UAE targets ‘hyperscale’ cloud computing

A new cloud business group in Dubai points to growth in the high-tech industry.

The Dubai Chamber plans to form 100 new business groups by March 2023, recently announcing that these groups will Representing the fintech industrycompanies developing renewable energy solutions, medical research companies and cloud computing business groups.

The latter is expected to help drive growth in Dubai and the wider United Arab Emirates (UAE) knowledge economy Because an effective cloud infrastructure is critical to a thriving technology ecosystem.

In fact, proximity to data centers and access to advanced cloud services are now key considerations for modern technology businesses that demand massive computing resources, from fintech to gaming and beyond.

In 2022, the UAE gets its own Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud region and a new Azure availability zone, while in November, Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian revealed to the UAE newspaper the whole country The company is considering opening a data center in the country.

Of course, the broader cloud ecosystem is likely to flourish as so-called “hyperscale” cloud infrastructure providers ramp up support for UAE businesses, as more localized cloud data storage and multi-cloud deployments become possible.

Additionally, initiatives such as the New Business Group are expected to encourage further adoption of the technology by industries that have not yet fully adopted cloud computing.

For example, in a press release announcing the new group, the Dubai Chamber said startups and small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in the UAE are expected to reap a total of $17.1 billion in economic benefits from hyperscale cloud computing by 2030.

Cloud provider doubles down on Middle East coverage

The UAE is not the only Middle Eastern country where vendors are working hard to enhance their offerings as cloud provisioning becomes an increasingly important part of the digital economy.

As PYMNTS reports, the Middle East and Africa represent relatively untapped opportunities against the backdrop of highly competitive and well-served cloud markets in Europe and the US.

related: Tech giants eye untapped cloud opportunity in MEA market

But that is changing rapidly. In the Middle East, cloud infrastructure has so far been concentrated in the UAE and Saudi Arabia. But Amazon, Google, Microsoft and Oracle have all announced their intention to open new regions in Israel, and Microsoft also launched a new Azure region in Qatar last year.

On top of the infrastructure layer provided by global hyperscalers, Middle Eastern players are also building their capabilities to meet the growing demand for managed cloud services.

Last December, UAE-based technology group e& announced it had formed a joint venture with South Korean company Bespin Global, which specializes in public cloud hosting services.

The new company will focus on helping customers in the Middle East, Turkey, Africa and Pakistan (METAP) region build, deploy and manage cloud solutions.It will combine the expertise of the two owner companies to create a “one-stop cloud solution that helps businesses [their] Digital Transformation”, e& Press release Say.

For all PYMNTS EMEA coverage, subscribe to the daily EMEA Communications.

PYMNTS Data: Why Consumers Are Trying Digital Wallets

A PYMNTS study, “New Payment Options: Why Consumers Are Trying Digital Wallets,” found that 52% of U.S. consumers have tried a new payment method in 2022, with many choosing to try digital wallets for the first time.