In the news

Expo City Dubai Foundation launches with call for partners to enhance global impact

Expo City Dubai Foundation launches with call for partners to enhance global impact

Taking forward its mission to advance innovative ideas that benefit people and the planet, Expo City Dubai Authority has launched a non-profit foundation to build on the success of Expo Live, the pioneering and impactful global…

Permanent Committee for Human Rights hosts event on business, human rights with government, UN experts

Permanent Committee for Human Rights hosts event on business, human rights with government, UN experts

Leading figures from government, civil society and academia came together on Wednesday to explore the intersection between business and human rights at an insightful fireside chat hosted by the UAE Permanent Committee for…

UAE President honours global dignitaries for contributions to success of COP28

UAE President honours global dignitaries for contributions to success of COP28

President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan today bestowed the First Class Order of Zayed II on several global dignitaries in recognition of their contributions to the success of the 28th Conference…

Women-owned businesses record a staggering 114% growth in past two decades

Women-owned businesses record a staggering 114% growth in past two decades

Women are making significant strides in the workforce. Women-owned businesses have grown a staggering 114% in the past two decades, and women now lead one-third of businesses worldwide. Yet, challenges remain.

How can corporate venturing elevate Mena’s entrepreneurial landscape?

How can corporate venturing elevate Mena’s entrepreneurial landscape?

The Middle East is home to some of the world’s most prominent sovereign wealth funds. Fuelled by a concerted push for economic diversification and widespread tech adoption, a vibrant venture ecosystem has emerged.

AUS Career Fair 2024: Empowering futures, connecting talent

AUS Career Fair 2024: Empowering futures, connecting talent

Her Excellency Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, President of American University of Sharjah (AUS), inaugurated the AUS Career Fair 2024 on campus, which saw the participation of 79 companies from various industries.

A Decade In Review: Badr Jafar, CEO, Crescent Enterprises

A Decade In Review: Badr Jafar, CEO, Crescent Enterprises

For someone we declared to be “one of the region’s thought leaders” when we first featured him in Entrepreneur Middle East in July 2014, Crescent Enterprises CEO Badr Jafar has only gone on to steadfastly.

Key initiatives on Nature, Carbon Markets, Renewables and more announced on Day Two of Business & Philanthropy Climate Forum at COP28

Key initiatives on Nature, Carbon Markets, Renewables and more announced on Day Two of Business & Philanthropy Climate Forum at COP28

Day Two of the Business & Philanthropy Climate Forum – COP28’s multistakeholder engagement platform for the private sector – brought more than 1,300 global business leaders and philanthropists together with…

COP28 Business & Philanthropy Climate Forum mobilizes $5 billion in funding to advance climate and nature action

COP28 Business & Philanthropy Climate Forum mobilizes $5 billion in funding to advance climate and nature action

Day One of the Business & Philanthropy Climate Forum – COP28’s multistakeholder engagement platform for the private sector – successfully convened over 1,300 global business leaders and philanthropists.

His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and His Majesty King Charles III Open Inaugural Business & Philanthropy Climate Forum

His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and His Majesty King Charles III Open Inaugural Business & Philanthropy Climate Forum

For the first time at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties (COP), the COP28 Presidency of the United Arab Emirates has launched the inaugural COP28 Business and Philanthropy Climate Forum.

COP28 Business & Philanthropy Climate Forum to Bring Together Global Heads of State & Government along with Business CEOs and Philanthropists to Accelerate Progress on Climate Action and Industry Transition

COP28 Business & Philanthropy Climate Forum to Bring Together Global Heads of State & Government along with Business CEOs and Philanthropists to Accelerate Progress on Climate Action and Industry Transition

The inaugural COP28 Business & Philanthropy Climate Forum, hosted by the COP28 Presidency, will open on 30 November at Expo City, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, with a royal reception in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nayhan, President of the United Arab Emirates and His Majesty King Charles III.

Business leaders and entrepreneurs convene at ‘Road to COP28’ event in Dubai to address MENA climate action

Business leaders and entrepreneurs convene at ‘Road to COP28’ event in Dubai to address MENA climate action

The inaugural COP28 Business & Philanthropy Climate Forum, hosted by the COP28 Presidency on 1 and 2 December 2023 in parallel with the world leaders World Climate Action Summit, has announced key partnerships with leading global organizations, joining forces to drive global climate and nature action.

COP28 Business & Philanthropy Climate Forum unveils key Partners, uniting to drive global climate action

COP28 Business & Philanthropy Climate Forum unveils key Partners, uniting to drive global climate action

The inaugural COP28 Business & Philanthropy Climate Forum, hosted by the COP28 Presidency on 1 and 2 December 2023 in parallel with the world leaders World Climate Action Summit, has announced key partnerships with leading global organizations, joining forces to drive global climate and nature action.

