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Yas Island Announces World’s First Ferrari Esports Arena
Opening on August 29th, the Ferrari World Esports Arena looks set to be the ultimate haven for F1 enthusiasts, car fans, and adrenaline junkies.
Abu Dhabi’s famous Yas Island will soon be home to an exciting new Ferrari-inspired Esports arena, which will open its doors to F1 fans and car enthusiasts alike on August 29th.
The new attraction is part of the already popular Ferrari World Yas Island theme park. Its opening marks a significant milestone for the venue and solidifies the global car brand’s commitment to delivering an unparalleled entertainment experience close to the famous Yas Marina Circuit.
Faisal Al Nuaimi, General Manager of Ferrari World Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, was excited about the arena’s opening, explaining: “We are thrilled to introduce our latest innovation. This state-of-the-art facility is designed to immerse visitors in the exhilarating world of virtual racing like never before. Whether you’re a seasoned gamer or a first-time visitor, we strive to deliver an unparalleled mix of technology, realism and thrilling competitions”.
The new Esports arena will feature 20 Grand Turismo simulators (17 for adults and 3 specially tailored to younger guests). Additionally, visitors can experience three F1 simulators that “transport participants into the driver’s seat of a Ferrari race car across various picturesque F1 Grand Prix circuits such as Yas Marina Circuit and more, for the ultimate F1 adventure”.
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Ferrari World’s new attraction not only offers unparalleled realism but will also cater to people with special needs, ensuring everyone can experience seamless and immersive driving experiences. The arena itself features a smart black and red floor-to-ceiling aesthetic, along with top-tier gaming stations that use the latest high-performance PCs, professional-grade peripherals, and game consoles.
The Ferrari World Esports Arena will welcome visitors daily between 10 am and 6 pm. The GT simulators are included in the entry ticket price, while access to the dedicated F1 simulators will incur an additional fee.
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.