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Robots Are Coming To Dubai Airport For Speedier Check-Ins
Emirates will deploy over 200 robots to help with everything from check-ins to hotel bookings.
As part of an extensive investment in the latest groundbreaking technologies, Emirates will employ a team of multilingual robots to assist with passenger check-ins at Dubai’s International Airport. The new additions to the Emirates workforce will reduce wait times and help to funnel more travelers through the world’s busiest international airport hub.
Adel Al Redha, Emirates’ chief operations officer, confirmed that the airline would roll out the domestically-designed check-in robots in two months, with more than 200 units eventually planned for service.
“We are the first airline globally that has introduced — or plans to introduce — portable check-in robotics. A robot that can complete all your check-in processes, including issuing a boarding card that will be sent to your registered number or email, and facial recognition by scanning your passport,” said Al Redha.
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Al Redha noted that the robot employees wouldn’t force passengers to present their documentation for a second time after passing through passport control. Instead, they would be used in transfer and transit halls in cases of disruption or flight changes.
Taking things a step further, the robots will also be able to connect with immigration authorities to determine whether travelers are authorized to enter the country, and using biometric identification at the airport, the digital assistants will also be able to complete speedy check-in and booking services, and even accept baggage.
News
Paymob Extends Series B Funding To $72M Amid Continued Growth
The financial services provider has secured an extra $22 million after strong performance in its core market of Egypt.
Leading financial services provider Paymob has secured an additional $22 million in a funding extension, bringing its Series B total to $72 million.
The funding was spearheaded by EBRD Venture Capital, with support from Endeavor Catalyst. Existing backers such as PayPal Ventures, BII, FMO, A15, Nclude, and Helios Digital Ventures also participated, reaffirming their confidence in Paymob’s business model and potential in the regional fintech industry.
This extension comes on the back of Paymob’s strong performance in its core market of Egypt, where it has experienced 6x revenue growth since the initial Series B in Q2 2022. With the Series B extension and continued profitability in Egypt, Paymob is well-positioned to further its expansion strategy across the MENA region.
Islam Shawky, Co-founder and CEO of Paymob, commented: “We are very excited by our strong prospects in Egypt – where we hold a market-leading position – and the significant traction experienced in the UAE since launching operations there. This funding will help Paymob fully capitalize on the momentum in our established markets, as we accelerate our GCC roll-out. We remain committed to creating cutting-edge infrastructure enabling SMEs across the region to thrive in the digital economy and are proud of our continued impact”.
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The expansion into GCC markets has been driven by Paymob’s initial Series B funding of $50 million, raised in 2022 and led by Kora Capital, PayPal Ventures, and Clay Point. The investment fueled Paymob’s growth, allowing it to launch its mobile app in 2023 and grow its merchant base by 3.5 times, now serving nearly 350,000 merchants across MENA.
Paymob has also expanded its payment acceptance suite to offer 50 payment methods through its gateway, POS terminals, and the Paymob app, providing the region’s most comprehensive fintech solution. The company recently introduced embedded checkout services for Shopify and WooCommerce, further demonstrating its commitment to empowering small and medium businesses across the region.