COP28 UAE Announces Largest Global Convening of Business & Philanthropy Leaders Around Climate and Nature

COP28 UAE Announces Largest Global Convening of Business & Philanthropy Leaders Around Climate and Nature

The COP28 Presidency will host the Business & Philanthropy Climate Forum (BPCF) on December 1 and 2, held concurrently with the world leaders World Climate Action Summit. This CEO-level Forum will mobilize global business leaders and philanthropists…

Sheikh Mohammed honours 16 entities with Community Impact Medal

Sheikh Mohammed honours 16 entities with Community Impact Medal

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, witnessed the honouring of a number of companies leading in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)…

Navigating the opportunities and challenges of investing in Saudi Arabia

Navigating the opportunities and challenges of investing in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia has taken great strides in enhancing the business environment, which has led to an increase in foreign investment and nurturing an innovative startup ecosystem, proving extremely attractive to investors…

New technologies nurture agricultural revolution in the Middle East

New technologies nurture agricultural revolution in the Middle East

Between 60 and 70 years ago, comprehensive technological developments greened large swathes of Mexico, India, the Philippines and several other countries. By raising crop yields and agricultural production, it helped reduce…

Philanthropy can have ‘multiplier effect’ on finance for climate efforts

Philanthropy can have ‘multiplier effect’ on finance for climate efforts

Greater funding for solutions to help to mitigate the effects of climate change — especially in developing economies — could be sourced if more philanthropic money was directed towards it, according to the Cop28…

Global energy crisis is a ‘management’ issue, says Crescent Enterprises CEO Badr Jafar

Global energy crisis is a ‘management’ issue, says Crescent Enterprises CEO Badr Jafar

As the world grapples with its most serious energy crisis since the Second World War due to the war between Russia and Ukraine, Badr Jafar, chief executive officer of UAE-based Crescent Enterprises…

‘A recession is a good time to make startup investments’, says CE-Ventures Tushar Singhvi

‘A recession is a good time to make startup investments’, says CE-Ventures Tushar Singhvi

Dubai’s aim-for-the-skies D33 program aims to build on the strengths the city has already garnered, in trade for instance. Then there are those priorities that will have Dubai flesh out its strengths further, notably in the startup space…

Investment opportunities to watch through the eyes of an investor

Investment opportunities to watch through the eyes of an investor

Amid a rapidly changing geopolitical landscape, high levels of inflation and rising interest rates, global Venture Capital (VC) is bracing itself to weather the storm of uncertainty. The year began with international venture funding…

Dubai in the driving seat to achieve sustainable mobility

Dubai in the driving seat to achieve sustainable mobility

As we fast track towards achieving emission-free transport in Dubai by 2030, the quest for sustainable mobility intensifies with clever innovations such as the driverless taxi, which recently made its grand entrance at Gitex Global 2022…

Supply Chain: Where do opportunities lie in the wake of the crisis?

Supply Chain: Where do opportunities lie in the wake of the crisis?

Every cloud has its silver lining, but where do opportunities lie in a global supply chain crisis? Crescent Enterprises’ Neeraj Agrawal explains how businesses can capitalise on the opportunities offered by the pandemic and its ripple effect…

Investment in youth crucial to sustain speed of global technology, innovation

Investment in youth crucial to sustain speed of global technology, innovation

Youth is power, which was never more evident than at the recent start-up Sharjah Ideation Hackathon at Khorfakkan. Sharjah Entrepreneurship Centre (Sheraa) and the University of Khorfakkan brought over 150 youthful…

GCC philanthropy valued at $210bn a year

GCC philanthropy valued at $210bn a year

GCC philanthropy could be a $210bn industry according to research conducted by the University of Cambridge. Despite the difficulty in analysing the sector, the Centre for Strategic Philanthropy at the University of Cambridge…

Between $400bln to $1trln is disbursed in Islamic alms-giving every year

Between $400bln to $1trln is disbursed in Islamic alms-giving every year

Sheikh Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation for policy research in collaboration with the organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) Network of Foundations Working for Development (netFWD)…

Data and dialogue key drivers of philanthropic impact across MENA

Data and dialogue key drivers of philanthropic impact across MENA

To meet the growing demand for more cohesive philanthropic communities in the MENA region, Sheikh Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation for Policy Research in collaboration with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)…

Hatch & Boost Ventures launches Foodtech startup, BreakBread

Hatch & Boost Ventures launches Foodtech startup, BreakBread

Abu Dhabi-based venture builder, Hatch & Boost Ventures, ADGM, ​​A joint venture between Crescent Enterprises and hatch & boost, has announced the launch of BreakBread, a Foodtech startup on a mission to reinvent the supper…

UAE: With 95 films from 43 countries, Siff announces powerful line-up of animation, shorts, features, documentaries

UAE: With 95 films from 43 countries, Siff announces powerful line-up of animation, shorts, features, documentaries

The ninth edition of the Sharjah International Film Festival for Children and Youth (Siff) will showcase a wide range of films from 43 countries led by the US, France, Saudi Arabia, and South Korea…

Startup Sharjah Hackathon equips 150 youth with business skills

Startup Sharjah Hackathon equips 150 youth with business skills

Sharjah 24: The Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa) has announced the top three winning teams in the Khorfakkan chapter of the Startup Sharjah hackathon that concluded yesterday at the University of Khorfakkan. The hakathon was in partnership with Crescent Enterprises and in collaboration with the University of Khorfakkan, Emirates Schools Establishment, and Sharjah Youth Council.
Held in September 16-18, this year’s edition of the hackathon saw the participation of over 150 youth, divided into 14 teams. The hackathon equipped school and university students with 21st century skill sets that helped them build solutions to real-world problems posed by the competition’s corporate partners. This year’s edition of the hackathon targeted the development of sustainable solutions in the ports and logistics services sectors.

Winning teams
The first place was won by the Octainer project, an advanced scanning technology that facilitates the digitalisation of the documentation process of port activities through the use of Near-field communication (NFC), a short-range wireless connectivity technology. Each container would have a smart tag attached to it containing all its data that will be read by the scanner attached to the crane at the port. With the automatic verification of the contents of the container, the customs clearance process is smoother and quicker.

