REAL ESTATE-

#1- Select Group to become the first private developer at Palm Jebel Ali: Investment firm Dubai Holdings partnered up with Dubai-based real estate developer Select Group and Emirates Strategic Investments Company (ESIC) to develop projects at Palm Jebel Ali and Dubai Design District (d3), according to the Dubai Media Office. This marks the first private developer involvement in Palm Jebel Ali, previously developed exclusively by state-backed Nakheel, according to Gulf News.

(** Tap or click the headline above to read this story with all of the links to our background and outside sources.)

The partnership will deliver two projects — upscale residential and hospitality units at Palm Jebel Ali and a mixed-use community in d3. The planning and design of the two projects is currently underway, though an investment ticket for the builds wasn’t disclosed.

ICYMI- Nakheel awarded Dutco Group’s subsidiary DBB Contracting three infrastructure contracts — valued at over AED 750 mn — for the development of Palm Jebel Ali last month.

#2- Modon launches luxury Wadeem complex with residential plots: IHC-owned developer Modon is offering residential land parcels on Abu Dhabi’s Hudayriyat Island for homebuyers to design and build their own homes, according to a press release (pdf). The Wadeem complex will feature 1.7k plots with the capacity for four- to six-bedroom villas, including a swimming pool and an outdoor dining space. It will also include educational and lifestyle facilities.

#3- Major acquires Rak Central land plot: Marjan inked a land sale agreement with Dubai-based Major Developers for a new mixed-use development at Rak Central, Ras Al Khaimah’s upcoming mixed-use development district, according to a press release. The 265k sq ft mixed-use project will be Major’s second in the emirate, following the AED 1 bn Manta Bay project, and is slated for completion by 4Q 2028.

The bigger picture: The wider Rak Central masterplan includes 3 mn sq ft of office space, over 4k residential units, four hotels, and green and retail areas. Rak Central HQ, the main office complex, is due in 1Q 2027.

EDUCATION-

Gems Education launches school-in-a-box venture: Dubai-based school operator Gems Education launched Gems School Management (GSM), a new business offering turnkey K-12 school solutions for governments, investors, developers, and school groups, according to a press release. Built around its proprietary Aspire model, the service includes curriculum plans, architectural design, staffing, training, tech infrastructure, and operational systems.

Where’s it headed? GSM is in advanced talks with partners in eight undisclosed markets. The platform supports new school developments and upgrades to existing institutions, offering curriculum-aligned models including British, American, IB, Indian, and local systems.

REMEMBER- The company plans to invest USD 300 mn over the next two to three years, aiming to grow student capacity by 30k–35k by 2028. The USD 100 mn Gems School of Research and Innovation will open in Dubai August of this year — potentially the city’s priciest school, with tuition reaching up to USD 56k per year.

MINERALS-

Indian mining firm NMDC sets up shop in Dubai: Indian state-owned miner NMDC established a Dubai office to track mineral sector developments as it eyes acquisition prospects, Reuters reports. The office will serve as NMDC’s global coordination center — monitoring potential acquisitions in the critical minerals sectors, carrying out due diligence, and engaging with regulators and business partners. The firm is primarily looking for takeover targets in Africa, Australia, and South America, the news outlet reported.

FINANCE-

Financial advisory firm Apolonia gets SCA greenlight: UAE-based financial advisory firm ApoloniaCapital secured a full regulatory license from the Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA), according to a press release. The license allows the firm to offer cross-border financial transactions across the GCC, Asia, and other global markets, as well as expand its advisory offerings and relationships with clients and partners abroad, CEO Ali Nadir said.

AGRITECH-

Núafeeds launches Dubai facility to turn food waste into animal feed: Australian agritech firm Núafeeds will begin operations in Dubai this quarter, establishing a facility to transform surplus bread into livestock feed, according to a press release. The project will cut down the UAE’s dependence on imported animal feed.

How it works: Núafeeds will collect unsold bread from its partner retailers, bakeries, and manufacturers, then sterilize and process it to fit feed biosecurity standards. The project offers lower food waste disposal costs, the firm said, and also reduces CO2 emissions by 500kg for every ton of bread processed. It will offer the livestock feed at fixed prices to buyers.

DEFENSE-

Al Taif, Singapore’s partner on MRO services: Edge’s military land platforms supporter Al Taif inked an MoU with Singapore-based ST Engineering Land MRO & Services (STELMS) to collaborate on digitizing and optimizing maintenance for maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) capabilities in the UAE, according to a press release. The partnership will focus on computerized maintenance management system tools for asset tracking and maintenance scheduling, IoT-powered monitoring, and engineering consultancy for lifecycle extension and platform remanufacturing.

INFRASTRUCTURE-

du rolls out hyperscale cloud platform: Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (du) introduced its du Tech National Hypercloud, the country’s first sovereign hyperscale cloud platform, according to a press release. The offering targets government entities and large enterprises requiring data sovereignty.

The details: Developed in partnership with US-based IT firm Oracle, the platform will deliver over 150 Oracle Cloud Infrastructure services with embedded AI, and will be hosted in du’s liquid-cooled data centers. It provides GPU access without capital expenditure requirements while keeping data within UAE borders.

AI-

Dewa to integrate Google Cloud AI into services: Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) has partnered with Google Cloud to integrate generative AI into its core operations using its NotebookLM tech, according to the Dubai Media Office. The gen AI-powered initiative also enables multilingual output and allows DEWA to reallocate resources, and cut annual costs by AED 25.5 mn. Dewa is aiming to be the first global AI-native utility, the statement said.

Tags: