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Egypt’s Zewail City Startup B-Vita Selected Among 3 Global University Startups Expanding to Dubai Through “Innovations for Humanity” Program

Dubai’s “Innovations for Humanity” initiative has selected three university-born startups from Switzerland, Egypt, and the US to begin operational expansion in the UAE.

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Dubai is strengthening its position as a global launchpad for university-driven innovation after attracting three international startups to begin operational testing and commercial expansion from the UAE through the “Dubai Solutions for the Future – Innovations for Humanity” initiative.

The initiative, held annually under the patronage of Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, has become one of the region’s largest platforms connecting academic innovation with commercial deployment.

Organized through a partnership between Dubai Future Foundation, Dubai International Financial Centre, Art Dubai, and the Hussein Sajwani-DAMAC Foundation, the programme selected 100 startups from thousands of applications submitted by leading universities worldwide.

Egyptian Startup Among Global Innovation Cohort

Among the startups entering the UAE market is Egypt’s B-Vita, a biotech company originating from Zewail City of Science and Technology.

The startup combines biotechnology and artificial intelligence to develop low-cost natural raw materials for agriculture, food production, and pharmaceutical applications. According to the programme, the technology could help address global fertilizer shortages caused by disruptions in international supply chains.

The cohort also includes Switzerland-based Oxara from ETH Zurich, which converts construction waste into low-carbon building materials, and US-based Ferrovi.AI from Stanford University, which develops AI-powered respiratory disease detection tools through cough analysis.

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Dubai Expands Its Global Innovation Ambitions

Officials say the initiative is designed to transform university research into scalable commercial ventures capable of launching from Dubai into international markets.

Khalfan Juma Belhoul, CEO of Dubai Future Foundation, said the programme aims to create an integrated ecosystem that converts promising academic ideas into high-growth companies by connecting founders with investors, government entities, and local business partners.

Arif Amiri, CEO of DIFC Authority, described the initiative as part of Dubai’s broader strategy to strengthen its competitiveness in innovation, entrepreneurship, and advanced technologies.

Harvard and Imperial College Projects Next in Line

The next phase of the initiative is already attracting projects from leading institutions including Harvard University, Imperial College London, Duke University, and Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS.

Several projects are reportedly in advanced discussions with UAE-based entities ahead of planned launches during the second half of 2026.

The programme provides participating startups with funding, specialized mentorship, commercial guidance, and support in building partnerships with investors and industry players.

Dubai has increasingly positioned itself as a testing ground for emerging technologies and university spinouts, particularly in sectors such as AI, climate technology, biotechnology, and digital health, as the emirate intensifies efforts to attract global founders and research-driven innovation.

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Saudi EventTech Startup INVE Raises $300K Pre-Seed Funding From Outliers VC to Expand Event Management Platform Across GCC

from Outliers VC to expand its digital event management platform for individuals and businesses across Saudi Arabia and the GCC.

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Saudi EventTech startup INVE has raised $300,000 in a Pre-Seed funding round from Outliers Venture Capital to accelerate the growth of its digital event management platform, which provides personalized invitations, guest management and event registration tools for individuals and businesses.

Founded in 2024 by Abdulrahman Alabdulkarim, INVE initially developed a consumer-focused platform for managing wedding invitations and RSVPs before expanding into business event management. The company launched its business platform in August 2026, targeting organizations seeking to streamline guest communications and manage attendee information across multiple events.

The startup has supported 250 consumer events across more than 60 cities and towns in Saudi Arabia and the GCC, distributing over 35,000 invitations and recording an 88% RSVP response rate. The new funding will support team expansion, brand development and customer acquisition as INVE strengthens its presence in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf markets.

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INVE Secures $300K Pre-Seed Investment From Outliers VC

INVE has secured $300,000 in Pre-Seed financing from Outliers VC, an operator-led venture capital firm focused on supporting early-stage technology companies.

