Aalia Mehreen Ahmed

Margueritte also emphasized upon how France and the UAE continue to strengthen a long-standing strategic partnership built on trust, investment, innovation, and a shared ambition for long-term transformation and sustainable growth.

'Turbulence' is an unadulterated deep dive into how faith and feminism intersect in the lives of Muslim women, and the complexities that arise when both are defined from a cultural lens. But beyond Lodi’s writing prowess lies an honest tale of what it takes to choose to become a creative entrepreneur.

As businesses across the Middle East navigate the economic aftershocks of regional uncertainties, the stories of these UAE-based small business founders reflect a quiet shift within the nation: resilience is no longer a reactive measure, but built into the core of how businesses are designed and scaled.

Beyond lean operational models that protect margins, RAKEZ has been able to unlock another core fact: reducing operational risk has become equally central to the equation.

Reda Nidhakou, CEO of Abu Dhabi-based venture builder VentureOne, says the deep technology solutions that will stand the test of time are not necessarily those built on novelty and perfection, but something much simpler.

Zein Zone’s Zaina Kourki and GAIA Culture’s Patricia Paulina Karrer are reshaping artist financing with an art–tech–finance model that enables emerging regional talent to build long-term brand value.

Within just the first two months of its launch, BrainScroller recorded around 1,500 installs across 40+ countries, alongside strong retention, frequent daily usage, and largely five-star user reviews indicating high early engagement.

“The regional escalations made World Monitor visible, not useful,” says the CEO behind Anghami, the MENA region’s first Nasdaq-listed music streaming platform, who is now helping millions understand major global developments in real time.

“For me, launching a business isn’t just about commercial success or money. It’s about taking that step, overcoming fear, and unlocking a new mindset."

"Across all my businesses, my vision is simple: build sustainable platforms that serve people, create opportunities, and give back more than they take.”

"With our AI gamified solution, we make every trivia experience a personalized journey, making learning fun and interactive."

“This is a UAE-born innovation addressing a gap that exists globally: wellness tools have largely ignored the spiritual foundations that guide daily life for so many, both here and around the world."

“Whenever people dine at Spice Grill, we make it our mission to make them feel welcome, as if they are eating in their families’ homes."

“I look for businesses that can take advantage of our expansive geographic and technical capacity!”

“At its core, Ithara.ae is a marketplace; we connect customers who are looking for high-quality experiences, either for themselves or as a gift, with experience providers across the UAE.”

The husband-and-wife duo have built two well-established, UAE-born Korean brands. But as they operate in a world increasingly influenced by K-culture trends, they reflect on the added weight that comes with being flagbearers of their homeland across two major industries (and why simply branding something as “Korean” can sometimes do more harm than good).

With sustainability considerations no longer limited to corporate policies, disclosures, or annual reports, ESG-aligned infrastructure is becoming a deciding factor for investors.

As businesses race to keep up with algorithms, saturated markets, and dwindling attention spans, four creative entrepreneurs reflect on how staying rooted in identity, morals, and community has helped them grow without losing authenticity (and why that may be the most scalable strategy of all).

More than 300 global and regional speakers offered 250 talks, workshops, and experiential sessions.

“One of the biggest trust challenges in traditional models is the distance between buyer and the true owner of the car. By ensuring every listing on Carabia comes directly from a verified private owner, we remove that opacity.”

As the CEO of the Emirates Literature Foundation, Ahlam Bolooki has shaped the organisation into a reliable haven for reading, writing, and cultural exchange. Ahead of the 18th edition of the Foundation’s flagship Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, she discusses nurturing local writers, championing translation, safeguarding human creativity in the age of AI, and building a community where stories connect generations and cultures.

Insights from a 1 Billion Followers Summit 2026 panel.

Insights from a 1 Billion Followers Summit 2026 panel.

"A particularly defining example I can share is from as far back as 1960, when our visionary founder, Masaru Ibuka, envisioned AI as the future of electronics. That forward-thinking mindset has been part of our DNA and today this vision has become our reality; to unleash human imagination and creativity with AI."

"Our goal is clear: become the leading AI job-simulation platform in the Middle East."

"Uoma was born from that belief — to give people a safe, judgment-free space where they can express what's going on inside and start reshaping their emotional story."

"Our vision is that no matter which emirate you receive care in, you can trust that your treatment is supported by locally built, nationally aligned, patient-first health technology."

"noqodi was built on a clear vision: to create a secure, inclusive, and reliable national payments ecosystem that supports the UAE's accelerated shift toward a fully digital economy."

Armand Arton founded Arton Capital nearly two decades ago with a simple view: to make global citizenship an accessible reality. Today, amid rising global wealth, evolving foreign investment policies, and an unpredictable sociopolitical climate, this Canada-based firm with a global presence is reshaping the discourse surrounding borders, security, and opportunity.

As the UAE continues to record a steep surge in the number of company registrations per year, RAKEZ —with its many manufacturing hubs and services that cater to over 50 sectors— is steadily building upon its reputation as a free zone that goes beyond just issuing business licenses.