Qatar-based restaurant technology startup DineNORDER has taken a significant step forward in its regional growth strategy by expanding into Egypt.

Founded in 2023 by Ahmad Al-Kubaisi, DineNORDER provides a broad spectrum of digital tools designed for the restaurant industry, facilitating online ordering, point-of-sale technology, reservation systems, marketing, customer insights, and inventory management.

This expansion signifies a major milestone as the company seeks to establish a strong presence beyond its home market.

As DineNORDER enters the Egyptian market, it brings with it a comprehensive digital platform that integrates all facets of restaurant operations.

The company offers solutions that unify order management, payments, and customer interactions, aiming to streamline day-to-day operations for restaurant businesses.

By targeting those looking to digitize and enhance the customer experience, DineNORDER is poised to make a substantial impact on the local food service scene.

Strategic Expansion into Egypt

Entering Egypt is a critical component of DineNORDER’s regional expansion plan. The company is eager to collaborate with local restaurant businesses, technology partners, and regional talent as it establishes itself in this vibrant market.

This move not only reflects the startup’s growth ambitions but also its commitment to partnership and innovation within the region.

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“Egypt represents an exciting market for us, and we look forward to bringing our smart digital solutions to restaurants,” said Anja Miscevic, product manager at DineNORDER.

The startup is incubated at the Qatar Science & Technology Park, where it has developed its technology into a cohesive operating toolkit for restaurants, covering everything from ordering and reservations to marketing and inventory management.

With its entry into Egypt, DineNORDER is set to transform how restaurants manage their operations, paving the way for enhanced efficiency and customer satisfaction across the industry.

UAE-Based FinTech Fasset, the innovative AI-powered stablecoin neobanking platform, has announced a successful $68 million Series C funding round. Valued now at $1 billion, the company continues its impressive trajectory in the fintech industry.

The funding was led by SBI Group, a significant player in Japan’s financial sector, and marks another major milestone for Fasset, which previously raised $51 million in a Series B round earlier this year.

This latest infusion of capital is poised to enhance the expansion of Fasset’s Own Network. This regulated financial ecosystem connects a wide range of banking, telecom, and payment entities to facilitate seamless settlements across international markets.

The investment will also bolster the company’s development of AI-enabled systems, supporting corridor banking, stablecoin settlement, and tokenized asset infrastructure, key components of Fasset’s value proposition.

Fasset has established itself as a formidable entity in the global fintech landscape, entering the esteemed unicorn category. Since its Series B fundraising in May, the company has amassed a total of $119 million in 2026.

Raafi, Daniel, and their dedicated team are breaking geographical barriers, providing people and businesses in emerging markets with access to stablecoins and global financial assets.

Strategic Partnerships and Global Growth

The involvement of SBI Group, which extends across various banking, securities, and asset management sectors, signifies a deepened strategic collaboration.

SBI Group’s vision aligns with Fasset’s ambition to create a world where financial transactions traverse borders as effortlessly as information flow.

This partnership intends to build a stablecoin-based remittance and settlement infrastructure, stretching from the Asia-Pacific to the Middle East and Africa.

Fasset is not just expanding its partnerships but also its operational reach, now processing over $40 billion in annualized transaction volume through more than 3 million wallets across 125 countries.

The company’s growth is facilitated by the Own Network’s ability to link local banking systems, financial institutions, telcos, liquidity providers, and settlement networks across over 100 banking corridors.

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With its strong business foundation and robust regulatory framework established in several high-growth emerging markets, Fasset is set to play a pivotal role in connecting Japan with other emerging economies.

The company’s innovative financial solutions continue to attract investment from key industry players, ensuring Fasset remains at the forefront of the financial technology sector’s development.

Qatar-based startup Vora is developing an artificial intelligence-powered device designed to make existing air-conditioning systems smarter and more energy efficient without requiring users to replace their AC units.

Founded by Anas Rustom, co-founder and CEO, and Mazen Assayed, co-founder and chief marketing officer, Vora combines hardware and software to automatically optimize cooling based on environmental conditions and individual user preferences.

The startup, which was founded around a year and a half ago, is currently incubated at Qatar Science and Technology Park (QSTP) and has completed its first minimum viable product, with beta testing now underway ahead of its planned market launch.

