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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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meet hotdesk a homegrown uae remote workspace platform

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.

hotdesk ceo mohamad khaled

“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.

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UAE’s Etihad Rail Launches In 2026 — What You Need To Know

A 1,200 km passenger network will transform public transport, with 11 connected cities, and high-speed trains cutting inter-emirate travel times.

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uae's etihad rail launches in 2026 what you need to know
Etihad Rail

Etihad Rail has confirmed that its long-anticipated passenger train service will officially launch in 2026, ushering in a new era of high-speed, inter-emirate travel. The UAE’s national railway developer shared the announcement on X (formerly Twitter), as work continues on a 1,200 km passenger network set to connect 11 cities across all seven emirates.

The news marks a major leap in public transportation for the country, with passenger trains designed to reach speeds of up to 200 km/h. Travel times will be significantly reduced — Abu Dhabi to Dubai is expected to take just under an hour, while the journey to Fujairah will be cut to around 105 minutes. A separate high-speed line, capable of reaching 350 km/h, is also in the works to link Abu Dhabi and Dubai in just 30 minutes.

The backbone of the network was completed in 2023, when Etihad Rail launched its 900 km freight service linking key industrial and logistics hubs across the UAE, including ports in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Fujairah. Now, the focus has shifted to passenger infrastructure.

The first station will be located in Sakamkam, Fujairah city centre, and a second is confirmed near University City in Sharjah. Dubai’s main station is expected to be adjacent to Jumeirah Golf Estates Metro Station, while Abu Dhabi’s is anticipated along the corridor separating Mussafah Industrial Area and Mohammed Bin Zayed City.

Also Read: UGREEN Nexode Pro Review: Portable Yet Powerful Chargers

Once completed, the passenger network will link cities including Al Sila, Al Ruwais, Al Mirfa, Dubai, Sharjah, Al Dhaid, Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah. Integration with Oman is also part of the long-term vision. A new cross-border project — Hafeet Rail — will span 303 km between Sohar and Abu Dhabi’s Al Wathba area. Developed by Etihad Rail in collaboration with Oman Rail and Mubadala, the link is expected to deepen trade and tourism ties between the two countries.

Etihad Rail’s passenger trains will carry up to 400 passengers each and feature Wi-Fi, entertainment systems, charging points, and onboard food and beverage options to ensure a comfortable experience. To further simplify access, passengers will be able to pay with their nol cards, thanks to a partnership between Etihad Rail and Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA). The collaboration aims to integrate fare payments and booking systems under one unified platform.

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