Author: Akin Naphtal

Technology Innovation Institute (TII), the applied research division of Abu Dhabi’s Advanced Technology Research Council, has launched the “TII McEliece Challenges”, the first cryptography challenges in the UAE. These challenges are designed to assess the robustness of the renowned McEliece cryptosystem and identify any potential vulnerabilities. Led by TII’s Cryptography Research Center, the year-long competition will present participants with increasingly difficult problems in three tracks: Theoretical Key Recovery Algorithms, Practical Key Recovery and Message Recovery. READ ALSO:Foxconn Expands Outside China with Land Acquisition in Bengaluru, India, to Diversify Production Tarabut Gateway and Visa Form Strategic Partnership to Advance Open Banking…

Foxconn, the Taiwanese electronics manufacturer and major Apple supplier, has purchased a large piece of land near Bengaluru, India, as part of its efforts to diversify production away from China. The move comes as both companies aim to reduce reliance on Chinese manufacturing due to various challenges, including Covid-related restrictions, labor disputes and geopolitical tensions with the United States. The acquisition covers a vast area of 1.2 million square meters (13 million square feet) in Devanahalli, close to Bengaluru’s airport. Foxconn’s subsidiary, Foxconn Hon Hai Technology India Mega Development, will pay three billion rupees ($37 million) for the site, equivalent…

ADNOC and Baker Hughes have announced a new agreement aimed at accelerating the development and commercialization of technology solutions for green and low-carbon hydrogen, as well as graphene. This collaboration builds upon a previous strategic technology collaboration agreement signed between the two companies in November 2022. Under this agreement, ADNOC will work closely with Baker Hughes as a strategic partner to study and pilot innovative solutions from Baker Hughes’ hydrogen portfolio. This includes exploring growth stage decarbonization technologies in areas such as graphene, methane pyrolysis and next-generation electrolysis. READ ALSO:Almosafer Introduces ChatGPT Integration for Enhanced Travel Booking Experience in Saudi…

Almosafer, a subsidiary of Seera Group Holding, has taken a pioneering step in Saudi Arabia’s travel industry by integrating ChatGPT into its booking system. This integration aims to improve the customer experience by offering smarter and more personalized responses to their queries. Initially, the integrated platform will be available to a limited number of customers during the pilot phase. These customers will receive assistance with flight searches, trip planning after booking, and detailed information about their chosen destinations. Almosafer has introduced its virtual travel advisor, named Khalid, powered by ChatGPT, an AI chatbot developed by OpenAI. The AI tool incorporates…

Al Etihad Credit Bureau (AECB), a UAE federal company that provides information and analytics to support credit decisions, has signed an agreement with the DIFC Innovation Hub to foster the development of a partner ecosystem for startups across the UAE. The announcement was made at the Dubai FinTech Summit 2023 at the Madinat Jumeirah. The collaboration agreement reinforces AECB’s position as an enabler of premium fintech solutions supported by a robust, data-driven API ecosystem and further complements AECB’s ongoing commitment to supporting entrepreneurs, start-ups and early adopters within the UAE’s fintech sector. READ ALSO:Cisco Systems Plans Manufacturing Facility in India…

Cisco Systems, a leading US tech company, plans to establish a manufacturing plant in India as part of its efforts to diversify its global supply chain, according to CEO Chuck Robbins. The company specializes in selling networking equipment and software used to connect devices to the internet. Robbins stated that Cisco aims to achieve a combined total of over $1 billion in exports and domestic production in the coming years. By setting up a manufacturing facility in India, Cisco aims to leverage the country’s strategic location and strong manufacturing capabilities. This move is in line with the company’s strategy to…

AIQ, a technology pioneer based in Abu Dhabi, is set to participate in the upcoming UAE Climate Tech Forum. The two-day event that started on May 10th, aims to empower organizations in reducing emissions and taking concrete climate action. AIQ will exhibit its suite of AI solutions tailored for the energy sector, including the AI Emissions Platform, an AI-powered software for forecasting greenhouse gas emissions and facilitating decarbonization planning. READ ALSO:Huawei Partners with HIPA to Bring Award-Winning Photography to its Devices through Themes Collections TII Launches UAE’s First Cryptography Challenges to Assess McEliece Cryptosystem Foxconn Expands Outside China with Land…

Tarabut Gateway, a leading open banking platform, has joined forces with global digital payment leader Visa in a strategic partnership aimed at promoting open banking across the MENA region. The collaboration will involve the introduction of innovative products and solutions to leverage data-driven offerings, such as credit risk assessments, advanced analytics and insights. The partnership will later expand to encompass cross-border payments and lending solutions. READ ALSO:Solartaxi selected for Qualcomm’s Make in Africa start-up mentorship program Nigerian fintech startup Vesicash expands to four African markets with its Merchant of Record product New mobile app simplifies fisheries data management for Lake…

Solartaxi, a Ghanaian start-up that provides renewable energy transportation solutions, has been chosen as one of ten companies to participate in the inaugural Qualcomm Make in Africa start-up mentorship programme. The programme is part of the Qualcomm Africa Innovation Platform announced in December 2022 and will offer equity-free mentorship to all selected companies in areas such as business planning, engineering, intellectual property protection and advanced technologies such as connectivity, sensing and AI/ML. Solartaxi was selected based on its technical capabilities, business factors, potential for innovation and intellectual property generation. READ ALSO:Nigerian fintech startup Vesicash expands to four African markets with…

Vesicash, a Nigerian fintech startup, has recently announced its expansion into four African markets and launched its Merchant of Record (MoR) product. Vesicash was founded in 2018 to facilitate online payments for businesses in Africa. Its flagship digital escrow product now serves over 5,000 businesses. READ ALSO:New mobile app simplifies fisheries data management for Lake Albert and Victoria Microsoft Africa Announces Xbox Game Studios Game Camp Africa to Empower Game Creators MTN Ghana Foundation partners with Code Coast Tech Hub to organize a mentorship and coding workshop for female students Tomisin Adeshiyan, Vesicash’s Co-founder and Head of New Market Expansion,…