complex. Yabi is here to change that by offering AI-powered financial coaching that’s smart, simple, and accessible to everyone in the UAE”.
Here are some of the updated app’s new features:
- AI-Powered Financial Coach: A 24/7 digital advisor providing real-time financial guidance based on your spending habits and available in multiple languages.
- Live Insights: Connect your bank accounts for a detailed breakdown of your expenses.
- Tailored Budgeting: Yabi creates a budget that fits with your actual spending habits rather than generic financial advice.
- Interactive Financial Education: Learn the essentials of saving, investing, and credit management through engaging content integrated into the AI experience.
- Automated Expense Tracking: Receive instant alerts on overspending, identify hidden charges, and cut unnecessary subscriptions with ease.
- Credit Score & Financial Health Monitoring: Get free credit score checks and AI-driven recommendations to enhance your financial standing.
Also Read: A Guide To Digital Payment Methods In The Middle East
Finally, Yabi is also gearing up to introduce its own debit card and a suite of financial products, making it easier to save, spend, and invest within a single platform.
Want to try Yabi for yourself? You can download the app on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
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