The second place went to Al Seef project, an integrated system that provides comprehensive solutions for stakeholders in port operations to manage information flow, and combat wastage of resources, avoid discrepancy in documentation, track prices and ships, and provide more accurate ETAs. The digital solutions presented by the team results in efficient management of information flow amongst all stakeholders, enables real-time tracking of shipping lines and trucks, offers transparency on prices, enhances documentation process with verification updates, and helps manage customer expectations.

The third place went to PortSecure project, a startup that offers ports access to its software based on a membership model. The software predicts inefficiencies in port activities and provides a new adapted Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) that helps ports be faster and safer

The winning teams received cash prizes to support the development of their projects and real-life applications. The winners also received the opportunity to join Sheraa’s specialised programs for further development of the idea and possibly turning it to viable business.

Spirit of Innovation
Commenting on the success of the hackathon, Najla Al Midfa, CEO of Sheraa, said: “The launch of our Startup Sharjah offering in Khorfakkan is testament to Sheraa’s commitment to making entrepreneurship an accessible and foundational skillset for the young entrepreneurial talent across Sharjah, and the UAE. With the support of our partners, we will continue to invest in the undeniable potential of our ambitious youth to build sustainable solutions that address the challenges impacting lives worldwide.”

She pointed out that the hackathon lays emphasis on the societal impact of a project, not just its commercial value, with the goal of developing businesses that have a positive impact on the local community and the wider economy. The Sheraa CEO said the projects led by the competing teams at the Khorfakkan hackathon demonstrated a high level of understanding of the challenges and needs of the industry and the local and global communities.

Badr Jafar, CEO of Crescent Enterprises, said: “With no shortage of entrepreneurial talent in our region, our young problem solvers should be encouraged to take more calculated risks when creating solutions and embrace success or failure with the same dynamism. At Crescent Enterprises, youth empowerment and local entrepreneurship development are core elements of our corporate citizenship strategy. This is in line with the government of Sharjah’s efforts to create a conducive business environment that has enabled the emirate to become a prominent regional innovation hub and develop a thriving startup ecosystem.”

He added: “Crescent Enterprises is proud of its long-standing partnership with Sheraa, which continues to build an inclusive and sustainable entrepreneurial platform in the UAE and the wider region.”

For his part, Ahmed Al Shammaa, Director, University of Khorfakkan, said: “We are delighted with our collaboration with Sheraa, which aims to promote proactive thinking amongst the younger generation. Such immersive activities are critical for our university as they help achieve our vision and goals that focus on advancing the intellectual, personal and professional skill sets of our students.”

He added: “The University of Khorfakkan is focused on building a strong foundation for our students through research and innovations to ensure that our graduates are capable of supporting Sharjah and the UAE’s journey towards building an internationally competitive knowledge-based economy.”

Six stages
Through the hackathon, participants were introduced to the design thinking process based on six stages: Understand, Observe, Point of View, Ideate, Prototype, and Test.

During the hackathon, representatives from Gulftainer, which operates the Sharjah Container Terminal, Khorfakkan Container Terminal, and Al Hamriyah Container Terminal, and Momentum Logistics, a fully integrated third-party logistics provider, delivered a presentation on the integral role of supply chains in the logistics industry, and outlined various operational aspects and administration of the Khorfakkan Port. After the presentation, participants brainstormed solutions to transform the port’s operations to become more agile and sustainable.

Tim Haas, COO of Gulftainer, said: “Gulftainer is delighted to support the Khorfakkan chapter of the Startup Sharjah Hackathon which encourages innovation and instills a spirit of entrepreneurship among our future trailblazers. Our region is perfectly positioned as a global hub for logistics, and with ongoing education and mentorship, our young people will remain at the forefront of emerging technology, utilising it to develop solutions that address global supply chain challenges and support economic sustainability.”

Competing teams of UAE youth created prototypes, building on the information shared during the presentation and tested their ideas to ensure it could be implemented to achieve the set goals.

The decision to hold the hackathon in Khorfakkan comes in the wake of several integrated developments in the largest city in Sharjah’s Eastern Region under the directives of the wise leadership, the latest being the University of Khorfakkan.

 

 

Sheraa launches Startup Sharjah in Khorfakkan

Sheraa launches Startup Sharjah in Khorfakkan

The Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa) is marking the launch of the Khorfakkan chapter of Startup Sharjah in September with a three-day intensive bootcamp designed to encourage entrepreneurial thinking amongst…

Crescent Enterprises reaffirms Green Giving Partnership with Emirates Nature-WWF

Crescent Enterprises reaffirms Green Giving Partnership with Emirates Nature-WWF

As part of its commitment to environmental conservation, Crescent Enterprises has announced its renewed partnership with Emirates Nature-WWF, to support the UAE’s environmental initiatives. The partnership reaffirms…

A green, resilient, inclusive approach to development can usher in a new model of growth for MENA: Badr Jafar at the World Economic Forum

A green, resilient, inclusive approach to development can usher in a new model of growth for MENA: Badr Jafar at the World Economic Forum

The World Economic Forum (WEF) hosted an expert dialogue on the collaborative action Middle East leaders must take to navigate between net-zero ambitions and socioeconomic realities. The session, titled…

Crescent Enterprises Celebrates Cultural Diplomacy through the 27th Annual Arabian Sights Film Festival

Crescent Enterprises Celebrates Cultural Diplomacy through the 27th Annual Arabian Sights Film Festival

Crescent Enterprises has supported the annual Arabian Sights Film Festival in the US for the eighth consecutive year. Arabian Sights is presented by the Washington DC International Film Festival (Filmfest DC) and…

NorthLadder raises $10 million in a convertible note

NorthLadder raises $10 million in a convertible note

NorthLadder is the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region’s unique digital platform that enables frictionless trade of pre-owned electronics. Their model provides great value and convenience to consumers to sell their devices…

CE-Creates merges with hatch & boost in Mena’s first venture-builder merger

CE-Creates merges with hatch & boost in Mena’s first venture-builder merger

Marking the first-ever portfolio merger of two venture builders in the region, CE-Creates, the business incubation platform of Crescent Enterprises, has completed the merger of its portfolio of startups with hatch & boost…

Crescent Enterprises commits to digital inclusion to impact 100,000 youth

Crescent Enterprises commits to digital inclusion to impact 100,000 youth

Crescent Enterprises has announced its commitment to the EDISON Alliance 1 Billion Lives Challenge, to impact 100,000 youth in the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia (MENASA) region by 2025 through a set of comprehensive…

CE-Ventures leads pre-series B round funding for revolutionary Ayurvedic platform NirogStreet

CE-Ventures leads pre-series B round funding for revolutionary Ayurvedic platform NirogStreet

CE-Ventures, the corporate venture capital platform of Crescent Enterprises, and Japan-based ICMG Partners are taking the lead – $4 million has been raised in the pre-series B round for tech platform NirogStreet. The funds will be used to…

Kava & Chai ties up with The Reach Campaign

Kava & Chai ties up with The Reach Campaign

Kava & Chai, collaborated with The Reach Campaign, an awareness and fundraising initiative launched in February 2019 to fight neglected tropical diseases (NTDs)…

Gulf Region to invest over $70 billion in digital infrastructure by 2024

Gulf Region to invest over $70 billion in digital infrastructure by 2024

Crescent Enterprises CEO Badr Jafar, participated in the World Economic Forum Edison Alliance discussion on boosting digital inclusion alongside Hans Vestberg, chairman and CEO of Verizon and chairman of the Edison Alliance…

Kava & Chai first to reopen at American University of Sharjah with students’ return

Kava & Chai first to reopen at American University of Sharjah with students’ return

Kava & Chai, the UAE homegrown coffee and tea house, was the first to re-open its outlet today at the American University of Sharjah as students return for the forthcoming academic year.

Furlenco raises $140 million from Zinnia Global Fund, others

Furlenco raises $140 million from Zinnia Global Fund, others

Furniture subscription company Furlenco has raised $140 million (Rs 1,000 crore) in a mix of debt and equity, as part of its latest funding round led by Zinnia Global Fund, its founder said. The funding will help the company expand its geographic reach, launch new products and plans, and support marketing…

MENA tech-driven ventures could pay professionals more than double the current average salary

MENA tech-driven ventures could pay professionals more than double the current average salary

Cultivating a tech start-up culture is key to driving economic as well as environmental, social and governance (ESG) progress across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, Crescent Enterprises’ Deputy CEO and Head of Investments Tushar Singhvi has said.

UAE-based Kitopi secures $415M Series C investment

UAE-based Kitopi secures $415M Series C investment

Kitopi, a UAE-based cloud kitchen platform with a wider geographical focus, has successfully closed a $415M Series C funding round led by Softbank Vision Fund 2, with participation from Chimera, DisruptAD, B. Riley, Dogus Group, Next Play Capital and Nordstar, thereby making it the MENA region’s third unicorn.

Crescent Enterprises joins World Economic Forum’s EDISON Alliance

Crescent Enterprises joins World Economic Forum’s EDISON Alliance

Badr Jafar, CEO of Crescent Enterprises has been appointed as Champion of the Alliance, whereby he will be working alongside senior government officials to industry leaders. Crescent Enterprises has joined the World Economic Forum’s EDISON Alliance (Essential Digital Infrastructure and Services Network)…

Gulftainer Appoints Javier Echeverria as The New Chief Financial Officer

Gulftainer Appoints Javier Echeverria as The New Chief Financial Officer

Sharjah, UAE: Gulftainer, one of the world’s leading privately-owned independent port operators, headquartered in the UAE, has appointed Javier Echeverria as its new Chief Financial Officer (CFO). The recruitment of Javier is the next step towards the continued growth and international expansion of Gulftainer…

Sharjah’s Crescent Enterprises plans to invest Dh1bn in start-ups by 2022

Sharjah’s Crescent Enterprises plans to invest Dh1bn in start-ups by 2022

CE-Ventures, the venture capital arm of Sharjah-based conglomerate Crescent Enterprises, plans to invest Dh1 billion ($272 million) in start-ups by 2022. The company has invested more than Dh500m in 32 start-ups and VC funds…

Cohesity Announces a $3.7 Billion Valuation — $1.2 Billion More Than Its Valuation Less Than 12 Months Ago

Cohesity Announces a $3.7 Billion Valuation — $1.2 Billion More Than Its Valuation Less Than 12 Months Ago

Cohesity today announced a new company valuation of $3.7 billion, which is $1.2 billion higher than its valuation less than 12 months ago. This dramatic growth in valuation continues to validate the incredible trajectory…

Building a Resilient Society

Building a Resilient Society

“The key to building a resilient society is not just to ensure that people have access to jobs, but also to ensure that people have purpose and meaning in their lives,” Badr Jafar talks to LEADERS magazine…

ION Installs Gulf Region’s first ultra-fast electric vehicle charging stations in Abu Dhabi

ION Installs Gulf Region’s first ultra-fast electric vehicle charging stations in Abu Dhabi

