Fintech PR
Rasmal Ventures Innovation Fund I named as first fund in QIA’s Fund of Funds program

- Rasmal Ventures inaugural VC fund is the first fund to join the $1 billion venture capital program from QIA
- Qatar-based VC firm Rasmal Ventures launched its home-grown fund in June 2024 to drive innovation and investment in Qatar and the MENA region
- Commitment from QIA’s Fund of Funds program will enable the fund to grow its presence across the region and execute the highly selective investment strategy
DOHA, Qatar, Feb. 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Rasmal Ventures LLC, Qatar’s first independent venture capital (VC) company, which was established in 2023, has today announced funding from QIA as part of its Fund of Funds program.
The funding is received into Rasmal Venture’s inaugural, home-grown venture capital fund, Rasmal Innovation Fund I LLC which targets high-performance startups and scales up across a variety of innovative technology sectors, including fintech, B2B SaaS, HealthTech and AI.
Rasmal Innovation Fund I LLC is the first fund announcement as part of QIA’s $1 billion Fund of Funds program announced as open to applicants in February 2024.
To date, the Rasmal Innovation Fund I LLC has closed funding from QIA’s Fund of Funds, corporates, family offices and individual high-net-worth investors with an aim to reach $100 million in investment commitments. The Fund is only open to professional investors as defined in QFCRA regulation.
Alexander Wiedmer, Co-Managing Partner of Rasmal Ventures, said “As the first private VC fund based in Doha, we have forged strong partnerships with leading Qatari institutions to work closely with exceptional founders, stimulate innovation, and meet the region’s unique needs. While still in the early stages of capital deployment, we take pride in our first investments in proprietary tech startups. The trust QIA and our other investors placed in us is a testament to our team’s capabilities and dedication. We will continue to grow our presence across the region and execute our highly selective investment strategy to establish ourselves as a key player in the MENA VC landscape.”
The Rasmal Innovation Fund I LLC is managed by a highly experienced team of VC experts that have collectively managed more than 100 VC deals, along with impressive exits.
About Rasmal Ventures Innovation Fund I LLC
The Rasmal Ventures Innovation Fund I LLC targets investments in innovative and high-performance technology startups and scaleups across Qatar, the wider Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, and internationally at pre-Series A, Series A and Series B stages. While the fund will scout all technology sectors agnostically, it will have a strategic interest in fintech, supply chain logistics, HealthTech, B2B SaaS and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
The launch of Rasmal Innovation Fund I LLC aligns firmly with the country’s Third National Development Strategy (NDS3) as it aims to contribute to the creation of a buoyant tech ecosystem which is underpinned by easy access to a range of investment and funding opportunities.
About QIA’s Fund of Funds Program
The Fund of Funds program aims to develop a strong start-up and venture capital ecosystem in Qatar, attract leading venture capital funds and entrepreneurs to the region and help close the current funding gap for local and regional entrepreneurs.
The program, first announced in February 2024, will invest more than USD 1 billion in international and regional venture capital funds and will place a priority focus on the tech and healthcare sectors.
The Fund of Funds program has a dual investment mandate to achieve good financial performance and deliver a positive development impact on the Qatari venture capital ecosystem.
View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/rasmal-ventures-innovation-fund-i-named-as-first-fund-in-qias-fund-of-funds-program-302368709.html
Fintech PR
Safello teams up with Zumo to set the standard for sustainability in Sweden’s crypto sector

Swedish cryptocurrency exchange Safello has entered into a strategic partnership with Zumo to comply with sustainability disclosures under MiCAR.
STOCKHOLM and EDINBURGH, Scotland, March 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Safello, the leading cryptocurrency exchange in the Nordics, has entered into an agreement with Zumo, a B2B digital assets platform, to facilitate sustainability disclosure requirements under MiCAR.
Through this collaboration, Safello will leverage Zumo’s expertise in carbon calculations and crypto sustainability impact to ensure accurate and transparent sustainability disclosures. This initiative accommodates the requirements in the European Union’s (EU’s) Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation, which through Article 66 mandates crypto asset service providers (CASPs) active in the EU to display sustainability disclosures on their websites on the environmental impact of the digital assets in relation to which the CASPs offer services.
In implementing MiCAR, the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority (FSA) has stipulated a nine-month transition period during which it will grandfather the CASP registrations that were granted before MiCAR came into force. Therefore, Swedish CASPs must obtain their MiCA license by 30 September 2025.
“Compliance is at the core of our business. Partnering with Zumo is one of the steps we are taking to meet MiCA’s sustainability disclosure requirements and ensure we provide accurate data to our customers,” says Tara Abdi, Chief Compliance Officer at Safello.
“Safello is a market leader in the Nordics so we’re delighted the team has chosen to partner with Zumo to help meet new regulatory requirements,” adds Nick Jones, Founder and CEO, Zumo.
“Our award-winning Oxygen product was introduced to help CASPs better align their digital asset activities with net zero principles and adopt more sustainable practices. We’re committed to supporting CASPs at every stage of their sustainability journey, and complying to the MiCAR sustainability requirements is a critical first step – By championing actionable steps, and providing new, accessible solutions, we’re supporting the transition towards a more transparent, sustainable, and compliant crypto industry.”
As part of the agreement, Safello will now explore Zumo’s Oxygen solution suite, reinforcing its commitment to both regulatory adherence and sustainability within the crypto industry.
Notes To Editors
Certified Adviser
Amudova AB is Safello’s certified adviser.
Safello is the leading cryptocurrency exchange in the Nordics, with over 400,000 users. The company is empowering financial independence by making crypto accessible to everyone. Safello offers a secure and easy solution for buying, selling, storing, as well as depositing and withdrawing cryptocurrencies directly from the blockchain – ensuring seamless transactions at industry-leading speeds. Operating in Sweden, Safello has been registered as a financial institution with Finansinspektionen (Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority) since 2013 and is listed at Nasdaq First North Growth Market since 2021. For more information visit www.safello.com
About Zumo
Zumo is an award-winning crypto-as-a-service platform. It provides banks, fintechs and other businesses with the infrastructure they need to launch sustainable digital asset solutions.
The company’s purpose is to help build a financial future that creates new opportunities whilst leaving a positive impact on the planet. To achieve this, Zumo is creating easy-to-use financial tools that businesses can embed seamlessly via APIs, so that digital assets are adopted by the mainstream market and used in total peace of mind, every day.
Zumo was an early signatory of the Crypto Climate Accord and has become a key contributor to industry guidance on the decarbonisation of digital assets, working closely with the World Economic Forum. Zumo’s employees also co-founded the Emerging Technologies Sustainability Taskforce (ETST) to help ensure the specific characteristics of emerging technologies, such as blockchain, are encapsulated so the standards used for sustainability across the global digital assets sector are fit for purpose.
Find out more at: https://zumo.tech/
View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/safello-teams-up-with-zumo-to-set-the-standard-for-sustainability-in-swedens-crypto-sector-302401221.html
Fintech PR
Concirrus: If AI Is Good Enough for Government, It’s Good Enough for Insurance

LONDON, March 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — AI to Replace Civil Servants and Save £45 Billion: What Does This Mean for Insurance?
The UK government is betting big on AI. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has pledged to replace civil servants with artificial intelligence, calling the state “overcautious and flabby” and promising sweeping reforms. The goal? To cut inefficiencies and save taxpayers £45 billion through automation.
With thousands of government jobs under review and AI well-suited for routine tasks, the civil service could unlock unprecedented efficiency – saving an estimated £45 billion while empowering its workforce
Will the Government’s use of AI legitimise its use in wider industry? Are their parallels within insurance?
The insurance industry faces the same challenges as a market that’s burdened with time-consuming, manual data entry and administrative tasks. AI is poised to change that by automating these processes, allowing underwriters to focus on higher-value decisions, resulting in faster, more accurate quotes, better risk management and a more competitive insurance market.
Much like in government, AI can reduce operational costs in insurance by eliminating repetitive tasks such as keying (and re-keying) submissions, document analysis, and manual risk evaluations. By leveraging AI, insurers can significantly speed up the quote process, improve efficiency and lower premiums.
Rewriting the Underwriter job description
However, AI isn’t replacing underwriters; it’s redefining their roles. As Starmer put it, “No person’s time should be spent on a task where AI can do it better, quicker, and to the same high quality.”
For underwriters, this signals a shift from administrative work to strategic decision-making, portfolio expansion, and coverage innovation. Instead of spending time on data entry or outsourcing submissions for manual processing, underwriters will be free to focus on evaluating complex risks and maximising capacity deployment.
AI won’t make you obsolete; but your competitors using it might
As the government leads the charge in AI-driven reform, the insurance sector must follow. AI is not just a tool for cost-cutting, it’s a powerful driver of efficiency, customer experience, and competitive advantage.
The question is no longer if AI will reshape underwriting but how quickly insurers will adopt it. Those who embrace AI may well outpace their competitors. Those who don’t? They risk being left behind, because AI won’t replace underwriters – but underwriters who use AI will replace those who don’t.
About Concirrus
Concirrus revolutionizes underwriting in specialty and commercial insurance with AI-driven solutions that turn hours-long processes into decisions made in seconds. Founded in 2012, it serves sectors like aviation, transportation, marine, surety, construction, political violence, and terrorism. Trusted by leading insurers, its AI analytics streamline operations, optimize risk assessment, and empower smarter, faster decisions in a rapidly evolving industry. To learn more, visit: https://concirrus.ai
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Fintech PR
The 137th Canton Fair: Strengthening Middle East Trade Ties with Successful Promotion Events

GUANGZHOU, China, March 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The 137th Canton Fair is coming this April. Recognized as the largest trade fair in China, the fair successfully conducted a Middle East roadshow in February, with trade promotion events in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates.
“The Canton Fair provides a one-stop service platform for the global business community to trade commodities, exchange ideas and align rules and policies. The 137th Canton Fair will open on April 15, and we cordially invite Middle East enterprises to join the exhibition to strengthen cooperation and achieve win-win with global business partners,” said Ma Fengmin, Deputy Director General of China Foreign Trade Centre.
On February 13, the 137th Canton Fair Promotion Workshop was successfully held in Doha. Ali Saeed Bu Sharbak Al Mansori, the Acting General Manager of the Qatar Chamber (QC), praised the strong Qatar–China relations, noting China’s importance as one of Qatar’s most important trade partners and the noticeable developments in various fields, especially in economic and trade sectors. He emphasized the significance of the Canton Fair and Qatar Chamber’s commitment in fostering business ties and partnerships between Qatar and China. GAC (Guangzhou Automobile Group) highlighted the Canton Fair as a bond of friendship and a bridge for trade, encouraging the Qatari business community to attend the Canton Fair.
The Canton Fair working group also visited manufacturing group QIMC, home furniture chain Nabina Group, premium department store Blue Salon and Doha Exhibition and Convention Center.
On February 16 and 17, the Canton Fair working group hosted two promotion conferences in Riyadh and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and over 130 local representatives attended the conferences to exchange ideas and promote trade cooperation. He Song, Minister-Counsellor for Economic and Commercial Affairs at the Chinese Embassy in Saudi Arabia, stated that bilateral trade between China and Saudi Arabia has significantly expanded in recent years. Saudi Arabia’s exports to China are extending from traditional energy to diversification, while China’s exports to Saudi Arabia, including mechanical and electrical equipment, automobiles, new energy products, and IT equipment, are also becoming increasingly abundant. Saudi buyer representative highlighted the Canton Fair’s importance for sourcing goods, expanding business, and giving Saudi factories a global platform. Midea expressed that the Canton Fair serves as a global opportunity engine, accelerating the building of mutual trust and promoting shared growth. ToGo power said that the Canton Fair is an excellent platform for finding new suppliers, developing exclusive product lines, and establishing strategic partnerships.
Subsequently, the working group continued to visit the local home furniture retailer Saco and retail enterprise Bin Dawood, and attended the Big 5 exhibition, where they engaged with some of the exhibitors.
In Dubai, the 137th Canton Fair Promotion Conference held on February 19 was attended by about 100 partners and guests. Wang Xiaojia, Counsellor of the Chinese Consulate-General in Dubai, highlighted the strengthening economic ties between China and the UAE. The Canton Fair has become a premium platform for deepening cooperation between two countries. UAE enterprises are welcomed to join the 137th session and further expand business cooperation. Danube Group Vice Chairman and Milano Founder Anis Sajan reflected on his long-standing attendance at the Fair since the early 2000s, commending China’s robust supply capabilities and the event’s role in gathering global business opportunities. Haricharan DTP, Haier Gulf Electronics LLC sales Director, noted that the Canton Fair provides a window for communication, a stage to showcase the strength and image of the enterprise, and promotes technological innovation and industrial upgrading.
The working group visited Dubai World Trade Centre, port and logistics enterprise Gulftainer, Expo Centre Sharjah, retailer LULU, overseas warehouses of cross-border e-commerce companies as well as Gulfood tradeshow.
As an important milestone in building the online platform of the fair, the Canton Fair App now brings integrated online and offline experience for exhibitors and buyers, and serves as a 365-day, uninterrupted business matchmaking platform.
The 137th Canton Fair will be held from April 15 to May 5, 2025 in Guangzhou. To download the Canton Fair App, please visit https://cief.cantonfair.org.cn/en/app/appintro.html.
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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/the-137th-canton-fair-strengthening-middle-east-trade-ties-with-successful-promotion-events-302401793.html
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