Kholoud Hussein 

From manufacturing and healthcare to logistics and smart cities, digital twins are changing how businesses design products, manage operations, and make decisions. For startups, the technology offers opportunities to reduce costs, improve efficiency, and develop new business models.

As businesses increasingly rely on data to improve performance, digital technologies are moving beyond monitoring operations to predicting potential outcomes. One technology gaining momentum is the digital twin, a concept that connects the physical world with virtual environments, enabling organizations to understand, test, and optimize real-world systems.

Although digital twins have gained prominence alongside developments in artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT) and advanced data analytics, their applications are no longer limited to large corporations. They are also creating opportunities for startups to develop innovative solutions and gain a competitive advantage.

What is a digital twin?

A digital twin is a virtual representation of a physical object, system or process that is continuously or periodically updated using data from its real-world counterpart. It can represent anything from an individual machine or vehicle to an entire factory, building, supply chain or urban infrastructure network.

Unlike a static 3D model, a digital twin reflects the actual condition and performance of the physical asset it represents. It uses real-time or regularly collected data to monitor operations, identify problems, simulate different scenarios, and predict potential outcomes.

For example, a manufacturing company could create a digital twin of a production machine. Sensors installed on the equipment collect information about temperature, pressure, vibration and operating speed. This data is transferred to the virtual model, allowing the company to monitor the machine's condition, identify unusual patterns and anticipate potential failures before they disrupt production.

The technology combines connected sensors, data infrastructure, simulation and analytics, often supported by AI and machine learning. This enables businesses to move from reactive management, addressing problems after they occur, towards predictive and proactive decision-making.

Why are digital twins relevant to startups?

For startups, digital twins represent both a technology opportunity and a potential source of operational efficiency.

1. Reducing product development costs

Developing physical prototypes and conducting repeated tests can be expensive, particularly for startups in manufacturing, automotive technology and robotics. Digital twins allow companies to simulate product performance under different conditions before investing in physical production.

A startup developing industrial equipment, for instance, can test how a product responds to different temperatures or operating pressures through a virtual model. This can help identify design weaknesses, reduce testing costs and shorten product development cycles.

2. Improving operational efficiency

Startups operating in manufacturing, logistics and industrial services can use digital twins to monitor equipment, production processes and supply chains.

A small manufacturing business could use the technology to identify production bottlenecks, monitor machinery and anticipate maintenance requirements. Reducing equipment downtime and improving asset utilization can have a direct impact on operating costs, particularly for early-stage companies working with limited resources.

3. Creating new business models

Digital twins also offer commercial opportunities for startups developing technology solutions for other businesses. Companies can build platforms offering predictive maintenance, infrastructure monitoring, asset management and operational simulation.

For example, a startup could develop a digital twin platform for commercial buildings, helping property owners monitor energy consumption, heating and cooling systems, and equipment performance. Such solutions could be offered through subscription-based software or customized services, creating recurring revenue opportunities.

4. Expanding into healthcare and smart cities

The technology is also gaining relevance beyond industrial applications. In healthcare, digital twins can support medical research, hospital operations and the development of more personalized approaches to treatment, subject to appropriate clinical validation and regulatory requirements.

In smart cities, digital twins can model traffic flows, energy consumption, water distribution and infrastructure performance. This creates opportunities for startups developing solutions that help municipalities and infrastructure operators assess the potential impact of projects before implementing them.

What challenges should startups consider?

Despite its potential, adopting digital twin technology requires investment in reliable data, sensors, software infrastructure and specialized expertise. Integrating information from different devices and systems can also be challenging, particularly for startups with limited technical and financial resources.

Cybersecurity and data protection are additional concerns, as digital twins may contain sensitive information about business operations and critical infrastructure. Inaccurate data or unauthorized access could undermine the reliability of these systems.

Consequently, startups do not necessarily need to develop complex digital twins from the outset. Focusing on a specific operational challenge, such as reducing equipment failures or improving energy efficiency, can provide a more practical starting point.

What does the future hold?

As AI, IoT, cloud computing and data analytics continue to advance, digital twins are expected to become increasingly relevant to business operations and product development.

For startups, the opportunity lies not only in developing the technology but also in identifying industries where virtual modeling, monitoring and predictive capabilities can solve existing problems.

Ultimately, the commercial value of digital twins will depend on the quality of their data, the accuracy of their models and their ability to deliver measurable business outcomes. By enabling companies to test decisions virtually before implementing them in the physical world, the technology could become an important driver of innovation, efficiency and growth.

Noha Gad

When a company becomes the target of a hostile takeover, its board has several options for resisting the bid, notably the Pac-Man defense strategy. Through this approach, the target company turns things around by trying to take over the acquirer, in a move to scare off the expected acquirer by buying a majority stake in the other company. The approach can be risky yet necessary for survival for the target company. 

The purpose of the Pac-Man Defense is similar to any other defensive strategy against a hostile takeover: to make a takeover very difficult for the acquiring company, in hopes that it will abandon the attempt.

The term originated from the Pac-Man game, where players must avoid ghosts that are trying to chase and eliminate them. In the game, if Pac-Man consumes a power pellet, the player will be able to turn around and eliminate the ghosts.

In the Pac-Man takeover defense, the target company acquiring or “eating” shares of the acquiring company is analogous to consuming a power pellet. The defensive strategy gives the target company the power to fend off the hostile takeover.

How does the Pac-Man defense strategy work?

Target companies may use this strategy to avoid a hostile takeover by turning the tables on the acquirer and mounting a bid to take over the raider. During the acquiring phase, the acquiring company may begin a large-scale purchase of the target company’s shares to gain control of the company. As a defense-strategy, the target company may buy back its shares and purchase shares of the acquiring company.