The investment follows an existing commercial relationship between the two companies, with Outliers becoming INVE’s first paid business design partner before participating in the funding round.

As a design partner, Outliers has used INVE’s platform to manage invitations and guest communications under its own brand, including preparations for its forthcoming Builder Summit.

This relationship allowed the investor to evaluate the company’s technology and its ability to address the operational requirements of business events before committing capital.

Sarah AlSaleh, General Partner at Outliers VC, said the firm’s experience working with INVE strengthened its confidence in the product and its founder’s ability to execute.

AlSaleh highlighted Alabdulkarim’s technical background and understanding of regional hospitality practices, noting that the platform combines digital event management with a focus on building relationships between hosts and guests.

The company has not disclosed its valuation or additional financial terms associated with the investment.

INVE Develops Digital Event Management Platform for Businesses

INVE’s business platform is designed to help companies organize events, manage guest information and maintain consistent communication with attendees.

Businesses often manage event invitations and registrations through separate tools, including spreadsheets, email systems and messaging applications. This approach can make it difficult to maintain accurate guest information or reuse data collected during previous events.

INVE addresses these challenges by providing a centralized system that stores guest profiles and updates them as attendees interact with event communications.

These profiles can include dietary preferences, personal interests and attendance histories, allowing hosts to access relevant information when organizing future gatherings.

The platform also enables businesses to send personalized invitations through their own email addresses and corporate WhatsApp numbers, helping maintain a consistent communication experience.

Registration pages, RSVP forms and digital entry passes can be customized with company branding, allowing organizations to maintain their visual identity throughout the event process.

INVE targets technology companies, venture capital firms, financial services businesses and event agencies that organize gatherings as part of their customer engagement and relationship-building activities.

INVE Uses Guest Profiles to Improve Event Personalization

A central feature of INVE’s business offering is its ability to maintain guest information across multiple events rather than treating each gathering as a separate process.

The platform creates profiles that can be updated as guests respond to invitations, complete registrations or attend events. This allows businesses to retain relevant information without repeatedly requesting the same details.

For organizations that regularly host conferences, networking events, business dinners or industry summits, this approach can reduce administrative work associated with preparing guest lists and managing communications.

It also enables hosts to personalize invitations and registration experiences based on information collected during previous interactions.

By combining guest management, communication tools and branded registration processes, INVE aims to provide businesses with a more integrated approach to event organization.

The company positions its platform as a tool for managing the broader guest experience, extending from the initial invitation to subsequent events and ongoing relationships.

INVE Supports 250 Events and Distributes Over 35,000 Invitations

INVE began as a consumer-focused product developed to simplify wedding invitations and RSVP management.

Founder Abdulrahman Alabdulkarim created the first version of the platform in 2024 while organizing invitations for his sister’s wedding. The initial solution subsequently developed into a commercial product serving individual event hosts.

Since its launch, the consumer platform has supported 250 events across more than 60 cities and towns in Saudi Arabia and the GCC.

According to the company, users have distributed more than 35,000 invitations through the platform, achieving an RSVP response rate of 88%.

These figures reflect the platform’s adoption for personal events, particularly weddings, and provide an initial operating foundation for its expansion into additional event categories.

INVE intends to extend its consumer offering beyond weddings to occasions such as birthdays and other private gatherings, while continuing to develop its business platform for corporate events.

The company has not disclosed its revenue, number of paying customers or financial performance.

INVE Founder Abdulrahman Alabdulkarim Builds on Software Engineering Experience

INVE was founded by Abdulrahman Alabdulkarim, a Saudi software engineer who developed the platform at the age of 21.

Now 23, Alabdulkarim previously worked on backend development and infrastructure systems at Lean Technologies, gaining experience in building and maintaining technology platforms.

He graduated from King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, where he became the university’s second recipient of the President’s Medal for Entrepreneurship in recognition of his work on INVE.

