Hub71 and e& enterprise to launch UAE’s first AI Center of Excellence

Hub71 and e& enterprise, part of e& (formerly known as Etisalat Group), have launched the region’s first AI Center of Excellence (AI CoE) in Abu Dhabi.

The AI CoE will provide a platform for AI solutions to be built and scaled from Abu Dhabi. By offering resources and expertise, the center is said to transform the future of AI, support a thriving innovation ecosystem, foster local talent, and boost the country’s socio-economic growth.

The partnership was signed at Hub71’s headquarters in Abu Dhabi by Badr Al-Olama, acting chief executive officer of Hub71, and Salvador Anglada, chief executive officer of e& enterprise.

Al-Olama said: “The region’s first AI Center of Excellence at Hub71 will provide a robust ecosystem for innovative technology ideas to grow and scale, and will allow startups to benefit from Hub71’s community, programmes and knowledge sharing platforms.”

Today, we signed an agreement with #eandEnterprise to develop #AI by launching the first Artificial Intelligence Center of Excellence in the region to create a smarter & safer sustainable world through the co-creation of industry-specific and use case-driven (Al) solutions. pic.twitter.com/WpXb62REoI

— Hub71 (@hub71ad) June 30, 2022

Anglada added: “The AI Center of Excellence, supported by our strategic partner DataRobot, will further progress our vision to be the leading digital enabler for our enterprise and government clients as we empower them to become data-driven and highly automated organisations. We look forward to driving the digital transformation conversation by leveraging the expertise of disruptive scale-ups and AI companies while establishing long-term partnerships with major accelerators and technology providers regionally and globally.”

Recently, e& enterprise entered a strategic three-year alliance with DataRobot, an AI platform provider to launch the first AI-as-a-service (AlaaS) offering in the MENAP region. This will accelerate the successful adoption of AI in organisations, ensure continuous capability building, deliver AIaaS offerings and guarantee value creation by overseeing the implementation of enterprise-wide AI projects.

In addition to these partnerships in AI, e& enterprise is set to build new ventures and incubate pioneering business models at the AI CoE. Scale-ups that participate in its innovation-led programmes, such as FutureNow, will also gain fast-track access to participate in Hub71’s value-add programmes. Startups will also benefit from Hub71’s vibrant community and growing capital ecosystem of VCs with assets under management of $1.72bn.

Startups can apply to join the AI CoE through Hub71’s flexible menu of incentives and The Outliers, a Hub71 programme that also includes e& enterprise as a partner, designed to solve challenges that corporates and government face by providing innovative solutions ideated by startups.

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