Initial Funding and Platform Overview
Dubai, UAE – January 28, 2026 – A47, a UAE-based startup, today announced it has successfully raised USD 2 million in pre-seed funding. This investment will accelerate the development of its AI-native news platform, designed to revolutionize how individuals discover, understand, and trust information. Shehab Gargash has joined the company as Chairman and Co-Founder.
At a time of increasing information overload and misinformation, A47’s platform prioritizes clarity, accuracy, and relevance. It aims to deliver structured, fact-checked, and continuously updated intelligence across various domains including business, geopolitics, technology, finance, sports, and culture. The platform is engineered to offer users a reliable signal amidst a noisy information environment.
Innovative Approach to News and Verification
A47’s innovative approach combines autonomous AI agents, real-time data ingestion, multi-model orchestration, and embedded verification systems. These technologies continuously source, analyze, validate, and present information. Built-in fact-checking, source triangulation, and transparency layers are designed to foster trust and significantly reduce the cognitive effort required for users to stay informed. The platform also allows users to tailor topics, depth, formats, and alerts to match their individual consumption preferences, ranging from real-time updates to deep contextual summaries.
Live Pilots and Strategic Vision
The platform is already live with pilot customers, including the region’s largest Fintech Association, MENA Fintech, demonstrating its automated backend and operational reliability. A47’s model not only automates its own content generation but also supports digital publishers and independent creators in producing high-quality, on-brand content more frequently.
Shehab Gargash, Chairman & Co-Founder of A47, emphasized the company’s long-term vision, stating, “This company is being built as a long-term media infrastructure company with the ambition to help shape how verified information is delivered. A47 News aims to work within the noble profession of journalism by leveraging the immense power of technology to improve integrity, efficiency, and trust.”
Ali Rizvi, CEO & Co-Founder of A47 News, added, “We want to be the news infrastructure layer that publishers and creators can trust. We don’t replace editorial judgment. We help teams move faster with verified facts and content that stays on brand.”
Funding Allocation and Future Expansion
The $2 million pre-seed round saw participation from institutional and angel investors. The funding will be primarily utilized for product development and strategic expansion across the Middle East and other international markets.
Editor’s Note — The Startups MENA Team
At Startups MENA, we spotlight the founders and ideas shaping the region’s innovation economy — especially those building for inclusion, resilience, and long-term impact. A47’s work represents a significant step towards a more trustworthy and accessible information landscape in the MENA region.
— The Startups MENA Editorial Team
