AI Startup 1001 Raises $30 Million to Expand Sovereign AI Platform Across the GCC

AI company 1001 has raised $30 million in a Series A round to scale its sovereign artificial intelligence platform across the GCC, the startup announced. The investment round was led by Lux Capital and included participation from PIF-owned Sanabil Investments, Hanabi and 9Yards, while existing backers such as General Catalyst, CIV and Stanford AI researcher Chris Ré also increased their commitments. Founded in 2025 and based in the GCC and London, 1001 builds AI operating systems for critical infrastructure sectors including energy, ports, aviation, logistics, manufacturing and industrial operations.

“The GCC operates some of the world’s most important infrastructure. Organisations here are looking for AI systems they can trust to support real-time decisions while keeping control of their operations,” said Bilal Abu-Ghazaleh, Founder and CEO of 1001.

What the funding will support

1001 said the new capital will be used to strengthen its engineering team, expand sales and marketing functions, and deepen its footprint across key GCC markets. The startup positions its platform as a locally built, owned and governed AI layer that creates a digital model of an organisation’s operations by connecting assets, processes and systems. According to the company, this model can identify potential issues before they occur and either recommend or automatically execute the best course of action — capabilities aimed at sectors where reliable, low-latency decisions are essential.

Deena Shakir, Partner at Lux Capital, framed the investment as backing a regional approach to critical-infrastructure AI: “They are showing that AI for critical infrastructure can be developed,managed and governed locally rather than relying on technology built elsewhere,” she said.

Market positioning and capabilities

1001 targets industries with stringent operational and security requirements. By keeping systems “built, owned and governed locally,” the startup argues organisations can maintain full control of sensitive operations while leveraging AI to improve decision-making and operational efficiency. The company already employs specialists drawn from institutions including Yale, Stanford and Carnegie Mellon University, and says it has received backing from multiple regional and international investors since its launch.

• Funding: $30 million Series A, led by Lux Capital.
• Investors: Sanabil Investments (PIF-owned), Hanabi, 9Yards; increased participation from General Catalyst, CIV and Chris Ré.
• Founded: 2025. Headquarters: GCC and London.
• Target sectors: energy, ports, aviation, logistics, manufacturing and industrial operations.

Outlook

With the new funding, 1001 plans to accelerate product development and regional rollout across the GCC, where large-scale infrastructure operators are increasingly exploring AI to improve resilience and responsiveness. A spokesperson for Sanabil Investments highlighted the region’s growth in data, computing and infrastructure as driving demand for trusted, locally developed AI solutions. If 1001 can translate its platform’s digital-twin approach into proven, fielded deployments in energy, ports and aviation, the company could position itself as a go-to provider for sovereign AI in mission-critical environments across the Gulf.