Alabdulkarim explained that the company was established to simplify the entire event hosting process, from sending invitations and managing responses to maintaining guest relationships after events have concluded.

He emphasized that event organizers frequently rely on disconnected tools to manage information, creating operational challenges and limiting their ability to build on previous interactions.

INVE aims to address these issues by bringing guest communication, registration and relationship management into a unified platform.

With support from Outliers VC, the founder intends to expand the company’s presence across the Gulf and develop its technology into a broader infrastructure solution for personal and business events.

INVE Plans Expansion Across Saudi Arabia and GCC Markets

The new financing will support INVE’s efforts to scale both its consumer and business platforms, with Saudi Arabia and the GCC representing its immediate commercial priorities.

The company plans to invest in team expansion, brand development and customer acquisition channels to reach more individual hosts and corporate clients.

Its business platform, launched in August 2026, will be a key focus as INVE seeks to attract companies that regularly organize events and require more advanced guest management capabilities.

The startup will also continue developing its consumer product to serve a wider range of personal occasions.

Although INVE’s self-service platform is accessible internationally, its near-term growth strategy focuses on strengthening adoption in the Gulf before entering additional markets.

Over the longer term, the company aims to develop its business customer base in North Africa, other African markets and Europe.

INVE has not disclosed a timetable for these international expansion plans or identified specific countries outside the GCC that it intends to enter first.

INVE Targets Growing Demand for Digital Event Management Solutions

INVE operates in the event technology sector, providing software that helps individuals and businesses manage invitations, registrations and guest communications.

For corporate event organizers, maintaining attendee information across separate systems can create inefficiencies, particularly when events are held regularly and involve recurring guests.

INVE aims to address these challenges through a centralized platform that combines event registration, personalized communication and guest relationship management.

Its expansion from wedding invitations into business event management reflects an effort to apply its existing technology to a broader range of hosting requirements.

The company’s early consumer activity, including 250 supported events and more than 35,000 invitations, provides a foundation for its next stage of development.

With $300,000 in Pre-Seed funding from Outliers VC, INVE plans to strengthen its technology, expand customer acquisition and establish a larger presence across Saudi Arabia and the GCC.

The investment will also support the company’s longer-term ambition to extend its event management services into international markets as it develops its consumer and business platforms.

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UAE HealthTech Startup Vitalls Secures $1.5M Seed Investment Commitment From EST Growmore to Expand AI-Powered Digital Health Passport Platform Globally

with an option for an additional $1 million, to develop its AI-powered digital health passport and expand internationally.

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UAE-based healthcare technology startup Vitalls has announced a $1.5 million investment commitment from Singapore-based EST Growmore, the investment arm of EST Group, as part of its Seed funding round. The agreement includes an option for a further $1 million investment, potentially bringing EST Growmore’s total commitment to $2.5 million if the option is exercised.

Founded in 2023 by Mehdi Bouchenak, Vitalls develops an AI-powered digital health passport designed to help individuals and families securely store, manage and share their medical records across healthcare providers and international borders. The platform aims to address the fragmentation of patient information across hospitals, clinics and laboratories.

The agreement was announced during the Abu Dhabi Future Health Summit and signed by Bouchenak, Founder and CEO of Vitalls, and Dr. Sindhu Bhaskar, Chairman of EST Group. Under the partnership, EST Growmore will join Vitalls’ Seed round as an anchor investor and explore opportunities for distribution, product development and commercial collaboration across its investment portfolio.

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Vitalls Secures $1.5M Seed Investment Commitment From EST Growmore

Vitalls has entered into an investment agreement with EST Growmore for $1.5 million in Seed financing, with an option for the Singapore-based investor to provide an additional $1 million.

EST Growmore will participate as an anchor investor in the funding round, supporting Vitalls as it develops its digital health passport technology and prepares for broader commercial deployment.