In response to growing demand for electric vehicle infrastructure, ION, the UAE-based sustainable transportation joint venture between Bee’ah and Crescent Enterprises, has installed high-power, ultra-fast charging stations…

10 start-up finalists from six continents to compete for latest supply chain innovations at Gulftainer’s ‘Future of Ports 2021’

10 start-up finalists from six continents to compete for latest supply chain innovations at Gulftainer’s ‘Future of Ports 2021’

Gulftainer, one of the world’s leading privately held port operators, today announced the shortlisted 10 highly disruptive start-ups from six continents to compete…

Jungle Ventures leads $46 million round in Turtlemint

Jungle Ventures leads $46 million round in Turtlemint

InsurTech platform Turtlemint said it has raised funding from Singapore-based Jungle Ventures, its first investment in the category, bringing the startup’s Series D fundraising to a close at $46 million….

Insurance Startup Hippo to Go Public in $5 Billion SPAC Merger

Insurance Startup Hippo to Go Public in $5 Billion SPAC Merger

Home-insurance technology upstart Hippo Enterprises Inc. is teaming with a special-purpose acquisition company to go public, the latest insuretech business to tap equity markets and challenge traditional insurers head-on….

TVM Capital Healthcare Exits Cambridge Medical and Rehabilitation Center for US$ 232 Million, a 4.6x Return on Capital Invested

TVM Capital Healthcare Exits Cambridge Medical and Rehabilitation Center for US$ 232 Million, a 4.6x Return on Capital Invested

TVM Capital Healthcare, a global specialist healthcare private equity firm operating in emerging markets, announces the successful sale of its portfolio company Cambridge Medical and Rehabilitation Center (“CMRC”)…

Open Banking platform Tarabut Gateway secures $13M Seed funding round

Open Banking platform Tarabut Gateway secures $13M Seed funding round

Since its establishment in 2017, Tarabut Gateway has developed an Open Banking API (application programming interface) that allows third-party financial services providers to securely access financial data and develop new apps…

Dubai Cloud Kitchen Startup Plots Saudi, Southeast Asia Push

Dubai Cloud Kitchen Startup Plots Saudi, Southeast Asia Push

Dubai-based Kitopi, a technology startup which runs so-called cloud-kitchens, is set to raise more money from investors later this year as it plans to expand in Saudi Arabia and launch in Southeast Asia…

Long-term value creation in 2021 and beyond: Building resilience amid market slowdown

Long-term value creation in 2021 and beyond: Building resilience amid market slowdown

The year 2020 has changed the trajectory of many sectors and markets, not least the private equity (PE) market. How will the impact of COVID-19 and the ensuing economic slowdown reshape some of the private equity strategies in 2021…

Dimitris Tsouroplis discusses the future of work with HBR Arabia

Dimitris Tsouroplis discusses the future of work with HBR Arabia

Dimitris Tsouroplis, Director of HR at Crescent Enterprises talks about education and skilling for the future workforce, the new skills required in the workforce to adjust to changes in how we work, and the changes needed in the traditional educational ecosystem to keep up with market demands.

India’s FreshToHome to expand ops in Abu Dhabi after AgTech deal

India’s FreshToHome to expand ops in Abu Dhabi after AgTech deal

FreshToHome, the India-based online fresh food major, will receive financial and non-financial incentives from the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) to develop projects in the UAE capital…

Badr Jafar talks to Harvard Business Review Arabia

Badr Jafar talks to Harvard Business Review Arabia

How can business & philanthropy tackle MENA’s challenges? Why do education & entrepreneurship need to adapt to meet society’s needs? What does hope & opportunity for MENA’s youth look like in the coming years?

ION completes driverless vehicle tests at Sharjah University City

ION completes driverless vehicle tests at Sharjah University City

Smart transportation pioneer, ION, has successfully completed a pilot trial of its NAVYA AUTONOM autonomous shuttle, with the University City of Sharjah.
The trial was designed to assess the operational efficiency of the driverless…

Cooking food for over 100 restaurants: How a ‘ghost kitchen’ is adjusting to life in a pandemic

Cooking food for over 100 restaurants: How a ‘ghost kitchen’ is adjusting to life in a pandemic

If you live in a city and you feel hungry, the chances are you can browse a selection of your favorite restaurants on your cell phone and, before long, someone will be at your door delivering freshly made food…

ION, Sharjah Roads and Transport Authority announce sustainable ride-hailing service on World Electric Vehicle Day

ION, Sharjah Roads and Transport Authority announce sustainable ride-hailing service on World Electric Vehicle Day

The Sharjah Roads and Transport Authority, SRTA, has partnered with the UAE-based sustainable mobility solutions company ION to launch a new on-demand ride-hailing service in Sharjah, with a fleet of electric vehicles, EVs, including Tesla Model S and Model 3 by the end of 2020.

Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center, CE-Ventures disburse over AED 700,000 in COVID-19 relief grants to 11 startups

Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center, CE-Ventures disburse over AED 700,000 in COVID-19 relief grants to 11 startups

Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center, Sheraa, and CE-Ventures have disbursed more than AED 700,000 in equity-free grants to 11 startups, offering them a lifeline to ensure they remain afloat as they navigate current economic challenges.

