Egyptian investor Ahmed Zulficar has announced a new cross-border technology initiative that aims to connect the Gulf’s accelerating innovation landscape with leading Chinese artificial intelligence and smart city ecosystems.
Backed by a Saudi venture capital firm, the partnership seeks to advance next-generation urban technologies, expand data infrastructure, and strengthen digital platforms across both markets.
At the core of the new partnership is the AI and Smart City Integration Program, which will connect engineering and research capabilities in Saudi Arabia and China.
The program focuses on developing predictive analytics tools for city operations, enhancing smart infrastructure, improving AI-enabled public safety and mobility systems, and expanding cloud and edge-computing capacity to support large-scale urban modernisation. The effort aligns closely with Zulficar’s long-standing focus on bridging the gap between design and technology to shape the cities of tomorrow.
“AI is now the backbone of modern economies. This partnership opens a new channel for co-creating capabilities that will shape the next generation of Gulf smart cities and digital services,” said Zulficar in a statement.
Innovation Labs in Riyadh and Shenzhen
The collaboration will also establish Innovation Labs in Riyadh and Shenzhen, giving teams in both hubs a shared platform for prototyping and experimentation, said Zulficar in a statement shared with Egyptian Streets.
The labs will focus on digital twins for urban planning, advanced computer vision tools for infrastructure diagnostics, and AI-driven automation solutions for logistics, manufacturing, and energy. The dual-hub structure is intended to accelerate development cycles and deepen cooperation between both markets.
The initiative includes a joint investment program targeting early-stage, high-growth ventures in AI infrastructure, smart mobility, autonomous systems, green-tech optimisation, and urban cyber-defense technologies. The investment track mirrors Zulficar’s own approach as an angel investor, where he focuses on early-stage founders building scalable, tech-enabled solutions regardless of sector.
Pilot Projects Launching 2026
Pilot projects are expected to begin rolling out in Gulf cities during the coming year, with early implementations focused on traffic AI management, autonomous delivery testing, environmental monitoring dashboards, and energy-efficiency systems for major industrial zones. These pilots aim to demonstrate how coordinated innovation between the Gulf and China can advance digital transformation in real-time urban environments.
As the first pilots move from planning to implementation, the initiative will offer an early test of how Gulf and Chinese tech ecosystems can work together to shape next-generation urban systems.
For Zulficar, whose work spans architecture, digital design, and early-stage venture investment, the partnership represents a natural extension of his belief that cities must be designed and engineered in tandem. If the collaboration delivers on its ambitions, it could mark a significant step in the region’s shift toward smarter, more data-driven urban development.
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