The resources needed for the strategy are usually made available through:

• Selling its own assets: The target company can use existing cash or cash equivalent assets to secure enough money to buy large amounts of shares of the acquirer.
• Selling non-core business units:  The company can sell off non-core business units to secure cash.
• Borrowing cash: The company can borrow cash from lenders or by issuing bonds or additional stock shares. The latter method of financing offers the additional benefit of diluting the target company’s outstanding shares, so the acquirer would have to purchase more shares to obtain more than 50% of the total outstanding stock of the target company.
• War chest: A war chest is a cushion of cash stored by the company in the event of adverse events. It typically includes assets that can be easily liquidated to produce cash. Using war chest financing for a Pac-Man defense is vital, as it means the target company is using its excess cash or cash reserves.

Main weaknesses 

Although the Pac-Man defense can be a powerful way for a target company to resist a hostile takeover, it comes with substantial risks, including:

• High financing needs. This strategy is extremely expensive, as it usually includes selling off assets or non-core business units, or increasing the company’s debt to put the strategy into action.
• Shareholder dilution: If the target issues new shares to fund the defense strategy, existing shareholders may own a smaller percentage of the company and see the value of their holdings diluted.
• High transaction costs: Investment-banking fees, legal counsel, financing costs, and potential breakup penalties can consume substantial capital before any shares actually change hands.

These main drawbacks, among others, make the use of the Pac-Man defense rare because it demands exceptional financial strength, fast execution, and a high tolerance for risk. It can deter a hostile bidder, but it may leave the defender overleveraged, diluted, asset-stripped, or distracted.

Ghada Ismail

Imagine running a business without knowing how much you spent last month, which customers still owe you money, or whether your sales are actually covering your expenses? Making sound financial decisions under these circumstances would be difficult, if not impossible. Bookkeeping helps businesses avoid this uncertainty by providing an organized record of their financial activities and giving owners a clearer picture of where their money comes from and where it goes.

Whether a business is a small startup or a large corporation, keeping accurate financial records is essential for managing daily operations and supporting long-term growth.

What Is Bookkeeping?

Bookkeeping is the process of recording, organizing, and maintaining a business's financial transactions. These transactions include sales, purchases, payments, receipts, expenses, and other financial activities.

Its main purpose is to ensure that every financial transaction is documented accurately and systematically. This gives business owners a clear picture of their income and expenses over a specific period.

For example, when a startup purchases office equipment, receives a payment from a customer, or pays its employees, each transaction must be recorded in its financial records. Over time, these records help the business track its cash flow, monitor expenses, and assess its financial performance.

Why Is Bookkeeping Important for Businesses?

Maintaining accurate financial records is not simply an administrative task. It plays an important role in helping businesses operate efficiently and remain financially stable.

One of its main benefits is financial visibility. By tracking income and expenses, business owners can understand how much their companies generate and identify areas where costs could be reduced.

Bookkeeping also supports cash flow management by helping businesses monitor incoming and outgoing payments. This is particularly important for startups and small businesses, which may face financial pressure when customer payments are delayed or operating expenses increase.

Another benefit is tax preparation and compliance. Organized financial records make it easier to calculate taxable income, prepare financial statements, and meet applicable reporting requirements.

Furthermore, reliable bookkeeping helps businesses make informed decisions about budgeting, hiring, expansion, and investment. It also provides investors and lenders with a clearer understanding of a company's financial position.

What Are the Main Bookkeeping Tasks?

Bookkeeping involves several recurring activities that keep a company's financial records accurate and up to date.

These include:

• Recording transactions: Documenting all financial activities, including sales, purchases, payments, and receipts.
• Managing invoices: Tracking invoices issued to customers and payments owed to suppliers.
• Reconciling bank accounts: Comparing financial records with bank statements to identify discrepancies and missing transactions.
• Tracking expenses: Categorizing business spending to monitor operating costs and identify unnecessary expenses.
• Maintaining payroll records: Recording employee salaries, wages, deductions, and related payments.
• Preparing financial reports: Organizing transaction data to support the preparation of reports such as income statements and balance sheets.

Together, these activities provide the financial information needed for effective business management and more detailed accounting analysis.

What Is the Difference Between Bookkeeping and Accounting?

Although bookkeeping and accounting are closely related, they serve different purposes.

Bookkeeping focuses primarily on recording and organizing financial transactions. Accounting takes this information further by analyzing, interpreting, and reporting financial data to evaluate business performance.

For instance, a bookkeeper may record a company's monthly sales and expenses, while an accountant uses those records to prepare financial statements, assess profitability, and provide financial guidance.

In simple terms, bookkeeping creates the financial records, while accounting uses those records to understand what they mean.

Should Businesses Use Bookkeeping Software?

As businesses grow, managing financial transactions manually can become time-consuming and increase the risk of errors. Bookkeeping software offers a more efficient way to organize financial information.

These tools can automate tasks such as recording transactions, generating invoices, tracking expenses, and reconciling bank accounts. Some platforms also provide real-time financial dashboards, allowing business owners to monitor their financial position more easily.

However, choosing between manual bookkeeping, software, or professional bookkeeping services depends on the company's size, transaction volume, and operational needs.

To Wrap Things Up…

Bookkeeping is a basic yet essential part of running a successful business. By maintaining accurate and organized financial records, companies can monitor their financial health, manage cash flow, meet reporting obligations, and make better business decisions.

For startups and established businesses alike, effective bookkeeping provides the financial foundation needed to manage daily operations and support sustainable growth.

Noha Gad

Many investors look for a simple, direct way to grow their money in the long term without spending a long time finding individual companies or trying to predict market changes. This is the reason why some investors choose passive investing, a long-term, buy-and-hold investing approach that focuses on a wide selection of investments and holding them over time, rather than trying to outperform the market through frequent trading. What makes this approach appealing to new and seasoned investors is that it offers diversification, simplicity, and potentially lower costs.

Many passive investors use investments like index funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) designed to track a market benchmark's performance. Compared to active investing, passive investing is typically lower cost, requires less day-to-day management, and is often used by investors focused on long-term growth.

How does the passive investing strategy work?

