Saudi venture capital firm STV has secured an investment from global alternative asset manager Arcapita for its Emerging Tech & AI Fund, strengthening an institutional investor base that already includes Google, regional semi-sovereign entities and endowments.

The companies did not disclose the size of Arcapita’s commitment.

STV’s fund targets early-stage startups developing application-layer technology and artificial intelligence products. Its mandate focuses on helping portfolio companies expand across the Middle East and North Africa while supporting their entry into international markets.

The partnership could also connect emerging technology companies with established businesses across the STV and Arcapita networks, creating opportunities for commercial agreements, technology adoption and knowledge exchange.

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Institutional Capital Targets Applied AI

Arcapita’s participation reflects growing institutional interest in AI businesses that build commercial products and services on top of foundational models and computing infrastructure.

STV said the application layer attracted more than $19 billion in enterprise spending during 2025, while AI-native companies generated twice as much revenue as incumbent providers. These figures underpin the firm’s thesis that emerging technology companies can capture increasing corporate spending as businesses move from AI experimentation toward practical deployment.

The fund will invest at the earliest stages, giving STV exposure to companies before they establish mature products or distribution. This approach carries greater execution risk but offers the potential to support startups as they shape new technology categories.

Arcapita brings more than three decades of investment experience to the partnership. The firm focuses on private equity and real estate and has completed transactions with a combined value exceeding $32 billion.

Four AI-Native Startups Join the Portfolio

The Emerging Tech & AI Fund has invested in four startups so far: Sawt, Clarity, Signit and Stream. Each company addresses a different business function, ranging from customer service to legal technology and financial operations.

Sawt develops Arabic-native AI voice agents for customer service, targeting organisations that need automated conversations tailored to the language requirements of regional users.

Clarity offers an agentic AI platform that analyses customer service operations. Its software is designed to help businesses examine interactions and extract information that can improve service performance and decision-making.

Signit is a Saudi legal technology startup applying artificial intelligence to legal workflows. Stream, meanwhile, provides billing and payment infrastructure for Saudi businesses.

The portfolio illustrates STV’s preference for applied AI products that solve specific operational problems rather than companies building foundational models or hardware infrastructure.

Connecting Startups With Established Businesses

Beyond capital, the STV-Arcapita relationship is expected to give portfolio companies greater access to potential enterprise customers and commercial partners.

For early-stage AI startups, reaching established businesses can be as important as product development. Enterprise sales often involve lengthy procurement processes, technology reviews and integration requirements that young companies may struggle to navigate without institutional relationships.

STV intends to use the combined networks to help startups demonstrate their products in commercial environments, potentially accelerating adoption across regional industries. Established companies, in turn, could gain earlier access to emerging AI tools relevant to their operations.

The addition of Arcapita expands the fund’s institutional backing without changing its early-stage investment strategy. STV will continue targeting application-layer companies with the potential to grow across MENA and enter markets beyond the region.

The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) MENA has announced that the SHRM MENA Annual Conference & Expo 2026 will take place on 16–17 December 2026 at Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai. The flagship event will be preceded by pre-conference Masterclasses on 15 December and culminate in the prestigious SHRM MENA STAR Awards Gala Evening on 17 December. Positioned as a leading platform for workforce leadership in the region, the 2026 conference will introduce the HR + AI Lab, an experiential and solution-oriented hub designed to bridge the gap between artificial intelligence theory and practical enterprise deployment.

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As organizations across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) accelerate digital transformation and economic diversification under ambitious national visions, human resource leadership has moved to the center of executive business strategy. The 2026 conference is expected to bring together more than 2,000 senior HR executives, C-suite leaders and decision-makers representing over 1,000 organizations across the UAE, Saudi Arabia and the wider MENA region, alongside more than 100 CXOs and 50 global thought leaders, industry experts and speakers from leading international institutions. This diverse gathering will create world-class opportunities for participants to learn from global perspectives, engage in meaningful dialogue and build valuable professional connections.

Unlike traditional technology-focused summits, the 2026 event will place practical execution at the heart of the conversation. Through the dedicated HR + AI Lab, attendees will have access to live demonstrations, real-world case studies and expert-led problem-solving sessions focused on how artificial intelligence can be applied across the employee lifecycle. The Lab will explore practical applications across talent acquisition, talent development and total talent management, while providing leaders with actionable frameworks for integrating AI into their organizations and generating measurable business value.

