Happy Wednesday everyone!

UAE proptech platform Stake secured $31 million from investors led by Emirates NBD to expand cross-border real estate investing, underscoring fintech’s momentum. In global media, Gulf-backed Paramount Skydance revived takeover talks for Warner Bros. Discovery, potentially challenging its pending deal with Netflix. Meanwhile, a viral Instagram clash between soda startups Popit and Hala Pop on Lovin Dubai showed how brand wars in the UAE are increasingly fought in public, one comment at a time.

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Stake Secures $31 Million Series B Led By Emirates NBD To Scale Global Real Estate Investing

What Is It About?

UAE-based proptech platform Stake has raised $31 million in an oversubscribed Series B round led by Emirates NBD, with backing from investors including Mubadala Investment Company, Property Finder and Ellington Properties. Founded in 2021, the platform allows individuals to invest in fractional real estate starting from AED 500. The new funding brings total capital raised to $58 million.

Why It Matters?

The deal signals rising institutional confidence in digitally enabled real estate investing across borders. Stake’s regulated model lowers entry barriers to property ownership while offering transparency and liquidity in an asset class traditionally dominated by wealthy investors. With more than 2 million users across 181 countries and strong growth metrics, the platform reflects a broader shift toward fintech-driven access to real assets, especially as investors seek stable, income-generating alternatives amid global uncertainty.

What’s Next?

Stake plans to expand aggressively in Saudi Arabia, scale cross-border offerings and advance regulated real estate tokenisation after securing in-principle approval from Dubai’s virtual assets regulator. The company is also growing new products such as StakeOne, which targets full property ownership and asset management. Beyond the GCC, it aims to deepen exposure to international markets including U.S. industrial real estate, positioning itself as infrastructure connecting global capital to property opportunities.

Gulf SWF-Backed Paramount Re-Enters Race To Acquire Warner Bros. Discovery

What Is It About?

A Gulf sovereign wealth fund–backed bid for Warner Bros. Discovery has returned to the spotlight after Paramount Skydance reopened deal talks, potentially challenging an existing agreement with Netflix. Paramount’s offer is reportedly supported by Abu Dhabi’s L’Imad, Public Investment Fund and Qatar Investment Authority. A seven-day waiver from Netflix allows discussions through Feb. 23.

Why It Matters?

The renewed talks could spark a high-stakes bidding war for one of Hollywood’s largest studios, with Gulf capital emerging as a decisive force in global media consolidation. Paramount is pushing to raise its offer to about $31 per share while covering termination fees and refinancing costs tied to WBD’s Netflix deal. Activist investors argue the Paramount proposal offers stronger financial terms and fewer regulatory hurdles, increasing pressure on WBD’s board to reconsider its preferred transaction.

What’s Next?

Warner Bros. Discovery will evaluate whether Paramount can submit a binding “best and final” offer that surpasses Netflix’s proposal in value and certainty. Netflix retains matching rights under the merger agreement, meaning it could counter any improved bid. Shareholders are scheduled to vote on the Netflix deal at a special meeting on March 20, setting up a pivotal moment that could determine ownership of the entertainment giant.

Zero Calories, Maximum Drama: UAE's Soda Brands Are Beefing Online

It started like any other sponsored post. Lovin Dubai shared a glossy carousel for Popit, the UAE-born zero-calorie soda brand billing itself as "The Healthier Soda" — slick billboard shots from around Dubai, cans lined up in 1,000+ stores across the UAE, and a headline that didn't exactly invite debate: "If you haven't tried Popit yet... you're officially late."

Then Hala Pop showed up in the comments.

The rival healthy-soda brand — recognisable by its rainbow logo — dropped a single, pointed question beneath the post: "Is it actually healthy? 🤔" Just four words and a thinking emoji. But in the world of brand social media, that's the equivalent of walking into a competitor's launch party and loudly asking to see their certifications.

The Clapback

Popit's social team didn't let it slide. They fired back with a response that was equal parts diplomatic and cutting: "Slow day at the office, hopefully you will be in retail soon.. no need for the hate 😊"

The dig landed — Hala Pop is not yet widely available in physical retail across the UAE, while Popit has made its 1,000+ store rollout a central marketing message. It was a surgical strike disguised as a smiley face.

Hala Pop, to their credit, tried to de-escalate: "No hate!! We love Poppi, Popit* sorry, but we value health! And the word 'healthy' shouldn't be thrown around lightly 🥲" — complete with a self-correcting name slip that inadvertently referenced the American prebiotic soda brand Poppi, perhaps not the flex they were going for.

Popit wasn't done. A second reply dropped any pretence of diplomacy: "And you are not 'Health' police, I would put that energy on your struggling product.. have a good day"

Hala Pop's response? A graceful two pink hearts and a sparkle emoji. Sometimes silence — or in this case, 💖✨ — really does say everything.

What unfolded in that comment thread is a textbook example of a new frontier in brand competition: the public, real-time digital ambush. No press releases, no formal statements, no expensive ad campaigns. Just two brands, a comment section, and a watching public.

It's a playbook that has been perfected in Western markets — think Wendy's vs. every fast food chain on X/Twitter, or the infamous Aldi vs. Marks & Spencer Colin the Caterpillar legal saga — but it's increasingly showing up in the Gulf's rapidly maturing consumer market.