As a long-term strategy, passive investing focuses on buying and holding investments over a long time. Its goal is to build wealth gradually over time by buying and holding a diverse investment portfolio. Instead of frequently buying and selling investments to try to beat the market, passive investors buy and hold an investment portfolio that may steadily increase in value over time, based on historical market returns.

Index investing is the most common type of passive investing, often through index funds and ETFs. In this approach, investors invest in a portfolio of stocks, bonds, or other assets that mirrors a specific market index.

Passive vs. active investing

Passive and active investing are two different ways of managing investment portfolios. Both are different from each other in:

• Goal. Passive investing aims to match the market index’s performance, while active investing aims to outperform it through investment choices made by a fund manager.
• The way investments are selected. Passive investors usually buy index funds or ETFs that track a broad group of securities, while active investors choose individual securities and decide when to buy or sell them, based on research and market analysis.
• Costs. Passive funds usually have lower management costs because managers do not need to select individual securities or rely as heavily on research teams. In contrast, active funds have higher costs because of research, analysis, and more frequent trading.
• Flexibility. Passive funds have limited flexibility because they generally continue to follow the securities and weights of their index, while Active funds are more flexible as they reduce exposure to certain securities or sectors.
• Performance. Passive investing aims to earn returns close to the overall market return, while active investing targets returns higher than the market.
•  Risks. Passive funds can lose value when the market or asset class they track declines, while active funds may underperform their benchmark if the manager’s investment decisions do not produce the expected results.

Passive investing offers several advantages for long-term investors, but it also has limitations that investors should understand before choosing this approach. 

Pros

• Requiring lower costs to manage, as managers do not need to select individual securities or rely as heavily on research analysts.
• Offering a clear and transparent view of which assets are in an index fund
• Giving investors access to many securities in one investment, thereby reducing the impact of poor performance by a single company.
• Supporting long-term investments, as passive funds generally buy and sell securities less often.
• Offering a clear investment objective, as they are designed to track a specific market index.

Cons

• Losing value when the securities in the index they track decline in value.
• Limited ability to react to price declines in the securities it holds because it generally continues to follow the index.
• Passive funds may have lower earnings than the index they follow.
• Passive funds are not expected to outperform the market they track.
• Although passive funds have lower costs, investors should compare fees because some index funds may be more expensive than actively managed funds.

Finally, passive investing is a long-term strategy that helps investors build a diversified portfolio through index funds and ETFs rather than trying to select individual securities or time the market. However, they are not risk-free. Investors may still experience losses when the market or asset class they track declines, and fund returns may differ from the index because of fees, trading costs, and tracking error. Thus, investors should compare fund fees, understand the risks of the index they are investing in, and choose investments that match their financial goals and time horizon.

Ghada Ismail

As artificial intelligence continues to reshape education, edtech startups are exploring new ways to personalize learning, improve student performance, and support teachers with data-driven insights. AILA is among the companies working to transform the learning experience through AI-powered solutions tailored to students’ individual needs and the Saudi education system. In this interview with Sharikat Mubasher, AILA discusses its approach to personalized learning, the challenges of developing effective AI-driven educational tools, and the opportunities for edtech startups as Saudi Arabia advances its education and digital transformation goals.

AILA has recently secured a $3 million funding round. What does this investment enable the company to do that it could not do before?

Our earlier funding helped us build the product and reach product-market fit. We now have schools using AILA every day and results we can stand behind. This round is about scaling what already works. 

First, it lets us go deeper on our adaptive engine and our research. We want to keep proving, with rigorous evidence, that AILA improves how students learn, building on the work we have done with King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals. 

Second, it lets us scale our commercial and customer success teams so we can serve many more schools across the Kingdom, and support each one properly after launch. 

Third, it lets us expand beyond the Saudi curriculum. Today we are strongest around Qudurat, Tahsili and NAFES. By adding other curricula, we can take the same engine to new markets and serve many more students. 

Do you expect this round to take AILA to profitability, or is the priority still aggressive growth and market expansion? 

Our priority is growth, but disciplined growth. We have built a business with strong fundamentals, and our product runs at a gross margin of around 67%, which gives us a lot of room to grow efficiently. 

Reaching profitability is a clear goal for this round. We want to scale to more schools and new markets while becoming profitable, so that we go into our Series A from a position of strength. We are not buying growth at any cost. Every school we sign needs to make sense on its own. 

AILA describes its approach as personalized, AI-powered learning. What makes your personalization technology different from the growing number of AI tutoring and edtech platforms entering the market? 

Many new AI platforms are essentially content generators: you ask a question, you get an answer. That is useful, but it is not the same as teaching. AILA is built around diagnosis. We work out exactly where each student is, what they have mastered and what is holding them back, and then we guide them on the shortest path to improvement. 

Three things set us apart. First, we are built for the Saudi context, mapped to national learning outcomes and assessments such as Qudurat, Tahsili and NAFES, and available in both Arabic and English. Second, we work inside schools, so the insight does not stay with the student. Teachers, administrators and principals see the same picture and can act on it. Third, we measure results. Our benchmark shows students learning about 2.3 times more efficiently, and our pilot results have been validated through a research partnership with King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals. 

How does AILA use student data and learning behavior to determine what a student should learn next? 

Every interaction on the platform tells us something: whether the answer was right, how long it took, how many attempts were needed, and what kind of mistake was made. We map all of that to a structure of skills and learning outcomes, so we can estimate each student's level of mastery skill by skill. 

From there, the engine decides what comes next. It looks at the gaps that matter most, the prerequisite skills that need to be secured first, and how heavily each skill counts in the assessment the student is preparing for. It also brings back earlier material at the right moment, so learning sticks rather than fading. 

The same data flows to teachers and school leaders as clear, actionable reports, so they know which students need help and on what. 

What are the biggest technical challenges in building AI systems that can genuinely improve learning outcomes rather than simply generate educational content? 

The hardest part is measuring learning rather than activity. It is easy to build something students click on a lot. It is much harder to prove they actually know more afterwards. That is why we invest in validation and research, not just in features. 

The second challenge is quality and alignment. Content must be accurate, pedagogically sound and aligned with the Saudi curriculum, in both Arabic and English. Generative AI can produce a lot very quickly, but in education a confident wrong answer does real damage, so we keep strong quality control around everything the system shows a student. 

The third is getting the recommendation right from limited data, especially when a student is new to the platform, and keeping it right as they progress. 

And finally, the system has to fit how schools actually work. AI does not replace the teacher. It has to give teachers and school leaders insight they can act on in the time they have. 

What gaps in the Saudi education system did you identify when you first built AILA, and how have those needs evolved since the company launched? 

When we started, the biggest gap was that one classroom holds students at very different levels, yet they are largely taught the same way at the same pace. Teachers knew some students were falling behind, but they did not have the time or the granular data to know exactly why. At the same time, national assessments carry high stakes for students, and much of the targeted preparation was happening outside school. 

We built AILA to bring that personalized, data-driven support inside the school, where every student can access it. 

At the same time, AI itself has advanced enormously since we launched. Models today understand language, reasoning and student errors far better than they did a few years ago, in Arabic as well as English. That has let us do much more than we originally planned: sharper diagnosis, richer and more personal feedback, and a far better experience for students and teachers. Our offering today is stronger than what we could have built at the start. 

The need has also matured. Schools are no longer only asking how to prepare students for an exam. They want continuous visibility on learning outcomes across the year, aligned with national standards, so leaders can make decisions based on evidence. That shift, driven by Vision 2030 and the Human Capability Development Program, has shaped how our platform has grown. 

Saudi Arabia is investing heavily in education technology as part of its broader digital transformation. Where do you see the biggest untapped opportunities for Saudi edtech startups? 

I see three big opportunities. The first is assessment and learning analytics. The Kingdom has clear national learning outcomes, and there is huge value in tools that show schools, in real time, where students stand against them. 

The second is scale in the public sector. Private schools have moved fast, but the largest impact will come from solutions that work reliably across government schools, at national scale. 

The third is high-quality AI built for our own context. Global tools are not designed around Saudi curricula, assessments, and classroom realities. Startups that build for this market from the ground up, in both Arabic and English, have a real advantage. 

More broadly, anything that connects learning in school to what comes next, university and the job market, is still underserved. 

Looking three years ahead, what would success look like for AILA in terms of users, markets, and impact? 

Today we work with around 100 schools and roughly 65,000 students. In three years, success means having a proven adaptive engine, backed by published research, used by 300,000 students. 

On markets, Saudi Arabia will remain our home and our largest market, and we plan to extend across the GCC and the wider MENA region, supported by the new curricula we are adding. 

But the number that matters most is impact. We want to show, with independent evidence, that students on AILA achieve measurably better learning outcomes, and that schools using AILA make better decisions because of the data we give them. If we can prove that at scale, the growth will follow. 

Noha Gad 

Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a tool for improving products and services; it has become a strategic asset that shapes economic competitiveness, national security, and digital independence. As governments and enterprises increasingly rely on AI for critical decision-making, questions are emerging about who controls the data, infrastructure, models, and rules behind these systems.

As AI deployment is accelerating worldwide, countries have concerns about their ability to build and run AI systems independently without the need for foreign technology providers, while maintaining the highest levels of security and privacy with regard to data, technology infrastructure, operations, and legal structures. This has brought sovereign AI to the center of global technology and policy debates.

What is meant by sovereign AI?

Sovereign AI refers to AI systems developed, deployed, and governed within a nation's legal and operational boundaries to ensure data and jurisdictional control. It helps governments and organizations address issues related to control, governance, and dependence. 

The difference between sovereign AI and global AI models lies in where the data resides and who holds the legal authority over the system. For Jurisdictional control, sovereign AI ensures that all data and operations remain under the legal authority of a specific country or region, perhaps within a sovereign cloud. Meanwhile, global AI models often operate on international cloud platforms where data may move across borders 

For data movement and privacy, sovereign AI restricts data movement, ensuring that sensitive information never leaves the local jurisdiction, unlike global AI models that use users' data to improve a centralized, multi-tenant model governed by a provider’s terms of service.

For alignment and autonomy, sovereign AI helps create models that are natively aligned with local dialects, legal codes, and social norms. In contrast, global models may reflect the cultural or linguistic biases of the region where they were developed. 

Types of sovereign AI deployment models

Sovereign AI is not a single architecture, but rather a spectrum of control based on data sensitivity, regulatory requirements, cost, scalability, and the need for operational control.

• Full sovereignty: This model hosts data, models, infrastructure, and personnel all within national borders, utilizing a domestic supply chain for hardware and software wherever possible.
• Hybrid sovereignty: Sensitive workloads remain on domestic, sovereign infrastructure, while non-sensitive tasks are offloaded to global platforms to take advantage of scale.
• Regional or bloc sovereignty: Sovereignty is defined at the level of a political alliance, such as the European Union, allowing for cross-border data flows within the member states while preserving regional legal control.
• Sector-specific sovereignty: Sovereignty requirements are applied only to critical industries like defense, healthcare, or finance, while other sectors continue to use global AI services.

Pros and Cons

Implementing a sovereign AI strategy provides the regulatory assurance and strategic control necessary for high-stakes environments. Other advantages include:

• Enhanced regulatory compliance: Systems adhere to national data protection laws from the point of deployment, reducing the risk of legal penalties.
• Greater data control: Sensitive government, financial, healthcare, and business data remain under local jurisdiction, with clear rules for storage, access, processing, and deletion.
• Data and intellectual property protection: Sensitive data and proprietary models are stored in isolated, controlled environments to prevent data leaks and model theft.
• Operational resilience: Local, hybrid, or disconnected deployment can reduce reliance on a single external provider and support continuity for critical services.
• Operational continuity: Localized infrastructure ensures that critical national and corporate services remain online regardless of international geopolitical events or trade restrictions.

Building and operating sovereign AI capabilities also involves high costs, talent constraints, and continued dependence on global supply chains. Key disadvantages are:

• High infrastructure and legal costs: Building local compute clusters and navigating complex, often conflicting regional regulations requires massive upfront capital investment.
• Talent shortage: There is a global shortage of AI engineers, data scientists, cybersecurity specialists, and infrastructure professionals required to build and maintain complex sovereign environments.
• Hardware dependence: Even with local infrastructure, many countries remain dependent on global supply chains for advanced chips, GPUs, and specialized components.
• Data lineage and provenance: Maintaining a verifiable, auditable record of where training data originated is essential for proving compliance with local privacy and copyright laws.

Noha Gad

AI adoption is accelerating rapidly across Saudi Arabia, driven by Vision 2030’s ambitions and supported by significant national investment and strong executive commitment. As organizations move from pilots toward enterprise-wide deployment, attention is turning to whether the operational foundations are in place to deliver results at scale.

As the global process context platform for enterprise AI deployment, ARIS works with organizations across Saudi Arabia and the broader Middle East to build the process context and governance that AI success depends on. 

Sharikat Mubasher held an interview with Ayham Alzaaim, senior vice president for Asia Pacific and Middle East at ARIS, on the sidelines of LEAP 2026 to learn more about how the company helps organizations deploy AI responsibly at scale.

In this interview, Alzaaim discussed the importance of process context in achieving progress, how organizations can move from traditional process management to real-time operational intelligence, the common pitfalls they face when scaling AI and automation, and why execution discipline will define AI leadership in the Kingdom and beyond.

ARIS believes that progress starts with process. In practical terms, how does process context directly translate into operational resilience and productivity gains for organizations?

Process context gives organisations a clear, trusted picture of how their operations actually work - who owns what, how decisions are made, where risks exist, and where inefficiencies are hiding. That visibility is the foundation of resilience. You cannot protect what you cannot see, and you cannot improve what you have not measured.

In practical terms, organisations that have built strong process context are able to respond to disruption faster, identify bottlenecks before they become crises, and deploy technology, including AI, with far greater confidence. The productivity gains come not from adding more tools but from finally understanding the operations those tools are meant to serve. For organisations across the Kingdom, that understanding is what turns Vision 2030's digital ambitions into measurable day-to-day outcomes.

Based on your experience across the Middle East, what does the journey from traditional process management to real-time operational intelligence look like for leading organizations—and what can the GCC learn from it?

The journey has three distinct stages. First, organisations map and govern their processes, creating a single trusted view of how the business actually operates. Second, they connect that foundation to real execution data so they can see how work flows in real time, not just how it was designed to flow. Third, they use that dynamic intelligence to drive continuous improvement and, increasingly, to deploy AI agents on a governed foundation.

What the GCC can take from leading organisations globally is that the sequence matters enormously. The organisations that try to skip to the third stage without completing the first two are the ones struggling to show AI returns. Those that invest in the foundation first move faster, govern better, and scale with confidence.

AI adoption is accelerating rapidly across the Middle East. What are the most common pitfalls organizations across the region face when attempting to scale AI and automation, and how can they avoid them?

The most common pitfall is deploying AI before the operational foundation is ready. Organisations invest in the technology, run a successful pilot, and then find that when they try to scale it across the enterprise, it breaks down. The reason is almost always the same: the AI does not have the process context it needs to operate reliably in a complex, live environment.

The way to avoid it is to treat process context as a prerequisite, not an afterthought. Before deploying AI at scale, organisations need to know how their processes actually work, who owns them, what rules govern them, and how performance is measured. When that foundation is in place, AI can be deployed with confidence and scaled without losing control. That is the execution discipline Vision 2030 demands, and the organisations that build it now will be the ones defining AI leadership in the Kingdom

LEAP 2026 is one of the region’s most significant technology platforms. From your perspective, what role do events like LEAP play in accelerating digital transformation across Saudi Arabia and the broader Middle East?

LEAP brings together government decision-makers, enterprise leaders, technology innovators, and investors under one roof in the heart of the Kingdom. That convergence accelerates transformation in ways that individual conversations cannot.

For ARIS, LEAP is where we have some of our most important conversations with organisations across the region. It is where strategy becomes concrete, where leaders who are thinking about AI transformation move into planning and action. The energy and ambition in the room reflect exactly where Saudi Arabia and the broader GCC are in their transformation journey right now.

Saudi Vision 2030 aims to position the Kingdom as a global AI hub. What is driving that momentum, and what should organizations across the Kingdom prioritize to accelerate that vision?

What is driving it is a combination of factors that very few countries can bring together simultaneously: clear national direction, significant investment, world-class infrastructure, and genuine executive decisiveness at both government and enterprise levels. Saudi Arabia is not just talking about AI leadership; it is building for it.

What organisations should prioritise now is execution discipline. The investment and the ambition are both firmly in place. The next phase is to ensure AI initiatives deliver measurable outcomes rather than impressive announcements. That means building the operational and governance foundations that allow AI to be deployed at scale, responsibly, and with control. Organisations that get that right now will not just contribute to Vision 2030; they will help define what AI leadership looks like globally.

Noha Gad

Every product starts as an idea, but turning that idea into a profitable, sustainable offering requires far more than good design or effective marketing. Companies must coordinate research and development (R&D), manufacturing, supply chains, quality control, sales, customer support, and eventual retirement, often across multiple teams, markets, and systems. When this coordination breaks down, it can lead to delayed launches, inconsistent product information, rising costs, compliance risks, and lost customer trust.

This is where Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) becomes essential. PLM is a strategic business approach that manages a product throughout its entire life, from the initial concept and design stages through production, launch, growth, service, and end-of-life. Rather than treating each stage as a separate task handled by a different department, PLM creates a connected framework for managing product data, processes, decisions, and collaboration across the organization.

This approach is not important only for large manufacturers; it is also pivotal to consumer brands, technology companies, industrial firms, and even digital-first businesses that heavily rely on lifecycle management to bring products to market faster, maintain quality, control costs, and respond to changing customer expectations. 

Why does product lifecycle management matter?

At the core of PLM is the end-to-end integration of product data, processes, and systems along the entire value chain. Implementing PLM consistently can shorten decision paths, reduce errors cost, and bring innovations to market faster and more reliably. Increasing product complexity, shorter innovation cycles, and globally distributed value chains make structured PLM a decisive competitive factor that allows companies to manage product processes across departmental and site boundaries, while meeting regulatory, environmental, and economic requirements.

An integrated PLM approach creates the necessary transparency: development, production, quality assurance, sales, and aftersales all work from a shared data foundation. Therefore, decisions become faster, better informed, and more traceable. Also, a consistent, quality-assured product data landscape is a prerequisite for modern technologies such as AI, machine learning, and automation to deliver their full potential.

PLM approach also helps organizations keep up with the evolving complexity and engineering challenges of developing new products. It is one of the four cornerstones of a manufacturing corporation's information technology structure, alongside customer relationship management (CRM), supply chain management (SCM), and enterprise resource planning (ERP). 

For marketing, determining a product’s lifecycle stage guides the team’s strategy. For instance, a new product in the introduction stage needs to be explained, while a mature product needs to be differentiated.

Stages of PLM

PLM follows a structured sequence of phases that guide a product from its earliest idea to its eventual withdrawal from the market. Most PLM frameworks include the following core stages: 

• Concept stage. The concept stage involves initial ideas and planning for a new product, and includes market research, identifying customer needs, and determining the feasibility of the product. Often led by the R&D department, this stage kicks off the product lifecycle, as it is where the ideas are generated.
• Design stage. In this stage, the product is planned, developed, and tested. It involves creating product prototypes, refining the design, and ensuring that it meets all regulatory and safety requirements. 
• Production stage. This stage starts when the company feels confident in the new product and feels there is a market for it. This stage involves manufacturing the product, including sourcing raw materials, assembling components, and testing the final product. At this point, the company should have a fully completed product and should not be continually tweaking the design.
• Sales stage. After the product is made, it moves to the sales stage that involves promoting and selling the product to customers. This includes advertising, sales promotions, and pricing strategies. In many cases, the sales stage and production stage occur concurrently, as a company must try to forecast how many sales will occur.
• Support stage. The support stage involves providing ongoing support to customers after they have purchased the product. This includes customer service, warranties, and repairs. It may also include ongoing training or services provided to new owners to enhance user experience.
• Retirement Stage. Whether competitors have delivered a better product or the product is simply no longer demanded by the market, the product lifecycle ends with the retirement stage. This stage involves the end-of-life of the product, including disposal, recycling, or repurposing of the product.

Finally, product lifecycle management plays a pivotal role in providing companies with a structured approach to manage products from initial idea through design, production, sales, customer support, and retirement. By connecting teams, standardizing product data, and improving collaboration across the value chain, PLM helps businesses launch products faster, reduce errors and costs, maintain quality, and respond more effectively to market changes.

Ghada Ismail

As artificial intelligence reshapes the business landscape, founders are rethinking how they scale their companies, improve efficiency, and respond to market uncertainty. In an interview with Sharikat Mubasher, Benjamin Owen, Business Coach, discusses how AI is creating new opportunities for entrepreneurs, what distinguishes founders in the GCC from those in other markets, and why building a self-managing company requires more than technological innovation. He also shares his views on leadership, talent, and the qualities that will define successful businesses over the next five years.

How has the current business environment changed the way founders think about growth?

Current technological shifts have empowered business owners to do more with less. A true 10x transformation in a business can only be achieved through technological innovation or by creating a new world for customers. AI has given founders the power to do both.

Founders now have more opportunities to do less while achieving better results, thanks to AI, disruptive technology, and, somewhat unfortunately, geopolitical disruption. Sometimes, a scaling company needs to disrupt its own established ways of working; other times, change is forced upon it by the economy. My opinion is that founders need to disrupt themselves before the market does.

Has the AI boom created too many startups chasing the same opportunity?

In my opinion, there is plenty of room for competition in any market. Founders can choose which part of the market they want to serve and become a leader in. The surge in AI startups is simply a signal that plenty of opportunities are available. The technology is advancing so quickly that many of the ideas, products, and services being created today will become obsolete or significantly better within a matter of months.

Are AI startups solving real problems or simply adding AI to existing products?

I believe AI startups are both solving problems and adding AI to existing products. Integrating AI into certain existing products can solve significant problems and create tremendous value for many people.

One of the partners in my mastermind group has an app called Talktokaya, which provides a safe space for people to talk to a virtual companion when they feel lonely. It is exceptional and is genuinely helping people who have nobody to turn to in moments of need. It is a transformational AI companion.

What stands out to you about GCC founders compared with founders in other markets?

What stands out about GCC founders is their strong abundance and growth mindset. Perhaps I can explain this by contrasting it with the UK, where I began my business journey. There, it sometimes felt as though the more successful I became, the heavier the burden I carried because of the taxation system.

Another sentiment my clients report is the desire here to see one another succeed. This is a stark contrast to the experience in some other countries.

What role can AI play in helping companies in the GCC region scale faster?

The GCC is one of the fastest-evolving regions in the world, and AI gives founders access to significant leverage, data, and resources. It can also make testing ideas and exploring different approaches much easier.

I am a strong advocate of the idea that the founders who win are those who test and iterate the fastest. AI is perhaps the most effective tool for this process.

How can founders build companies that operate without them?

Building a self-managing company is really about operationalizing an 80/20 cycle in your business. This means finding the right people, processes, and platforms to execute the work, allowing you to elevate yourself out of the day-to-day running of the business.

It is also essential to start with the end in mind. Many founders build themselves into their company's processes. They become the key decision-makers, hold on to roles and tasks for too long, and prioritize work over leverage.

Building a self-managing company is not just about creating a leveraged model. It is also about having a sufficiently ambitious goal to attract individuals with the highest level of talent, who can drive the business beyond the founder's own capabilities.

What mistakes do companies make when responding to times of uncertainty?

There is a distinction I work on with my clients that I consider fundamental to coaching: the difference between being a victim and being an owner.

A victim sees themselves as subject to circumstances and reacts to what is happening. An owner takes responsibility for their state of mind and chooses how to respond to a situation.

I believe the mistake people in companies make during uncertain times is becoming reactive or allowing themselves to become victims of uncertainty.

Leaders can also fall into the "when-then" paradox, waiting for circumstances to change before taking action.

What do you think the strongest companies will look like five years from now?

Five years from now, the strongest companies will be those with goals that attract the best talent, cultures built around a strong sense of purpose, and the ability to create a new world for their customers.

I believe the defining trait of the strongest companies will be their ability to achieve outsized results with small teams. They will have leveraged technological innovation so effectively that they can make a disproportionate impact relative to their size.

Ghada Ismail

When a company decides to enter a new market or expand its operations, one of the first questions it faces is whether to build from scratch or invest in an existing business or facility. This decision often comes down to two approaches: greenfield investment and brownfield investment.

Both strategies can help companies expand their presence, reach new customers, and increase their market share. However, they differ in how businesses establish operations, how much control they retain, and the costs and risks they take on.

Understanding these differences can help investors choose the approach that best fits their growth plans.

What Is Greenfield Investment?

Greenfield investment occurs when a company establishes a new operation from the ground up in a foreign or domestic market. Instead of purchasing an existing facility or business, the investor develops the project from scratch, which may include acquiring land, constructing buildings, installing equipment, and hiring employees.

One of the main advantages of this approach is control. Investors can design facilities, choose technologies, establish company culture, and structure operations according to their specific requirements.

Greenfield projects can also introduce new technology, create jobs, and support the development of local industries.

However, starting from scratch can be expensive and time-consuming. Investors may need to navigate licensing requirements, secure land, build infrastructure, and establish relationships with suppliers and customers before generating revenue. These challenges can become more significant when entering an unfamiliar market.

What Is Brownfield Investment?

Brownfield investment involves investing in an existing facility, business, or industrial site to expand operations or develop new activities. Depending on the project, investors may renovate an existing property, upgrade production equipment, acquire an operating company, or repurpose an underused industrial site.

This approach can offer a faster route into a market because essential infrastructure may already be available. Existing facilities may have access to utilities, transport networks, suppliers, and an established workforce.

Acquiring an operating business can also provide an existing customer base and established market relationships.

Nevertheless, brownfield investments come with their own challenges. Older facilities may require costly upgrades, while existing businesses can have operational inefficiencies or outdated technology. Investors may also face difficulties integrating employees, systems, and corporate cultures after an acquisition.

Greenfield vs. Brownfield Investment: Key Differences

The main difference lies in how the investment is established.

Initial costs: Greenfield projects typically require substantial upfront spending on land, construction, equipment, and staffing. Brownfield investments may reduce infrastructure costs, although acquisition prices and renovation expenses can be significant.

Time to market: Greenfield investments usually take longer because operations must be developed from the beginning. Brownfield projects can begin operating sooner when the existing infrastructure is suitable.

Control and flexibility: Greenfield investors have greater freedom to design operations and introduce new systems. Brownfield investors may need to adapt existing facilities, processes, or organizational structures.

Risk profile: Greenfield investments carry construction, permitting, and market-entry risks. Brownfield investments involve risks related to existing assets, legacy systems, environmental conditions, and potential hidden liabilities.

Local presence: Greenfield investors build their workforce and business relationships over time. Brownfield investors may benefit from established employees, suppliers, and customers.

Neither strategy is automatically cheaper or safer. The outcome depends on the market, the condition of available assets, and the investor's objectives.

Which Investment Strategy Should Companies Choose?

The right choice depends on what a company wants to achieve.

Greenfield investment may be more suitable for businesses that need specialized facilities, advanced technology, or complete control over their operations. It can also make sense when suitable existing assets are unavailable.

Brownfield investment may appeal to companies seeking faster market entry, existing infrastructure, or an established customer base. It can be particularly attractive when a business can improve an underperforming operation or modernize an outdated facility.

To Wrap Things Up…

Greenfield and brownfield investments offer different routes to business expansion. Greenfield projects provide greater flexibility and control but generally require more time and upfront investment. Brownfield projects can accelerate market entry by building on existing assets, although they may involve costly upgrades and inherited risks.

Ultimately, investors should evaluate total costs, expected returns, operational requirements, and market conditions before committing to either approach. The goal is not simply to build something new or acquire something existing, but to choose the investment structure that offers the strongest long-term value.

Noha Gad

When a company aspires to expand, acquire another business, or finance a major strategic project, traditional sources of funding may not provide the full amount required. Senior lenders may be unwilling to increase their exposure, particularly when the company already has significant debt or lacks sufficient collateral. At the same time, raising additional equity can reduce existing shareholders’ ownership and influence over the business.

Mezzanine financing addresses this gap, as it consists of a hybrid form of capital that combines features of debt and equity and occupies an intermediate position in a company’s capital structure. Companies often use this financing to obtain additional capital beyond the amount available from senior lenders, while limiting the need for a substantial equity raise.

What Is mezzanine financing?

Mezzanine financing represents a strategic financial tool that bridges the gap between senior debt and equity. This hybrid form of financing enables lenders to convert debt into equity, fostering flexibility and higher returns. Frequently employed in acquisitions and company expansions, mezzanine financing captures both opportunity and risk, offering companies crucial capital for growth. Although it is considered one of the highest-risk forms of debt, mezzanine financing offers some of the highest returns in debt investments.