“As global shifts in technology, work patterns, and talent dynamics redefine the modern economy, workforce leadership has become the vital engine driving business transformation across the MENA region. The SHRM MENA Annual Conference 2026 is engineered to give business and HR

leaders the exact tools, evidence-based research, and strategic foresight required to navigate these complexities and convert disruption into sustainable organizational performance,” said Achal Khanna, CEO – SHRM APAC & MENA.

The conference program will address some of the most pressing workforce priorities facing organizations across the GCC, examining where automation can optimize HR processes, where human judgment remains indispensable, and how businesses can establish responsible AI governance frameworks while strengthening local talent capabilities. The discussions will also explore how HR leaders can balance technological innovation with organizational culture, employee experience and long-term workforce development.

“Across the GCC and particularly in fast-evolving markets like the UAE and Saudi Arabia, organizations are seeking more than abstract conversations about the future of work. They need concrete strategies. With the introduction of the HR + AI Lab, we are moving the regional conversation from technology demos to real-world deployment. Our goal is to empower leaders to build actionable HR and AI blueprints that deliver tangible impact for their people and their bottom line,” said Vivek Arora, Managing Director – SHRM MENA.

The event will begin on 15 December 2026 with a series of pre-conference Masterclasses, offering immersive, deep-dive workshops led by global authorities in areas including critical HR capabilities, workforce analytics and leadership resilience. The main SHRM MENA Annual Conference & Expo will then take place on 16–17 December, bringing together distinguished international institutional speakers and featuring two days of keynote presentations, panel discussions, interactive strategy sessions and the immersive HR + AI Lab. Across the programme, attendees will benefit from world-class opportunities for learning, engagement and networking with senior leaders, experts and peers from across the region and beyond. The event will conclude on 17 December with the SHRM MENA STAR Awards Gala Evening, which will recognize outstanding achievements, innovation and leadership in human resource management across the region.

About SHRM MENA

SHRM MENA is the regional chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), the world’s largest HR membership organization with over 340,000 members across 183 countries. SHRM empowers HR professionals and business leaders with the tools, resources, and global network required to create better workplaces and foster organizational transformation.

Hurr, a leading platform for freelance solutions, has announced a new USD 2 million growth initiative, marking an important milestone in the company’s expansion and its vision to build a more integrated ecosystem for freelance and flexible work.

The announcement brings together a series of strategic developments, including the launch of Hurr Sign & Pay, the acquisition of Elherfa, and strategic partnerships with Khibraty and Future Work, strengthening Hurr’s technology, talent network, market reach, and service offering.

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Launching Hurr Sign & Pay

At the center of the announcement is Hurr Sign & Pay, a new AI-powered solution designed to simplify how businesses and freelancers formalize and complete freelance transactions.

Through a simple WhatsApp-based journey, users can move from an agreement to a structured transaction, including AI-assisted contract creation, digital signing, secure payment, invoicing, and documentation.

The solution is designed to remove friction from freelance contracting and make working with independent talent faster, simpler, and more structured for both businesses and freelancers.

Expanding Through Acquisition and Strategic Partnerships

As part of its growth strategy, Hurr has also acquired Elherfa, expanding its freelance ecosystem and creating further opportunities to integrate talent and capabilities into the Hurr platform.

Hurr’s strategic partnership with Khibraty, a Saudi-Jordanian platform, will further expand access to high-tier freelancers, consultants, and specialized experts, allowing Hurr to serve a broader range of business requirements.

The company is also strengthening its ecosystem through its partnership with Future Work, supporting Hurr’s broader ambition to contribute to the development of flexible work and independent talent opportunities in Saudi Arabia.

A $2 Million Growth Initiative

The USD 2 million figure represents the estimated strategic and commercial opportunity value of Hurr’s combined growth initiatives. It reflects the potential market opportunity, transaction value, strategic partnerships, acquisition, and future business opportunities associated with Hurr’s expansion.

The figure does not represent Hurr’s company valuation, funding raised, or recognized revenue.

Muna Balhamar, CEO of Hurr “We believe the future of work is becoming increasingly flexible, and the infrastructure supporting it needs to evolve with it. Our next chapter is about making it easier for companies to access talent, formalize relationships, manage contracts and complete payments. Sign & Pay, our acquisition and our new partnerships are all part of building a stronger and more connected freelance ecosystem.”

 With a community of more than 42,000 freelancers across 100+ professional fields, Hurr is continuing its evolution from a freelance marketplace into a broader platform providing integrated solutions for accessing, contracting, managing, and paying flexible talent