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Amazon Web Services To Open Its Data Centers in the Middle East By Early 2019
![AWS opens in Middle East](https://adigitalboom.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/AWS-middle-East.png)
Amazon Web Services (AWS) announced that it plans to open an infrastructure region in the Middle East by early 2019. The new AWS Middle East (Bahrain) Region will consist of three Availability Zones at launch.
Currently, AWS provides 44 Availability Zones across 16 infrastructure regions worldwide, with another 14 Availability Zones, across five AWS Regions in China, France, Hong Kong, Sweden, and a second GovCloud Region in the US expected to come online by the end of 2018.
AWS also announced it will launch an AWS Edge Network Location in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the first quarter of 2018. This will bring Amazon CloudFront, Amazon Route 53, AWS Shield, and AWS WAF to the region and adds to the 78 points of presence AWS has around the world.
“As countries in the Middle East look to transform their economies for generations to come, technology will play a major role, and the cloud will be in the middle of that transformation,” said Andy Jassy, CEO, Amazon Web Services, Inc. “Some of the most gratifying parts of operating AWS over the last 11 years have been helping thousands of new companies get started, empowering large enterprises to reinvent their customer experiences, and allowing governments and academic institutions to innovate for citizens again. We look forward to making this happen across the Middle East.”
Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon.
For a more than a decade, Amazon Web Services has been the world’s most comprehensive and broadly adopted cloud platform. AWS offers over 90 fully featured services for compute, storage, networking, database, analytics, application services, deployment, management, developer, mobile, Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), security, hybrid and enterprise applications, from 44 Availability Zones (AZs) across 16 geographic regions in the U.S., Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, India, Ireland, Japan, Korea, Singapore, and the UK. AWS services are trusted by millions of active customers around the world monthly — including the fastest growing startups, largest enterprises, and leading government agencies — to power their infrastructure, make them more agile, and lower costs.
AWS Investing in the Middle East
AWS is growing its presence in the Middle East bringing offices, staff, education, training, startup support, and other investments to the region. In January 2017, AWS opened offices to serve its rapidly growing customer base with a presence in Dubai, UAE and Manama, Bahrain. These offices have been established with teams of account managers, solutions architects, partner managers, professional services consultants, support staff, and various other functions for customers to engage with AWS.
Another investment AWS is making for its customers in the Middle East, and around the world, is to run its business in the most environmentally friendly way. An important criteria in launching the AWS Middle East (Bahrain) Region is the opportunity to power it with renewable energy. AWS chose Bahrain in part due to the country’s focus on executing renewable energy goals and its proposal to construct a new solar power facility to meet AWS’s power needs. The Bahrain Electricity and Water Authority expects to bring the 100 MW solar farm online in 2019, making it the country’s first utility-scale renewable energy project.
AWS also announced that it is supporting the advancement of technology education across the Middle East making AWS Training and Certification programs available to customers. In the education sector, AWS is supporting the development of technology and cloud computing skills at local universities through the AWS Educate program, providing students and educators with the resources needed to accelerate cloud-related learning. This program is now available for students attending institutions such as King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia, the Higher Colleges of Technology in the UAE, Bahrain Polytechnic, University of Bahrain, as well as Oman College of Management and Technology, the Jordan University of Science and Technology, and many others across the region.
To support the growth of new business, AWS works with incubators and accelerators in the Middle East to provide resources to startups through the AWS Activate program. In Saudi Arabia, AWS works with the Badir Program for Technology Incubators and Accelerators at King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) to provide startups with access to technology resources as well as expert advice, education, and training to help promote Saudi youth entrepreneurship and grow new businesses in the Kingdom. To help new businesses across the Middle East go global, AWS also works with a number of local and international accelerators and incubators active in the region such as AstroLabs in the UAE, Cloud 10 Scalerator in Bahrain, as well as 500 Startups, Startupbootcamp, and Techstars, providing training, AWS credits, in-person technical support, and other benefits.
Middle Eastern Organizations Increasingly Moving to AWS
Organizations across the Middle East – in UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan, Egypt, Bahrain, and other countries – are increasingly moving their mission-critical applications to AWS. Startups in the region choosing AWS as the foundation for their business include Alpha Apps, Anghami, Blu Loyalty, Cequens, DevFactory, Dubizzle, Fetchr, Genie9, Mawdoo3.com, Namshi, OneGCC, Opensooq.com, Payfort, Tajawal, and Ubuy as well as Middle Eastern Unicorn Careem, the leading ride-hailing service in the MENA region. Careem runs all of its operations on AWS and over the past five years has grown 10 times its current size each year. “It is great news that AWS is opening a Region in the Middle East,” said Magnus Olsson, chief experience officer and co-founder of Careem. “We have been all-in on AWS since we launched in 2012 and using the scalability of the cloud has helped us to cope with rapid growth. After starting in Dubai, we now serve over 12 million commuters in 80 cities across the Middle East and North Africa, including Turkey and Pakistan – this would not have been possible without AWS. The new AWS infrastructure Region in the Middle East gives us the opportunity to experiment with new Internet of Things (IoT) technologies that, in the future, will give us the ability to run a fleet of self-driving Careem cars comfortably and safely taking passengers to their destinations.”
