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UAE-based artificial intelligence startup 1001 has secured $30 million in Series A funding in a round led by Lux Capital, with participation from Sanabil Investments, 9Yards, Hanabi, General Catalyst, CIV, AI researcher Chris Ré, and a group of angel investors.

Founded in 2025 by Bilal Abughazaleh, the company develops sovereign AI systems tailored for mission-critical industries, including aviation, energy, logistics, and manufacturing. Its platform enables organizations to automate operations, improve decision-making, predict equipment failures before they occur, and maintain full data sovereignty while complying with local governance and regulatory requirements.

The fresh capital will be used to expand the company's engineering team and strengthen its commercial presence across Gulf markets, where demand is growing for locally developed AI technologies that provide greater technological independence for enterprises and government entities.

Industry estimates suggest that the adoption of artificial intelligence across the Gulf region could contribute approximately $150 billion to regional economies over the coming years, reinforcing the need for sovereign AI solutions tailored to strategic sectors.

The Series A round follows the company's $9 million seed funding completed in October 2025, which supported the accelerated development of its technology platform and business expansion.