SparkCognition Expands Internationally to the Middle East

One of the USA’s fastest growing AI companies continues global expansion

SparkCognition, one of the global leaders in artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, announced its international expansion to the UAE, as the company officially launched its new Dubai office yesterday. The launch event included dignitaries and industry leaders from the USA, UAE, and SparkCognition’s partners in the region, such as Boeing Middle East.

“We are pleased to launch our regional headquarters in the UAE,” said Amir Husain, Founder and CEO of SparkCognition. “In our discussions with the senior-most leadership of the UAE, we have been incredibly impressed by their drive to transform the country into a significant global AI player. They continue to illustrate their commitment to technological leadership, and we share their vision of rapid and exponential technological advancement. We hope our presence and investment here will further that aim, while bringing the world’s leading IIoT AI platform to our clients and partners in the region.”

The company’s expansion to Dubai comes shortly after the organization announced its official Series B financing of $56.5 million, which confirmed SparkCognition as having raised the most venture capital funding in Central Texas in 2017. With SparkCognition’s 2017 funding, Boeing HorizonX venture arm joined Verizon Ventures, Invenergy, CME Ventures, Brevan Howard, and Alameda Ventures, among other investors. Boeing and SparkCognition have gone on to establish a significant technology partnership solidified by a master agreement between the two organizations. Boeing’s strong, established presence in the Middle East and Africa will extend their partnership globally.

“As part of their international expansion, we are honored to have SparkCognition launch their regional headquarters in Dubai,” said His Excellency Omar bin Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence. “This expansion cements UAE’s and in specific Dubai’s vision in becoming a leading hub for cutting-edge technology in the field of artificial intelligence. Moreover, the launch compliments the UAE’s Strategy for Artificial Intelligence which aims to build global relationships and attract best talents to design a better future for the UAE.”

“SparkCognition is deploying leading AI technology solutions that are critical to many industries on a global scale. Boeing is excited to see them quickly expand into the Middle East with their first office in Dubai,” said Bernard Dunn, President of Boeing Middle East, North Africa and Turkey. “The UAE has clear goals to be an innovation and technology leader, investing in AI, 3D printing, robotics, and autonomous systems. SparkCognition’s cutting-edge artificial intelligence technology and business-critical solutions will prove invaluable to the forward looking leaders of the UAE and many others in the region.”

Founded in 2013, SparkCognition has since established itself as one of the global leaders in artificial intelligence, with hundreds of successfully proven deployments across various Fortune 50, 100, and 500 customers. The company was named to the 2017 Red Herring Top 100 Global, 2017 CNBC Disruptor 50, and 2017 and 2018 CB Insights AI 100.

“SparkCognition’s opening is another example of the vibrant cooperation between the United States and the United Arab Emirates in the field of information technology and artificial intelligence,” said Steven Bondy, Chargé d’Affaires, United States Embassy in the UAE. “With the UAE on the cutting edge of smart city development, we look forward to continued partnership in this important area. The UAE remains a prime focus for American high-tech companies, as we continue to bring the latest in solutions to this important market.”

SparkCognition’s customers are transforming lives, infrastructure, and financial systems across the globe. Those organizations turn to SparkCognition to transform their systems through world-leading artificial intelligence solutions to accomplish their missions. The company’s AI solutions help customers navigate increasingly complex data stores to expose hidden risks, reveal actionable insights, and achieve their greatest potential. SparkCognition’s technology is deployed across a variety of industries, including energy, oil and gas, manufacturing, finance, aerospace, telecommunications, defense, and security.

“SparkCognition’s rapid growth and expansion comes as a result to the organization’s unparalleled technology and innovation in the artificial intelligence field,” said Bruce Porter, two-time Chair of The University of Texas Department of Computer Science and Chief Science Officer at SparkCognition. “The company’s commitment to advance the art and science of AI will only continue to impact its customers in the UAE.”