Some of the Middle East’s most historic and established enterprises are moving mission critical applications to AWS. Enterprises such as Actel, Al Tayer Group, Batelco, flydubai, Hassan Allam, Silah Gulf, Union Insurance, and the United Arab Shipping Company are using AWS to drive cost savings, accelerate innovation, and speed time-to-market. One successful business that used AWS to grow is eCommerce provider SOUQ.com. “AWS has been key to our success throughout our journey of exponential growth in the MENA region”, said Ronaldo Mouchawar, CEO and Co-Founder of SOUQ.com. “Businesses in the region need robust technologies to both scale rapidly and provide world class service to their customers. With innovation being the main focus on the region’s national agenda, the advent of the world’s largest provider of cloud computing in the region is great news for everyone. This will help support the growing demand for cloud technologies as well as accelerate business expansions and success, regionally and around the world.”
Another enterprise using AWS is Middle East Broadcasting Center (MBC), the largest private media company in the Middle East, delivering Arab language content to over 150 million people across the Middle East and North Africa. “AWS has been critical in our digital transformation initiatives,” said Joe Igoe, MBC’s Group Director of Technical Operations. “Knowing we will have AWS infrastructure close to our viewers is invaluable for us. AWS has helped us speed up innovation and rapidly expand into a wider range of scalable and reliable digital services, such as our Video on Demand platform, Shahid.net. During the holy month of Ramadan, TV viewership spikes dramatically. This year, we successfully scaled our online platform to support a massive increase in traffic and delivered hundreds of thousands of concurrent video streams and dozens of petabytes of content to our viewers.”
Government organizations are also working with AWS to lower costs and better serve citizens in the region, including the Bahrain Institute of Public Administration which has moved their Learning Management System to AWS, reducing costs by over 90 percent. Another government organization using AWS is the Kingdom of Bahrain Information & eGovernment Authority (iGA). The iGA is in charge of moving all government services online and is responsible for ICT governance and procurement for the Bahrain government. Earlier this year the iGA launched a cloud first policy, requiring all new government ICT procurement to evaluate cloud-based services first. Mohamed Al Qaed, Chief Executive of Kingdom of Bahrain iGA said of the announcement, “AWS forms the backbone of our digital government initiatives so the news that an AWS Region is coming to our country is warmly welcomed by us. Through adopting a cloud first policy, we have helped to reduce the government procurement process for new technology from months to less than two weeks. We are in the process of migrating 700 servers with more than 50 TB of data to AWS with the goal of decommissioning our hosting platform by the end of 2017. We have also started to migrate systems of national significance, such as our Bahrain Data Locator, and supporting other entity system migrations, like the Ministry of Education LMS that has 149,000 users, with more planned on the way. As we move more mission critical workloads to AWS, we look forward to even greater efficiencies and being able to complete our mission to become eGovernment & ICT Pioneers.”
In addition to established enterprises, government organizations, and rapidly growing startups, AWS also has a vibrant AWS Partner Network (APN) across the Middle East, including APN Partners that have built cloud practices and innovative technology solutions on AWS. APN Consulting and Technology Partners in the Middle East are helping customers to migrate to the cloud include Al Moayyed Computers, Batelco, C5, du, DXC Technology, Falcon 9, Infonas, Integra Technologies, ITQAN Cloud, Human Technologies, Kaar Technologies, Navlink, Redington, Zain, and many others. For companies looking to join the APN or for the full list of members please visit: https://aws.amazon.com/partners/
News
Saudi Fintech Lendo Signs MOU with J.P. Morgan
![Saudi Startup Lendo Joins Forces with J.P. Morgan to Enhance SME Financing](https://adigitalboom.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Lendo-x-JP-Morgan-MOU.png)
Lendo, a Saudi Arabia-based Shariah-compliant crowdlending marketplace, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) today with J.P. Morgan to improve access to financing for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across the country.
The MOU was signed during 24 Fintech, a premier fintech event that brings together industry leaders, innovators, and investors in Riyadh.
J.P. Morgan and Lendo are working together on potential opportunities to support the SME sector in Saudi Arabia in growing and sustaining the remarkable demand in this market.
“This strategic collaboration with J.P. Morgan, a pioneer in the financial industry, marks a significant milestone for Lendo,” said Osama Alraee, CEO and co-founder of Lendo. “By combining our strengths, we’ll deliver cutting-edge financial solutions to SMEs, supporting their growth and contributing directly to the realization of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.”
The SME financing landscape in MENA presents a substantial market opportunity as limited financial access continues to restrict the growth of the region’s businesses, with commercial banks hesitant to issue loans to SMEs at scale, resulting in a high percentage of declined financing requests annually.
The total SME financing gap in developing countries is estimated to be approximately $5.2 trillion, according to the International Finance Corporation (IFC).
Lendo’s debt crowdfunding platform aims to bridge the financing gap for SMEs, aligning with Saudi Vision 2030’s goal to significantly expand SME lending from 4% in 2018 to 20% by 2030.