The companies have not disclosed Vitalls’ valuation, the total target size of its Seed round or the conditions associated with the additional investment option. The announcement describes an investment commitment rather than confirming that the full amount has already been disbursed.

The agreement also establishes a strategic relationship between Vitalls and EST Growmore, extending beyond financial investment to include potential commercial partnerships and access to the investor’s wider business network.

The financing will support Vitalls’ efforts to expand its platform among individuals, families and enterprises seeking more accessible ways to manage medical information across different healthcare systems.

Vitalls Develops AI-Powered Digital Health Passport

Vitalls is developing a digital health passport that enables users to maintain their medical history within a secure, centralized platform.

The technology is designed to bring together medical records that may otherwise be distributed across hospitals, clinics, laboratories and healthcare providers. Users can manage their information and authorize its sharing with healthcare professionals when needed.

The platform incorporates artificial intelligence into its digital health infrastructure, although the company has not disclosed detailed specifications of its AI capabilities.

Vitalls aims to address a common challenge for internationally mobile individuals and families: medical records often remain within the healthcare systems where they were originally created, making it difficult to access a complete patient history when seeking care elsewhere.

Differences in record formats, languages and healthcare information systems can complicate the transfer of medical data between providers and countries.

By creating a user-controlled digital health passport, Vitalls intends to make medical information more accessible while giving individuals greater control over how their records are shared.

Vitalls Targets Fragmented Medical Records Across Healthcare Systems

The fragmentation of medical records is a central problem Vitalls aims to address through its platform.

Patients who receive treatment from multiple healthcare providers may have medical information stored in separate systems, including clinical records, laboratory results and other health documents.

These records can become particularly difficult to access when individuals relocate internationally or seek treatment while traveling. Healthcare professionals may not have immediate access to previous diagnoses, medical tests or treatment histories, potentially complicating care coordination.

Vitalls aims to reduce these barriers by allowing users to maintain a consolidated health history that can be shared with authorized healthcare providers.

The company’s approach emphasizes patient control and consent, enabling individuals to determine when and with whom their medical information is shared.

Its digital health passport is intended to support continuity of care for people who regularly move between cities, countries and healthcare systems.

The effectiveness of this model will depend on factors including secure data handling, interoperability with healthcare systems and compliance with applicable medical data protection requirements.

EST Growmore Partnership Opens Distribution and Healthcare Collaboration Opportunities

Beyond the investment commitment, Vitalls and EST Growmore plan to explore strategic collaboration across the investor’s wider business ecosystem.

EST Growmore is the investment arm of EST Group, whose portfolio includes interests in telecommunications and healthcare. The partnership could provide Vitalls with opportunities to develop distribution relationships and expand access to its digital health passport technology.

The companies intend to evaluate potential cooperation in product development, commercial partnerships and market expansion.

Telecommunications and healthcare networks could provide relevant channels for reaching internationally mobile individuals, families and enterprise customers seeking digital health record management solutions.

However, the companies have not announced specific distribution agreements, product integrations or deployment timelines involving EST Group’s portfolio businesses.

The partnership is intended to help Vitalls strengthen its commercial capabilities while identifying opportunities to introduce its platform in additional markets.

Vitalls Founder Highlights Growing Need for Patient-Controlled Health Records

Mehdi Bouchenak, Founder and CEO of Vitalls, described the agreement with EST Growmore as an important milestone in the company’s development.

Bouchenak emphasized that the investment reflects growing recognition of the challenges associated with fragmented medical records and the need for solutions that give patients greater control over their health information.

He also highlighted the strategic value of working with an investor whose business network could support the company’s expansion beyond its existing market.

Dr. Sindhu Bhaskar, Chairman of EST Group, identified the difficulties faced by individuals who live, work or travel internationally while their medical information remains distributed across different healthcare providers.

Bhaskar said EST Group sees opportunities to support Vitalls through its investment ecosystem, particularly by connecting the startup with potential partners and distribution channels.