One thing is clear: the UAE's beverage market is getting crowded, competitive, and very, very online. Brand wars have gone digital — and they're playing out one comment, one clapback, and one sparkle emoji at a time.

Presight Bets On Sovereign AI To Power Global Growth While Preserving Margins

Abu Dhabi–based AI analytics firm Presight is accelerating international expansion, deepening its energy sector footprint and deploying its cash-rich balance sheet as it positions itself against rising global competition, Chief Financial Officer Ram Meyoor said in a written Q&A with Smashi Business.

International operations have become a central growth engine. “FY25 marked a structural inflection point for our international business,” Meyoor said, noting revenue from overseas markets surged 130% year-on-year to AED 1.17 billion, or 38.5% of total revenue, up from 23% in FY24. In the fourth quarter alone, international revenue reached 46.5%.

Rather than heavy infrastructure spending, Presight relies on a software-led model. “Presight is not an infrastructure provider; instead, we design and deploy sovereign AI platforms and mission-critical solutions for highly regulated environments,” he said, adding that the company operates “in an asset-light way while still driving significant impact.” Expansion into markets such as Kazakhstan, Jordan and Albania is guided by “multi-year sovereign contracts first,” a “capex-light operating model,” and “margin discipline through operating leverage.” Group capital expenditure was just 0.8% of revenue.

Energy remains a cornerstone following the acquisition of AIQ, a joint venture with ADNOC. Meyoor said AIQ “was a material contributor to FY25 economics” and is evolving from high-margin legacy software toward more advanced autonomous AI platforms. The flagship ENERGYai system is being deployed across ADNOC’s upstream operations under a $340 million contract.

“As is typical for programmes of this scale, the early stages are more services-intensive,” he said. “As the deployment progresses… we expect the software component to represent a larger share of the revenue mix, supporting margin expansion in subsequent phases.” Group EBITDA rose 23.5% to AED 785 million, though margins moderated to 25.9% due to deployment costs and international investment.

FY25 also marked the company’s first full year under the UAE’s 15% corporate tax regime, tempering profit growth. Profit after tax rose 8.6% to AED 665.5 million, but would have grown 16.7% under the previous 9% rate, Meyoor said. With AED 2.17 billion in cash and no debt, Presight is prioritising growth over shareholder payouts.

“Organic growth first,” he said, followed by “selective, value-enhancing expansion” and preserving balance-sheet strength. Potential acquisitions will be “capability-led and aligned to sovereign AI, sector-specific platforms, or international expansion.” Dividends may come later: “At the point the company reaches a more mature phase of growth, we may consider implementing a dividend policy.”

Facing new entrants such as Palantir Technologies and ongoing changes within parent G42, Presight is leaning on what it sees as a defensible niche. Meyoor described the firm as “a UAE AI national champion and the largest exporter of AI and advanced technology from the UAE,” with unique access to G42’s computing infrastructure.

“Sovereignty sits at the core of our strategy,” he said. By focusing on governments and regulated sectors, Presight has built “a sustainable and differentiated moat for the AI era.”

As global demand for national-scale AI systems accelerates, Presight is betting that sovereign-focused platforms — not generic tools — will define the next phase of competition.

🦄 World of Startups

• Mersal Media Capital secures $1.3 million in first funding round

• Dubai-based Antoine Kanaan’s Haqq AI, a legal-tech platform, raised $3M.

• Notion Expands into Middle East with Launch of Arabic Support

• Wio Bank Partners with Pine Labs to Revolutionise UAE Payment Processing

• Vennre Secures $9.6M to Democratise Wealth-Building in Saudi Arabia

• Jeel and Ripple Join Forces to Revolutionise Saudi Payments with Blockchain

👨‍💻From Smashi Business’ Desk

• Binghatti Chairman Meets Justin Trudeau as Developer Expands Global Footprint

• Syrian Founder Yasmeen Jisri’s Bake My Day Lands Major Dove Collaboration

• Beauty mogul Mona Kattan is using her platform for good, calling on millions of followers to help support Iran.

• Emmy-winning Palestinian journalist Bisan Owda says TikTok has permanently banned her account.

• Dubai-born Noon smartly turns the viral penguin into a delivery hero⁠

🔍In other news…

• Emirates CFO Stepping Down as Group Shuffles Top Executives

• Bloomberg feature: The Billionaire Brothers Betting on Syria’s Reconstruction

• Egyptian Stocks Soar as Investors Take Note of Economic Renewal

• Arab Energy Fund secures $346m for Iraq oilfield expansion

🗓️ Plan Your Events (March-April 2026)

UAE

• 31 March - 2 April (Tuesday-Thursday): Arab Media Summit, Dubai.

• 26-28 March (Thursday-Saturday): Social Capital Conference, Dubai.

• 7-9 April (Tuesday-Thursday): Future Health Summit, Adnec Center Abu Dhabi.

• 13-15 April (Monday-Wednesday): AIM Congress, Dubai World Trade Center.

• 14-16 April: (Tuesday-Thursday): the International Property Show, Dubai World Trade Center.
  

Saudi Arabia

• 13-16 April (Monday-Thursday): Leap Tech Conference, Riyadh Exhibition & Convention Center - Malham.

• 20-22 April (Monday-Wednesday): Sports Investment Forum (SIF), Riyadh

Egypt

• 30 March – 1 April (Monday-Wednesday): Egypt International Energy Conference and Exhibition (EGYPES).

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