Huru, a homegrown UAE fintech company licensed by the Central Bank of the UAE, has officially entered the market with a mission to become a one-stop financial management platform for the country’s unbanked and underbanked populations. By addressing long-standing gaps in access to essential financial services, the company aims to advance financial inclusion and empower low-income workers across the nation.

Financial empowerment through accessible technology

Huru integrates payments, remittance, and savings tools into a single, user-friendly app. With just a valid Emirates ID, users can open a zero-balance IBAN account within minutes—no minimum balance, no hidden fees—and use it to receive their salaries directly. Each customer receives a Visa ATM card, with one free withdrawal per month, helping them retain more of their earnings instead of losing money to transaction fees.

Through the app, users can also transfer funds locally, send money overseas, pay bills in the UAE and abroad, and create “Saving Pots” to plan for future goals.

On the employer side, Huru offers a sustainable alternative to traditional payroll systems. By facilitating salary payments directly into zero-balance IBAN accounts, businesses can ensure compliance with wage protection standards while giving employees greater financial flexibility and access. This model also reduces administrative complexity and supports overall employee wellbeing—an increasingly important factor in retention and productivity.

A UAE-built solution for UAE workers

“Huru was built in the UAE, for the UAE,” said Badr Al Ghurair, founder of Huru. “This country has long been a place where people come with the hope of creating a better life for themselves and a brighter future for their families back home. Yet too often, they are held back by financial systems that don’t fully serve their needs. Our vision is to change that, to give them the tools and confidence to manage, save, and grow their money and to adapt to their evolving needs.”

Beyond banking: building a financial ecosystem

Positioned as more than a digital wallet, Huru is building a broader ecosystem of support for its users. Upcoming features include tailored loan products for individuals historically excluded from formal credit systems and affordable medical partnerships offering discounted consultations and free community health check-ups.

“With Central Bank licensing and a technology-first approach, we are committed to expanding financial inclusion among those who form the backbone of the UAE’s workforce,” said Abhimanyu Girotra, CEO of Huru. “We want to help our customers fulfill their dreams and partner with them at every step in their journey here in the UAE.”

By combining regulatory oversight with a customer-first approach, Huru is positioning itself as a homegrown fintech champion tackling one of the region’s most pressing challenges—bringing transparency, dignity, and long-term opportunity to the communities that power the UAE’s economy.

Dubai Airports has unveiled the next phase of its accessibility strategy, reinforcing a 10-year commitment to make Dubai International (DXB) and Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International (DWC) the world’s most accessible and inclusive airports by 2035.

The strategy focuses on strengthening existing foundations, enhancing guest experiences across all touchpoints, and positioning DXB and DWC as global leaders in inclusive travel.

It aligns with international best practices, the UAE’s commitment to the rights of people of determination (PoD), and Dubai’s vision to be a disability-friendly city.

“Accessibility is not just a promise; it is a core pillar of our mission to deliver a world-class travel experience for every single guest,” said Majed Al Joker, COO at Dubai Airports. “By working closely with our partners and, for the first time, with the wider People of Determination community, we are transforming the entire airport journey and setting a new global standard for accessible travel.”

The next phase is accompanied by a public awareness campaign co-created with People of Determination, highlighting lived experiences under the pledge “DXB for All.” The campaign features six stories illustrating the airport journey for guests with sensory sensitivities, visual impairments, hearing challenges, and mobility needs.

Dubai Airports’ new strategy builds on ‘We All Meet the World Differently’ campaign

Building on the 2022 campaign “We All Meet the World Differently”, the new initiative underscores that accessibility extends beyond infrastructure to a shift in mindset and culture, promoting empathy among employees, travelers, and the wider public.

The campaign features advocates including Emirati accessibility pioneer Fatma Al Jassim, disability inclusion consultant and former Paralympic swimmer Jessica Smith, Dubai mother Yasmin Carey and her son Ellis, who is on the autism spectrum, as well as Layth Kamal, Mohammed Alghafli, and Ahmed Butti, representing various communities of People of Determination.

The strategy is a collaborative effort with the airport’s oneDXB partners, including Emirates, flydubai, Dubai Police, GDIFA, Dubai Customs, dnata, Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services, Dubai Taxi Company, Dubai Health, Dubai Duty Free, and Serco, ensuring seamless and inclusive experiences for all guests.

Current services to support travellers

Dubai Airports currently provides multiple services to support travellers with visible and hidden needs, including the Travel Planner visual guide, the Sunflower Lanyard for priority access, complimentary two-hour parking, dedicated taxis, wheelchair services, hearing loops at more than 520 touchpoints, and the sensory-friendly Assisted Travel Lounge in Terminal 2.

In 2024, DXB welcomed 92.3 million passengers, marking its highest annual traffic, and was ranked the world’s number one airport by international passenger numbers for 2023 by Airports Council International.

DWC, with a $35bn expansion plan announced in May 2024, aims to accommodate 150 million passengers annually over the next decade, eventually expanding to 260 million passengers and 12 million tonnes of cargo.

Dubai Airports emphasised that the strategy represents a long-term commitment to inclusivity, combining infrastructure, services, and cultural transformation to ensure that every traveller, regardless of ability, can experience world-class travel.

The travel and tourism sector in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries contributed approximately $247.1bn to the region’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2024, marking a 31.9 per cent increase compared to 2019, according to the GCC Statistical Centre (GCC STAT).

This growth underscores the sector’s expanding role as a key driver of economic, social, and environmental development across the Gulf.

The report titled Tourism in the GCC: A Gateway to Development and Sustainable Transformation, released on World Tourism Day, projects that the sector’s share of the GCC GDP will rise to 13.3 per cent by 2034, equating to $371.2bn.

This anticipated growth highlights tourism’s increasing importance in the region’s economic landscape.

The sector also plays a significant role in job creation. In 2024, its contribution to employment was valued at $4.3bn, up 24.9 per cent from 2019.

GCC tourism sector to create 1.3 million jobs by 2034

By 2034, the industry is expected to generate around 1.3 million new jobs, reflecting its potential to further bolster employment opportunities in the region.

Tourism’s impact extends to social empowerment, particularly for women and youth. Women accounted for 13 per cent of the sector’s workforce in 2024, marking a 73.2 per cent increase since 2019.

This growth signifies progress in enhancing gender diversity within the tourism industry.

Environmental sustainability is also a focal point, with GCC countries expanding their natural reserves. Protected terrestrial and marine areas now constitute 19 per cent of the region’s total territory as of 2023, a 7.5 per cent increase from the previous year.

This expansion reflects the region’s commitment to preserving natural resources and promoting eco-tourism.

Intra-GCC tourism has seen a significant uptick, with 19.3 million travellers within the region in 2024, a 52.1 per cent increase from 2019.

These trips accounted for 26.7 per cent of all international tourist arrivals in the GCC, highlighting the growing trend of regional travel.

The data from GCC Stat refelcts the vibrant growth of the tourism sector, positioning it as a pivotal element in the region’s economic diversification and sustainable development strategies.

The Arab Energy Fund (TAEF), the multilateral impact financial institution dedicated to ensuring energy security and sustainability in the MENA region, has announced that it has led Tagaddod’s $26.3m Series A equity round.

Tagaddod, a pioneering platform for biofuel feedstocks, will direct this funding toward further strengthening its role in enabling the growing production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and renewable diesel (RD).

Tagaddod is a cross-border tech-powered leader in the collection, aggregation, and traceability of biofuel feedstocks, specialising in used cooking oil (UCO) collection and traceability.

With a growing operational footprint across Africa, Asia, and Europe, Tagaddod is active in key markets such as Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the Netherlands, leveraging its proprietary technology to optimise logistics, increase efficiency using different AI models, and ensure full compliance with international sustainability and certification standards, a growing requirement for low-carbon feedstock supply chains globally.

Tagaddod: From local startup to regional platform

Founded by a young team of entrepreneurs, Tagaddod has evolved from a local startup into a high-impact regional platform, forging partnerships with municipalities, commercial clients, and international offtakers.

The platform’s scalable, tech-powered business model positions the company as a key enabler of the circular economy and a strategic player in the emerging biofuels sector.

This transaction marks the fund’s first direct investment in the biofuel feedstocks space and lays the foundation for potential future developments in biodiesel and SAF, both critical to TAEF’s strategy.

This investment aligns with TAEF’s dual focus on both traditional and new energy sectors, in which financing is provided to build a balanced and viable economic future for the region. New energy sectors include (while not limited to) low-carbon infrastructure, circular economy solutions, and alternative fuel value chains.

“This is a compelling opportunity to support a founder-led company operating in a mission-critical and underserved segment,” said Maheur Mourali, chief investment officer of The Arab Energy Fund. “Tagaddod’s platform reflects our commitment to backing scalable, sustainable infrastructure in line with the region’s ambition in advancing the new energy sector, enhancing resource efficiency, driving circular economic models, and leading in the biofuels space.”

Proceeds from the series A round will fund Tagaddod’s continued regional expansion, technological enhancements, and operational scale-up, reinforcing its position as MENA’s leading Biofuel Feedstocks platform and a vital contributor to global sustainable feedstock supply.

“We are excited to welcome TAEF as a strategic investor and long-term partner,” said Nour El-Assal, co-founder and CEO of Tagaddod. “TAEF’s sector expertise, regional reach, and shared commitment to sustainable energy will be instrumental in scaling our impact and accelerating our growth.”

This investment further strengthens Tagaddod’s shareholder base, which includes FMO, the Dutch entrepreneurial development bank, Verod-Kepple Africa Ventures (VKAV), a pan-African venture capital firm, and A15 Ventures, a leading MENA-based venture capital firm.

Together with these partners, The Arab Energy Fund supports Tagaddod’s mission to become a regional champion in circular economy innovation and sustainable fuel development.

In a high-stakes announcement sure to reverberate across global technology and government circles, Sam Altman, co-founder and CEO of OpenAI, will join virtually for a landmark conversation with Peng Xiao, group CEO of G42, at GITEX GLOBAL 2025. The session — titled “From early adoption to AI-native nations: Shaping the next era of intelligence” — is slated for Tuesday, 14 October at 9:00 AM on the Main Stage in Hall 25 at Dubai World Trade Centre. Seats are limited.

This rare pairing of one of the world’s foremost AI architects with a leading Gulf-based technology executive underscores the shifting focus from corporate AI leadership to national AI strategies — a key theme at this year’s event.

Altman’s involvement brings star power and deep technical credibility: OpenAI remains one of the most closely watched labs in the sector, with its advances shaping the trajectory of large-language models, generative AI, and the broader AI ecosystem. Peng Xiao, meanwhile, leads G42 — a UAE-based conglomerate deeply invested in AI infrastructure, national AI systems, and regional digital sovereignty.

G42 has previously signaled ambitious plans to push the UAE and the broader MENA region toward AI leadership. Peng Xiao has described the company’s philosophy as being “inquisitive by nature” while maintaining “purposeful focus” to address society’s most complex questions.

Together, the dialogue promises to explore not just the next breakthroughs in AI, but how nations can architect themselves for an era when intelligence becomes a foundational asset, akin to energy or infrastructure.