Both companies view the partnership as a way to combine digital health technology with established business networks to support wider adoption of patient-controlled medical records.

Vitalls Plans Regional and International Expansion

The investment commitment will support Vitalls as it develops and rolls out its digital health passport to a broader customer base.

The company is targeting internationally mobile individuals and families who may receive healthcare services in multiple countries, as well as enterprises seeking digital health record management solutions.

Vitalls plans to use the partnership with EST Growmore to explore opportunities for regional and international growth, including potential collaborations with telecommunications and healthcare businesses.

Its expansion strategy focuses on providing users with a secure way to manage medical information independently of individual healthcare providers or national health systems.

The company has not disclosed its current customer numbers, revenue, specific target markets or a timetable for commercial expansion.

With a $1.5 million Seed investment commitment and the possibility of an additional $1 million, Vitalls aims to advance its digital health passport platform and develop strategic relationships that could support broader deployment.

The agreement positions EST Growmore as an anchor investor in the startup’s Seed round while providing a potential pathway for Vitalls to expand its technology across international healthcare markets.

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US-Based AI Analytics Startup Databuddy, Founded by a Palestinian Entrepreneur, Raises $500K From Y Combinator to Expand Automated Product Analytics Platform

Seed funding from Y Combinator, bringing its total funding to more than $560,000 to advance its AI-powered analytics platform.

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US-based artificial intelligence startup Databuddy Analytics has raised $500,000 in Seed funding from Y Combinator, bringing its total funding to more than $560,000, including investments from Maza Ventures and through the a16z Scout programme.

Founded in 2026 by Palestinian entrepreneur Issa Nassar, Databuddy develops an AI-powered product analytics platform designed to help businesses identify conversion declines, customer friction and technical issues without manually examining complex analytics reports.

The company has attracted more than 3,000 business users within its first few months of operation. The new financing will support the development of advanced AI investigation capabilities, additional integrations, targeted hiring and improvements to customer onboarding.

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Databuddy Secures $500K Seed Funding From Y Combinator

Databuddy Analytics has secured $500,000 in Seed financing from Y Combinator, the Silicon Valley startup accelerator known for backing early-stage technology companies.

The investment brings Databuddy’s total disclosed funding to more than $560,000, including additional backing from Maza Ventures and through the a16z Scout programme.

The funding coincides with the launch of Databuddy’s AI intelligence platform, which is designed to investigate changes in product performance and provide businesses with explanations of potential problems.

The company plans to allocate the capital toward strengthening its AI capabilities, expanding integration options and hiring additional employees in selected roles.

Databuddy will also invest in onboarding and migration support to help businesses connect existing data sources and adopt its analytics tools.

The company has not disclosed its valuation or the individual investment amounts contributed by Maza Ventures and investors participating through the a16z Scout programme.

Databuddy Develops AI-Powered Product Analytics Platform

Databuddy provides an AI-driven analytics platform that helps businesses understand changes in customer behavior and product performance.

Traditional analytics platforms often require teams to examine dashboards, apply filters and compare multiple reports to identify the causes of declining conversion rates or changes in user engagement.

Databuddy aims to simplify this process by using artificial intelligence to investigate potential issues automatically and present relevant findings to users.

The platform is designed to identify conversion drops, customer friction and product-related problems, helping businesses understand what has changed and where further attention may be required.

Instead of relying exclusively on manually generated reports, Databuddy seeks to provide proactive analysis that highlights potential causes of performance changes and suggests areas for improvement.

The company positions its technology as a way to reduce the time teams spend analyzing data and increase their ability to respond to emerging product issues.

Databuddy Uses AI to Automate Analytics Investigations

A central feature of Databuddy’s platform is its ability to conduct automated investigations into product and website performance.

The technology is designed to examine available analytics data, identify unusual changes and provide explanations that help teams understand potential causes.

For example, when a business experiences a decline in conversion rates, the platform aims to investigate relevant data and identify where customers may be encountering difficulties during their interactions with a product.