According to the latest available report from the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA), the total value of debt crowdfunding in Saudi Arabia surged from SAR 1.4 million in 2019 to SAR 771 million in 2022, marking a remarkable growth.
Lendo raised SAR 132 million ($35.2 million) in total funding from leading investors, including the most recent Series B led by Sanabil Investments, a wholly-owned company by the Public Investment Fund (PIF).
Since its inception in December 2019, Saudi fintech Lendo has processed over 5,000 financing transactions on its platform, providing over SAR 2 billion ($600 million) in financing to SMEs and generating SAR 280 million ($74 million) in returns for investors.
News
TA Telecom Introduces AnteThink: A New AI Decision Support Tool
![**TA Telecom Introduces AnteThink: A New AI Decision Support Tool for Enhanced Decision-Making**](https://adigitalboom.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/antethink-ta-telecom.png)
TA Telecom, a prominent player in the Middle East’s tech sector, has unveiled AnteThink, an AI-driven tool designed to enhance decision-making processes for individuals and businesses alike.
With a history of influencing the tech landscape through various initiatives, including advanced mobile solutions, high-volume payment platforms, and ventures in e-commerce, fintech, and analytics, TA Telecom has carved a niche for itself. Serving a vast user base of 40 million and processing an impressive 15 billion transactions across its platforms, TA Telecom has cemented its position as a tech industry leader, with some of its ventures achieving the status of Y Combinator companies.
Established in 2000, TA Telecom has emerged as a prominent player in the technology sector. With over 40 million users and processing 15 billion transactions annually, TA Telecom has made a notable impact. Recognized for its contributions by the Financial Times and featured on Deloitte’s list of fastest-growing tech companies in EMEA, TA Telecom is known for its adaptability and forward-thinking approach in the ever-evolving global tech landscape.
Sameh Ibrahim, CEO of TA Telecom, highlights the potential of AnteThink: “AnteThink reflects our commitment to leverage technology for practical impact. It aims to provide clarity and confidence in decision-making, whether in the professional or personal sphere. AnteThink is a tool that can empower startup founders, executives, and individuals to make more informed choices, alleviating the stress and uncertainty often associated with critical decision-making.”
Mostafa Ashour, CEO of Y Combinator-backed startup NowPay, shared his perspective on AnteThink: “AnteThink transformed our strategic planning, allowing us to explore various scenarios and prepare for different outcomes. It has strengthened our decision-making process, helping us navigate the complexities of the business landscape.”
AnteThink embodies TA Telecom’s commitment to innovation, focusing on supporting the startup ecosystem. The tool is tailored to help leaders and executives navigate the complexities of business management and strategic development by providing a clear picture of potential outcomes.
Key Features of AnteThink include:
1. Second Order Mode: Offering a comprehensive analysis of broader impacts, fostering a strategic mindset for long-term success.
2. Optionality Mode: Enabling detailed evaluation and comparison of different choices to ensure decisions align with strategic objectives and values.
3. Inversion Mode: Focusing on identifying and mitigating potential risks, thereby strengthening risk management strategies.
![TA Telecom Introduces AnteThink: A New AI Decision Support Tool for Enhanced Decision-Making](https://adigitalboom.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/antethink-screenshot-800x450.png)
Credit: Antethink
AnteThink’s advanced AI technology aims to assist decision-makers with insightful analytics, offering guidance through the decision-making process.
News
GoDaddy’s Global Markets VP Predicts Egypt’s E-commerce to Hit $9.88 Billion by 2028
![GoDaddy's Global Markets VP Predicts Egypt's E-commerce to Hit $9.88 Billion by 2028](https://adigitalboom.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Selina-Bieber-the-Senior-Director-of-Global-Markets-at-GoDaddy.webp)
Selina Bieber, the Senior Director of Global Markets at GoDaddy, has predicted a significant increase in Egypt’s e-commerce revenue. By 2028, it could reach $9.88 billion.
Godaddy is forming strategic partnerships and launching initiatives to help local entrepreneurs. These efforts align with Egypt’s digital transformation goals and its Vision 2030.
In an interview with the Arabic financial news “Amwal Al Ghad,” Bieber spoke about GoDaddy’s plans and how they match Egypt’s 2023 strategy. She highlighted the company’s aim to provide effective, easy-to-use digital tools and services. By 2024, GoDaddy wants to serve more customers in Egypt by making its digital tools more widespread.
The company is working closely with the Egyptian government, especially the Ministry of Planning. They are offering training programs to improve the digital skills of startups and existing businesses. GoDaddy’s services in Egypt include domain registration, web hosting, e-commerce solutions, and digital marketing tools.
Recent surveys support Bieber’s positive outlook for e-commerce in Egypt. They show a clear trend towards digital strategies among small businesses. Many are realizing the importance of having an online presence for their growth and success.
As GoDaddy continues its partnerships and supports government digital initiatives, its influence on Egypt’s digital landscape is growing. The company is committed to sustainability and reducing its carbon footprint. It aims not just for business growth but also to contribute to a sustainable and thriving digital economy in Egypt.
The 2028 projection indicates a vast potential for e-commerce, with GoDaddy playing a key role in this digital evolution.
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