The startup challenge: Tips to survive 2020 and thrive beyond

The startup challenge: Tips to survive 2020 and thrive beyond

As we all adjust to the new norm, many businesses have been facing a new reality of slowing customer demand and supply-side disruption. For entrepreneurs and startups in the early to medium stages of their company’s lifecycle…

ION Partners with University Hospital Sharjah to provide sustainable solutions

ION Partners with University Hospital Sharjah to provide sustainable solutions

UAE-based sustainable mobility solutions provider ION, which is a joint venture between Bee’ah and CE-Creates, has partnered with University Hospital Sharjah to use ION’s fleet of electric vehicles to provide sustainable transportation…

ION Partners with University Hospital Sharjah To Provide Sustainable Logistical Solutions

ION Partners with University Hospital Sharjah To Provide Sustainable Logistical Solutions

UAE-based sustainable mobility solutions provider ION, announced a partnership agreement today with University Hospital Sharjah to use ION’s fleet of electric vehicles to provide sustainable transportation services for its medical…

Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center and Crescent Enterprises join hands to support startups amid COVID-19

Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center and Crescent Enterprises join hands to support startups amid COVID-19

CE-Ventures has joined forces with the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa) to support the UAE startup community and provide equity-free grants to Sheraa’s existing portfolio startups. Ticket sizes will be up to $50,000…

ION deploys electric vehicles to support Sharjah Medical District

ION deploys electric vehicles to support Sharjah Medical District

ION has deployed and repurposed its fleet of electric vehicles to support Sharjah Medical District in the battle against COVID-19…

Gulftainer fast-tracks medical supply consignments

Gulftainer fast-tracks medical supply consignments

Gulftainer has launched an interim and complimentary ‘Express Service Lane’ initiative to prioritise the delivery of medical supply consignments at its ports across the UAE…

ION primed to get on a fast charge

ION primed to get on a fast charge

T&MFE caught up with Choucair recently just as ION was announcing its collaboration with French company, NAVYA to operate and maintain the company’s electric…

Making a ‘future port’

Making a ‘future port’

Ports might have been one of the slowest industries to embrace transformation, but things are changing rapidly against the backdrop of technology and innovation…

ION drives UAE green ambitions by developing infrastructure for electric vehicle mobility (Zawya)

ION drives UAE green ambitions by developing infrastructure for electric vehicle mobility (Zawya)

Building on the UAE’s electric vehicle infrastructure, ION to build and operate electric charging stations in Sharjah, with the support of SEWA and Sharjah City Municipality…

ION drives UAE green ambitions by developing infrastructure for electric vehicle mobility (Eye Of Riyadh)

ION drives UAE green ambitions by developing infrastructure for electric vehicle mobility (Eye Of Riyadh)

The UAE-based sustainable and smart transportation company, has partnered with the Sharjah City Municipality (SCM), and Sharjah Electricity and Water Authority (SEWA) to supply, install and operate public electric vehicle charging stations across…

Badr Jafar on Davos 2020 key themes

Badr Jafar on Davos 2020 key themes

Our CEO Badr Jafar speaks to Reuters Live about the World Economic Forum’s key themes of Climate Action, the power of technology and the purpose-driven economy…

AB Live: The future of e-vehicles in the Gulf region

AB Live: The future of e-vehicles in the Gulf region

Samer Choucair, Director, CE Creates, and Khaled Al Huraimel, Group Chief Executive Officer at Bee”ah discuss their new joint venture ION, the future of electric vehicles in the Gulf region and rolling them out soon in Masdar city…

Why strategic buyers are key for private equity exits – Neeraj Agrawal

Why strategic buyers are key for private equity exits – Neeraj Agrawal

We all know the importance of making a good entrance. In the private equity (PE) investment process, getting the exit right is as critical. However well you have managed your investment in the preceding years, your final return will depend on how well you execute the exit…

Zebras versus unicorns

Zebras versus unicorns

Fostering innovation and entrepreneurialism is a top priority across the MENA region, and the UAE has been at the forefront of this quest. It appears to be bearing fruit, with the region now reportedly home to the highest proportion of millennial entrepreneurs in the world…

ION and Navya form partnership to deliver sustainable and autonomous transportation offerings in GCC region

ION and Navya form partnership to deliver sustainable and autonomous transportation offerings in GCC region

ION, the UAE-based sustainable and smart transportation company, has partnered with NAVYA, a leading company in autonomous driving systems, to operate and maintain the company’s electric and autonomous shuttles as well as promote its vehicles…

UAE sustainability drive is built on alliances

UAE sustainability drive is built on alliances

The World Bank estimates that 2.01 billion tonnes of municipal solid waste is produced every year. At the very least, a third of that waste is not managed in a safe manner. If that statistic is not alarming enough, consider this prediction: the World Bank…

CE-Creates launches Shamal – the next generation of workwear for extreme climates

CE-Creates launches Shamal – the next generation of workwear for extreme climates

CE-Creates, the internal business incubation platform of Crescent Enterprises, today announced the launch of Shamal – the next generation of specialized industrial clothing…

CE-Creates launches Shamal – the next generation of workwear for extreme climates (Construction Business News)

CE-Creates launches Shamal – the next generation of workwear for extreme climates (Construction Business News)

CE-Creates, the internal business incubation platform of Crescent Enterprises, today announced the launch of Shamal – the next generation of specialized industrial clothing. In what is a world first, on a technological and entrepreneurial front…

Crescent Enterprises unveils Shamal, workwear for construction workers (Construction Week)

Crescent Enterprises unveils Shamal, workwear for construction workers (Construction Week)

On the sidelines of The Big 5, held from 25 to 28 November 2019, the internal business incubation arm of Cresecent Enterprises has rolled out its Shamal-branded workwear for construction workers…