The same approach can be applied to other performance issues, including changes in user behavior and problems affecting the customer experience.

By automating these investigations, Databuddy intends to reduce the need for teams to navigate multiple dashboards and manually compare analytics metrics.

Issa Nassar, Founder of Databuddy, explained that businesses increasingly need actionable explanations rather than additional charts and reports. He emphasized that the platform was developed to help teams understand what is not working and identify possible responses through a more direct interaction with their data.

The company plans to use the latest funding to expand these AI investigation capabilities and improve the platform’s ability to provide relevant insights.

Databuddy Reaches More Than 3,000 Businesses Since Launch

Databuddy reports that more than 3,000 businesses have adopted its platform during the first few months following its launch.

The early user base reflects interest in analytics solutions that simplify the process of identifying product performance issues and understanding customer behavior.

The company’s approach focuses on helping businesses access relevant insights without requiring extensive manual analysis or specialized knowledge of analytics tools.

Databuddy aims to serve teams seeking a more efficient way to monitor conversion performance, investigate customer friction and identify potential product improvements.

However, the startup has not disclosed its number of paying customers, annual recurring revenue or customer retention metrics.

As it expands, Databuddy plans to improve onboarding and migration services, making it easier for businesses to connect existing data sources and integrate the platform into their operations.

Palestinian Founder Issa Nassar Builds Databuddy After Joining Y Combinator

Databuddy was founded by Issa Nassar, a Palestinian entrepreneur who began learning programming at the age of 11.

Nassar grew up in Palestine and later left university to pursue technology entrepreneurship. He was accepted into Y Combinator at the age of 20, an important milestone in his development as a startup founder.

His technical background and focus on simplifying analytics processes contributed to the development of Databuddy’s AI-powered platform.

Tambi Jalouqa, Managing Partner at Maza Ventures, highlighted Nassar’s technical capabilities and product-focused approach as important factors behind the firm’s investment.

Jalouqa noted that Nassar demonstrated a working product rather than relying primarily on market projections, reflecting Maza Ventures’ interest in founders who prioritize product development and customer needs.

With support from Y Combinator and its other investors, Databuddy aims to build on its early adoption and expand the capabilities of its analytics platform.

Databuddy Plans Product Development, Integrations and Targeted Hiring

The new financing will support several priorities as Databuddy moves into its next stage of development.

A key focus will be expanding the platform’s AI investigation capabilities, enabling it to analyze additional types of product performance issues and provide more detailed findings.

The company also plans to introduce additional integrations to make its analytics tools compatible with a broader range of existing business systems and data sources.

These integrations are intended to simplify adoption for companies that already use analytics software and want to incorporate automated AI investigations into their workflows.

Databuddy will also undertake targeted hiring to strengthen its technical and operational capabilities as its user base grows.

Another priority is improving onboarding and migration support, helping new customers connect their existing data and begin using the platform more efficiently.

The company has not announced specific hiring targets or a timeline for introducing its planned product enhancements.

Databuddy Targets Growing Demand for AI-Driven Analytics

Databuddy operates in a segment of the software market where artificial intelligence is increasingly being used to automate data analysis and support business decision-making.

Companies rely on product and website analytics to understand customer behavior, monitor conversion rates and identify areas where digital experiences can be improved.

However, extracting useful information from large datasets can require significant time and technical expertise, particularly when businesses depend on multiple analytics tools.

Databuddy aims to address these challenges by providing a platform that investigates performance changes automatically and presents findings in a more accessible format.

With $500,000 in new Seed funding from Y Combinator and more than $560,000 raised in total, the company plans to strengthen its technology, expand integrations and improve customer onboarding.

Building on its reported adoption by more than 3,000 businesses, Databuddy intends to develop its AI-powered analytics platform further and reach additional companies seeking automated insights into product performance and customer behavior.

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