Vora is targeting a particularly significant problem for Qatar and the wider GCC, where air conditioning represents one of the largest sources of electricity consumption.

According to Rustom, air conditioning can account for around 70% of a building’s electricity demand in Qatar, while inefficient cooling, excessive cooling and running AC units in unoccupied spaces can result in substantial energy waste.

AI That Learns How People Want Their Rooms Cooled

Rather than developing a new air-conditioning system, Vora has built a small device that works with existing AC units.

During installation, the device learns the infrared signals produced by the air conditioner’s existing remote control, allowing Vora to communicate with and control the unit.

The technology then uses two AI systems to improve how the air conditioner operates.

The first continuously evaluates data including indoor temperature, humidity, outdoor weather conditions and the user’s preferences. Based on those inputs, the system determines more energy-efficient cooling settings while seeking to maintain the user’s preferred comfort level.

This means Vora does not rely on a universal definition of an ideal room temperature.

“Some people feel comfortable at 18 degrees, some people feel too cold,” Rustom explained.

Instead, the system learns individual behavior over time and adapts the operation of the air conditioner accordingly.

For Vora, this personalization is part of a broader effort to reduce unnecessary energy consumption without asking users to sacrifice comfort.

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Predicting AC Problems Before They Become Bigger

Vora’s second AI system focuses on predictive maintenance.

The technology analyzes the operation of the air conditioner to identify early indications of potential faults before they develop into larger problems.

By combining energy optimization with predictive maintenance, the startup is attempting to address both the electricity consumed by AC systems and the operational problems associated with maintaining them.

The AI itself is also designed to improve as more devices are deployed.

Real-world usage generates additional data that can help Vora refine its models for energy optimization and fault detection, meaning the company’s technology can become more effective as its deployment base grows.

Building a Hardware Startup in Qatar

Rustom and Assayed began exploring the problem while they were university students looking for an opportunity to build a technology company around a meaningful challenge.

For Rustom, who grew up in Qatar, establishing the company in the country was also a deliberate decision.

“Qatar is basically my home,” he said. “I want to give back to Qatar.”

Building a hardware company, however, has presented a different set of challenges from those faced by purely software-based startups.

Software problems can often be addressed by releasing an update. Hardware development requires physical components to be sourced, shipped and tested, while design problems can require another development and manufacturing cycle.

“There are a lot of bottlenecks and constraints,” Rustom said. “That’s why hardware startups are a bit harder to progress with.”

QSTP Supports Vora Toward Market Launch

Earlier in 2026, Vora joined the QSTP Incubation Programme, becoming part of Qatar’s technology and innovation ecosystem.

According to Rustom, QSTP has provided the startup with workspace, interns, exposure and opportunities to pitch the company to investors and other stakeholders.

“I’m pretty sure we wouldn’t have scaled this fast without the support of QSTP,” he said.

The startup has since reached an important development milestone by completing its first MVP and beginning beta testing.

Its next stage will focus on bringing the product to market, collecting more real-world data, improving its AI models and increasing the number of air-conditioning systems compatible with the device.

Qatar as a Testing Ground for Smarter Cooling

The GCC provides a particularly relevant environment for Vora’s technology because air conditioning is essential for much of the year across the region.

That creates both an energy challenge and a large potential market for technology capable of improving the efficiency of existing cooling infrastructure.

Vora’s approach could also lower the barrier to adoption by allowing homes and buildings to upgrade existing AC units rather than replacing them with entirely new systems.

For the startup, Qatar serves as both its home market and a testing ground for technology that could eventually be deployed throughout other hot-climate markets.

From Qatar to the GCC and Beyond

Following its market launch, Vora plans to pursue expansion across the GCC, where similar climatic conditions and heavy reliance on air conditioning could create opportunities for its technology.

Its longer-term ambitions extend beyond the Gulf.

Rustom believes the company’s technology could eventually help reduce unnecessary electricity consumption in markets where energy is more expensive or less accessible.

The founders are also positioning Vora as part of a growing generation of homegrown technology companies emerging from Qatar with ambitions extending beyond the domestic market.

“I want us to go out into the world and proudly say that we originated from Qatar,” Rustom said.

With its first product now moving through beta testing, Vora’s next challenge will be translating its AI-driven approach to cooling into measurable energy savings at scale — first in Qatar, then across the GCC and potentially wider international markets.