News

Notion Adds Arabic Language Across Its Workspace Platform

Productivity app localizes for Arabic speakers as Gulf startups and enterprises push deeper into digital tools.

Published

9 months ago

January 26, 2026

Nour Nasir

Notion

Notion has introduced full Arabic language support across its workspace platform, extending localization to its web interface, desktop software and mobile apps in what marks the company’s first dedicated product move for the Middle East.

From this week, users can switch the entire experience into Arabic, including navigation, settings and core features. The update brings the AI-powered productivity tool in line with how many teams across the region already operate, often juggling Arabic and English across documents and workflows.

The rollout follows years of steady local adoption rather than a formal market entry. Notion says it now counts millions of users across the Middle East, with hundreds of thousands in the UAE alone. Regional customers include Emirates Foundation and Emirates Investment Bank, while more than 1,000 UAE startups have gone through the company’s Startups Program.

“The Middle East has emerged as one of our most engaged communities, as the region’s vibrant startup ecosystem and rapid digital transformation have made it a natural fit for Notion’s flexible, AI-powered approach to work,” said Mick Hodgins, GM EMEA at Notion. “We now have millions of users across the region who have adopted Notion to build startups, manage teams, and create their life’s work. Arabic support is a foundation for what comes next, as we deepen our commitment to the region and the teams building the future here”.

Also Read: UAE-Built Falcon-H1 Arabic Leads LLM Benchmarks

For Notion, language coverage is also a practical lever: Public-sector bodies, banks and large enterprises across the Gulf increasingly require Arabic interfaces before rolling out software at scale. Vendors without it are often filtered out early.

The company paired the release with a recent Make with Notion Showcase event in Dubai, a sign it wants closer ties with the local ecosystem rather than treating the region as remote demand.

Arabic becomes Notion’s 21st supported language. The change turns a widely used foreign tool into something that feels native, and signals that the company sees the Gulf as more than a side market.

News

Abu Dhabi’s Robot Kitchen Is Serving Up Biryani, Not Burgers

Circus SE wants to put a tiny automated factory inside the buildings where Gulf residents live and work, bypassing part of last-mile delivery.

Published

6 days ago

October 20, 2026

Nour Nasir

abu dhabi's robot kitchen is serving up biryani not burgers

Circus SE

The most telling thing about a new autonomous kitchen now running in Abu Dhabi’s Marina Square is what it won’t cook:

“We don’t do fast food,” says Nikolas Bullwinkel, Founder and CEO of Circus SE. “We’ve actively decided not to build a machine that can only do burgers”.

Instead, the CA-1 system is built around pot-based cooking: curries, pastas, soups and rice dishes. After experimenting with highly personalized recipes, Circus deliberately leaned back toward recognizable food. “We’re going with a chicken biryani because you know it,” Bullwinkel says of the AED 40 dish.

circus se ca-1 robot system

The Germany-based robotics and food technology company operates across eight countries, and Abu Dhabi is its first deployment outside Europe. More locations are expected there and in Dubai.

In Germany, its units can be placed in supermarkets, gas stations, airports and hospitals. In the Gulf, Bullwinkel wants them inside residential and office buildings, replacing some of the complexity of last-mile delivery. “We’re basically bringing a very tiny factory a few square meters into your building,” he says. Catering company Royal Prestige supplies the ingredients and knowledge of local tastes.

The CA-1 manages up to 36 refrigerated ingredient silos alongside automated induction cooking, robotic plating and a self-cleaning dishwasher. Two robotic arms move ingredients through the system with minimal human intervention. It can produce up to 120 hot meals an hour, and a meal such as rice and curry can take around three to four minutes.

Also Read: Ooredoo Qatar’s 5G+ Network Is Built For Machines As Much As People

Five cameras and multiple sensors monitor heat, temperature and consistency, an attempt to approximate what a chef perceives. “You can hear something gets burned, you can smell it, you can see it at some point,” Bullwinkel says. CircusOS, the company’s operating system, adjusts recipes in real time.

You might think of the platform as a threat to kitchen staff, but Bullwinkel frames Circus as a way for chefs to develop recipes and distribute them at scale. With that being said, rising labor costs and shortages are also part of his case for automation.