Dubai has joined forces with South Africa and European partners to launch a global artificial intelligence (AI) trade and investment hub aimed at accelerating cross-border collaboration and boosting support for startups across Africa, the Middle East, and Europe.
According to Zawya, the initiative is being led by the Dubai Centre for Artificial Intelligence (DCAI), established by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and overseen by the Dubai Future Foundation, in partnership with the South African Artificial Intelligence Association (SAAIA). The hub will help address critical barriers to AI development in emerging markets, including limited access to capital and constrained market opportunities.
Saeed Al Falasi, Director of DCAI, said the hub will connect “dynamic and fast-growing ecosystems” and position Dubai as a launchpad for AI innovation. “AI is redrawing the map of global opportunity,” Al Falasi stated. “By connecting talent, capital, and ideas, this hub will support inclusive growth and help promising startups scale globally.”
Dr. Nick Bradshaw, Founder and Chairman of SAAIA, emphasized Africa’s underrepresentation in global AI investment despite the region’s growing pool of high-performing startups. “This partnership is not symbolic—it’s a functional pipeline,” he said. “It gives African innovators greater access to the capital and networks needed to scale their solutions.”
The new hub will support investment matchmaking, business expansion, and the broader development of responsible AI ecosystems. Dubai’s involvement signals a broader commitment to positioning the emirate as a global AI leader while empowering emerging economies through strategic partnerships. The hub is expected to begin operations later this year.
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