UAE’s CE-Ventures leads $17.5m funding for India’s Furlenco

UAE’s CE-Ventures leads $17.5m funding for India’s Furlenco

CE-Ventures has led $17.5 million funding to finance Kieraya Furnishing Solutions (Furlenco), an India-based online furniture subscription platform. The move comes in light of India’s growing furniture subscription market…

Crescent Enterprises and Bee’ah inaugurate sustainable transport company ION; commence operations in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah

Crescent Enterprises and Bee’ah inaugurate sustainable transport company ION; commence operations in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah

ION, the UAE-based sustainable transport company, has been officially established during an inauguration ceremony attended by Badr Jafar, CEO of Crescent Enterprises, and Khaled Al Huraimel…

Crescent Enterprises Partners with The Big Heart Foundation to support refugees

Crescent Enterprises Partners with The Big Heart Foundation to support refugees

UAE-based multinational company donates AED 500,000 to support humanitarian relief efforts…

Investors boost startup funding

Investors boost startup funding

Investors have increased funding levels for startups, showing that the private sector is starting to grasp the importance of supporting entrepreneurship, said Samer Choucair, director, CE-Creates. The firm has grouped its strategy into four stages covering concept development…

Creating the right environment for electric vehicles

Creating the right environment for electric vehicles

If you build it, they will come.” That would definitely appear to be the rationale for Dubai’s development of its electric vehicle infrastructure, with the government keen to achieve its target of 10% of all vehicles on Dubai roads being electric or hybrid by 2030. Last year…

Oxford Business Group Speaks to Badr Jafar, CEO, Crescent Enterprises, about How Innovation and Entrepreneurship Can Reshape Economies

Oxford Business Group Speaks to Badr Jafar, CEO, Crescent Enterprises, about How Innovation and Entrepreneurship Can Reshape Economies

What role can innovation and entrepreneurship play in both Sharjah and the region?
JAFAR: Sharjah’s emerging role as a hub for start-ups is…

Specialty Coffeehouse Kava & Chai opens three new locations in Dubai

Specialty Coffeehouse Kava & Chai opens three new locations in Dubai

CE-Creates, the internal venture building platform for Crescent Enterprises, announced today that Kava & Chai, the UAE’s home-grown specialty coffeehouse, has opened three additional locations in Dubai…

Crescent Enterprises’ VC Arm Leads $11M Series A Round In FoodTech Startup FreshToHome

Crescent Enterprises’ VC Arm Leads $11M Series A Round In FoodTech Startup FreshToHome

The latest entrant to the UAE’s startup scene, FreshToHome, that supplies fresh meat and fish on demand through an app, has just bagged a series A round of funding worth $11 million…

Crescent Enterprises Hosts Columbia Business School Students to Share Business Expertise

Crescent Enterprises Hosts Columbia Business School Students to Share Business Expertise

Crescent Enterprises, the UAE-based diversified conglomerate, hosted 30 MBA students from New York-based Columbia Business School as part of an educational trip designed…

CE-Ventures invests in US artificial intelligence company

CE-Ventures invests in US artificial intelligence company

UAE-based CE-Ventures, the venture capital arm of Crescent Enterprises, has invested in Silicon Valley-based artificial intelligence (AI) company EdCast in a round worth $33.6 million…

CE Ventures Leads Seed Round for UAE Food Tech Startup Kitopi

CE Ventures Leads Seed Round for UAE Food Tech Startup Kitopi

CE Ventures, the corporate venture capital (CVC) arm of business conglomerate Crescent Enterprises, successfully led a seed funding round to finance Kitopi, a smart kitchen network that cooks and delivers on behalf of restaurants…

Crescent Enterprises, Emirates Nature-WWF to tackle UAE’s pressing environmental concerns

Crescent Enterprises, Emirates Nature-WWF to tackle UAE’s pressing environmental concerns

Crescent Enterprises and the newly rebranded environmental organisation Emirates Nature-WWF (formerly Emirates Wildlife Society-WWF), are stepping up their joint efforts to tackle pressing environmental concerns…

Sharjah port operator Gulftainer inks 50-year, $600m concession for US port

Sharjah port operator Gulftainer inks 50-year, $600m concession for US port

UAE-based independent port operator and logistics company has signed a 50-year, $600 million concession to develop and operate the port of Wilmington in the American state of Delaware, the company has announced…

Vezeeta, the leading MENA healthcare startup, secures $12M Series C led by STV

Vezeeta, the leading MENA healthcare startup, secures $12M Series C led by STV

One of the major structural issues in the Middle East is the lack of consistent healthcare across the region. So this market was clearly waiting to be disrupted by technology…

Now you can book an environmentally friendly, Careem Electric car on the Careem app

Now you can book an environmentally friendly, Careem Electric car on the Careem app

Careem, the region’s leading ride hailing app and only tech unicorn from the region, today announced the introduction of an Electric car type option onto the fleet. Available to book from today, customers will be able opt for an electric…

Gulftainer subsidiary wins 50-year US port concession

Gulftainer subsidiary wins 50-year US port concession

Gulftainer, a Sharjah-based ports operator and part of UAE conglomerate Crescent Enterprises, said its subsidiary GT USA has won exclusive rights to operate and develop a port in the US State of Delaware, subject to approvals…

Sharjah increases support for start-ups and SMEs

Sharjah increases support for start-ups and SMEs

Efforts to expand the role of entrepreneurs and small-scale enterprises in Sharjah are gathering momentum, due to a combination of regulatory changes, new incentives and supporting infrastructure…