Companies may choose mezzanine financing to fund specific growth projects or acquisitions with short- to medium-term time horizons. Often, these loans will be funded by the company’s long-term investors and existing funders of the company’s capital.

Main forms of mezzanine financing

Mezzanine financing is not a single standardized product. It can be structured in several ways, depending on the company’s financing needs, repayment capacity, capital structure, and the investor’s return requirements. The most common forms include:

• Subordinated debt. This form is a loan that ranks below senior debt in the repayment hierarchy but above equity. If the company defaults or enters liquidation, senior lenders are paid first, while subordinated lenders are repaid only after those obligations have been satisfied.
• Second-lien financing. It is secured by the same assets that support a senior lender’s first lien, but the mezzanine lender has a lower priority claim over those assets. If the borrower defaults, the first-lien lender generally has priority in enforcing its security and recovering the outstanding debt.
• Preferred equity. Preferred equity is legally a form of ownership, but it has features that make it resemble debt or other types of mezzanine capital. Preferred shareholders typically receive priority over common shareholders when dividends are paid, or assets are distributed during a liquidation.

Mezzanine financing provides companies with additional capital and more flexibility than traditional senior debt. Its characteristics make it useful for established businesses pursuing acquisitions, expansion projects, recapitalization, or ownership transitions. Key advantages are:

• Providing access to additional capital by filling the gap between the amount of senior debt a company can obtain and the total capital it needs.
• Helping existing owners retain a larger share of the business than they might retain after a conventional equity raise.
• Offering more flexible repayment structures than conventional bank debt.
• Supporting companies in completing transactions that require more funding than senior debt alone can provide.
• Offering lower cost than pure equity, particularly when the potential cost of giving up a large share of the company’s future value is considered.

Although mezzanine financing can provide flexible capital with less immediate ownership dilution than equity finance, it also exposes the company to higher costs, repayment pressure, and contractual restrictions. These disadvantages mean that it is generally suited to established businesses with predictable cash flows rather than to companies with unstable or insufficient earnings. 

Finally, mezzanine financing is a flexible hybrid capital that can help companies bridge the gap between senior debt and equity. By combining debt-like features with equity-linked characteristics, it enables established businesses to secure additional funding for acquisitions, expansion, recapitalization, and other strategic initiatives while potentially limiting immediate ownership dilution. However, it is generally more expensive than senior debt, may involve equity dilution through conversion rights or warrants, and can put significant pressure on a company’s cash flow because of interest payments and repayment obligations. 

Ghada Ismail

When a company wants to grow, buying another business can sometimes be easier than building something from scratch. Instead of spending years developing a new product, entering a new market, or hiring a specialized team, a company can acquire a smaller business that already has what it needs.

This is the idea behind a bolt-on acquisition.

A bolt-on acquisition is when an established company buys a smaller business and adds it to its existing operations. The acquired company usually brings something specific to the table, such as new technology, customers, talent, products, or access to a particular market.

The focus is not necessarily on changing the entire business. It is about adding another useful piece to what is already there.

How does a bolt-on acquisition work?

It usually starts with a company identifying an area where it wants to grow.

Take a software company that has a large customer base but does not offer cybersecurity services. Rather than spending years developing those services internally, it could acquire a smaller cybersecurity company that already has the technology, employees, and customers.

The buyer can then add those capabilities to its existing business.

The acquired company may keep its own name and management team, or it may be fully integrated into the larger company. That depends on the businesses involved and what the buyer believes will work best.

What matters is that the acquisition fills a specific gap or creates an opportunity for further growth.

Why do companies choose bolt-on acquisitions?

Speed is one of the biggest reasons. Building a new product or entering a new market takes time. Companies need to hire people, develop products, find customers, and build relationships. Buying an established business can shorten that process considerably.

Bolt-ons can also give companies access to new markets. A business looking to expand into another country, for example, could acquire a local company that already understands the market and has an established customer base.

Technology and talent are another major attraction. In areas such as artificial intelligence, fintech, and software, smaller companies often develop highly specialized products or expertise that larger businesses may want to bring in quickly.

There can also be financial benefits. Once the businesses are combined, the buyer may be able to share infrastructure, eliminate overlapping costs, and introduce the acquired company's products to a much larger customer base.

How is it different from a major acquisition?

Not every acquisition is a bolt-on.

A large or transformational acquisition can significantly change the direction of a company. It could involve buying a major competitor, entering a completely new industry, or acquiring a business that becomes a central part of the company's future.

A bolt-on is usually more focused.

The buyer already has an established business and is looking for smaller companies that can strengthen it in specific areas. In simple terms, it is less about rebuilding the business and more about adding to it.

That can make bolt-ons easier to manage than very large deals, although integration still requires careful planning.

What is the challenging part here?

Smaller acquisitions are not automatically easy acquisitions.

One of the biggest challenges is making the two businesses work together. Different company cultures, technology systems, and ways of working can create problems if they are not handled properly.

There is also the question of price. A company may look like a perfect fit, but if the buyer pays too much, the deal may not generate the expected returns.

Then there are the promised synergies. Buyers often expect an acquisition to increase sales or reduce costs, but those benefits do not happen automatically. They need to be planned and executed.

To Wrap Things Up…

For companies with ambitious growth plans, bolt-on acquisitions can offer a practical way to expand without making one huge bet. Instead of spending a large amount on a single transformational deal, a company can make several smaller acquisitions over time. Each one can add something different, whether that is technology, customers, talent or geographic reach.

This approach is particularly common among private equity-backed companies. An investor may acquire a larger “platform” business and then use a series of bolt-on acquisitions to expand it.

Ultimately, a successful bolt-on acquisition comes down to one simple question: Does the smaller company add something the buyer genuinely needs?

If the answer is yes, and the two businesses can work well together, a bolt-on can be a relatively straightforward way to accelerate growth without starting from zero.