Crescent Enterprises’ Venture Capital Arm Closes Investment In US-Based MedTech Startups

Crescent Enterprises’ Venture Capital Arm Closes Investment In US-Based MedTech Startups

UAE-based Crescent Enterprises has led a Series A round of investment totaling US$16 million in ColubrisMX and XCath, two US-based micro-robotic medical device enterprises. This is the first investment announced by Crescent Enterprises since the launch of CE-VC…

Crescent Enterprises announces new $150m venture capital division

Crescent Enterprises announces new $150m venture capital division

Sharjah-headquartered diversified holding company Crescent Enterprises has announced the launch of its new corporate venture capital division with plans to invest up to US$150 million (AED548 million) over the next three years…

Gulftainer Wins Port and Terminal Operator Award at Seatrade Maritime Awards 2017

Gulftainer Wins Port and Terminal Operator Award at Seatrade Maritime Awards 2017

Gulftainer, the world’s largest privately owned independent terminal operating and logistics company, has won the prestigious Port and Terminal Operator Award at the Seatrade Maritime Awards Middle East, Indian Subcontinent and Africa 2017 for the second consecutive year…

Sharjah Children’s Film Festival to kick off on Oct.8

Sharjah Children’s Film Festival to kick off on Oct.8

The fifth edition of the Sharjah International Children’s Film Festival (SICFF) 2017 will begin on Oct.8, with an unprecedented participation of 124 films from 31 countries. The USA, UAE and France have submitted the highest number of entries with 45, 33 and 29 films…

Sharjah calls on entrepreneurs to participate in the Sheraa Accelerator program

Sharjah calls on entrepreneurs to participate in the Sheraa Accelerator program

The second edition of Sheraa’s accelerator program is now accepting UAE and international entrepreneurs applications for its second cycle. Sheraa, Sharjah’s official entrepreneurship center, is…

Crescent Enterprises, Sharjah Ladies Club nurture future leaders

Crescent Enterprises, Sharjah Ladies Club nurture future leaders

Crescent Enterprises, the UAE-based multinational conglomerate, organised its second Young Entrepreneur Business Camp in collaboration with Sharjah Ladies Club, SLC. The three-day series…

RAK Ceramics reports healthy Q1 2017 revenue; seeks expansion

RAK Ceramics reports healthy Q1 2017 revenue; seeks expansion

Ras Al Khaimah-based tile and ceramic ware manufacturer RAK Ceramics reported a four per cent rise in total revenues to AED 681.1 million in the first quarter of 2017, and is exploring expansion opportunities across the Arabian Gulf and India. Although total…

Crescent Enterprises partners with Sheraa to develop region’s entrepreneurship ecosystem

Crescent Enterprises partners with Sheraa to develop region’s entrepreneurship ecosystem

In line with the nation’s Year of Giving initiative and with Crescent Enterprises’ commitment to cultivating social entrepreneurship in the MENA region, we have entered an exclusive partnership with Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center Sheraa to devise a framework that harnesses the potential of young entrepreneurs in driving social development…

GT USA’s Port Canaveral joins Southeast US In-transit Cold Treatment Pilot Programme

GT USA’s Port Canaveral joins Southeast US In-transit Cold Treatment Pilot Programme

Port Canaveral, whose dedicated container terminal is operated by GT USA, the US arm of Gulftainer, the world’s largest privately owned independent port operator, has joined the Southeast US In-transit Cold Treatment Pilot Program, an initiative by the US Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). The pilot programme…

Gama Aviation reports record revenues in 2016

Gama Aviation reports record revenues in 2016

Global business aviation services provider Gama Aviation reported record group revenues for last year. In its 2016 year-end…

New operating system boosts Gulftainer’s productivity

New operating system boosts Gulftainer’s productivity

A key milestone in Gulfatiner’s IT transformation strategy was the implementation of the Marine and Container Handling (MACH) Terminal Operating System (TOS). The TOS upgrade…

Gama Aviation Plc and BBA Aviation Plc merge US management and charter business

Gama Aviation Plc and BBA Aviation Plc merge US management and charter business

Gama Aviation Plc teams with BBA Aviation Plc to create the US’s largest Aircraft Management Business…

RAK Ceramics Wins UAE Home Interiors Awards

RAK Ceramics Wins UAE Home Interiors Awards

RAK Ceramics, one of the world’s largest hi-tech manufacturers of lifestyle ceramics solutions, was named “Editor’s Choice” at The InsideOut Awards 2016, an annual event recognising manufacturers and suppliers that create inspirational home interiors…

Oxford to Be Gama’s Heavy MRO Hub

Oxford to Be Gama’s Heavy MRO Hub

London Oxford Airport is to become Gama Aviation’s business jet MRO hub. Gama completed its reverse takeover of Oxford-based Hangar8 plc in January 2015. Hangar8 managed 50+ business jets, had operations in Africa, and also operated a heavy MRO business jet…

Gama Experiencing Robust Growth

Gama Experiencing Robust Growth

Gama Aviation’s growth path could see it expanding its footprint with newly acquired FBOs in multiple locations in a bid to boost the ground support side of a portfolio that is already strong in aircraft management and charter, as well as maintenance, repair and overhaul…

Gama Aviation Introduces Category Zero handling at Sharjah International Airport

Gama Aviation Introduces Category Zero handling at Sharjah International Airport

Gama Aviation has introduced Category Zero handling for its Fixed Base Operations (FBO) at Sharjah International Airport. The handling rates have been designed to encourage light aircraft users to use the airport by ensuring the appropriate charging…

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