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Popcorn AI Secures $500,000 to Define Next-Generation Conversational Commerce

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DUBAI, UAE, Nov. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ –Popcorn AI, the future of conversational commerce, today announced its $500,000 pre-seed funding round, with participation from Spring Studio’s fund, backed by Salica Investments and Al Waha Fund of Funds, and strategic angel investors from across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This investment marks a significant milestone in transforming how businesses connect, engage, and transact with their customers through AI-powered conversations.

Popcorn AI’s platform represents a paradigm shift in digital commerce, moving beyond traditional chatbots to create intelligent AI agents that handle the entire customer journey – from personalised product discovery to seamless payment processing – all within a natural conversation. The platform’s capabilities were recently demonstrated when one of its AI agents independently managed and closed a $400,000 real estate transaction from initial inquiry to final sale. Early adopters across sectors have reported up to a 90% decrease in customer acquisition costs while seeing conversion rates improve by up to 20%, demonstrating the transformative potential of intelligent conversational commerce.

“The future of commerce is conversational,” said Yousef Al Arif, founder and CEO of Popcorn AI. “Today’s customers expect personalised, instant, and effortless shopping experiences. We’re not just building another AI chatbot – we’re creating intelligent commerce agents that understand context, remember preferences, and guide customers through their entire shopping journey, just like an exceptional sales associate would.”

“We are proud to support Popcorn AI’s mission to enhance how businesses interact with their customers,” said Josh Rodger, Principal of the Spring Studio’s fund. “Their innovative approach to conversational commerce has the potential to transform industries and redefine the customer experience.”

Drawing from over a decade of experience in scaling e-commerce and marketplace businesses across MENA, Al Arif has positioned Popcorn AI at the intersection of AI innovation and commercial practicality. The platform is already transforming customer interactions across e-commerce, real estate, and hospitality sectors, proving that conversational commerce is the next frontier in digital business.

The new funding will accelerate Popcorn AI’s mission to make conversational commerce the new standard for business-customer interactions, with investments focused on advancing the platform’s conversational AI capabilities and expanding its team of AI and commerce experts.

About Popcorn AI

Founded in 2023, Popcorn AI is leading the conversational commerce revolution by enabling businesses to create sophisticated AI shopping assistants that combine the convenience of digital commerce with the personalized experience of in-person shopping. The platform empowers businesses to engage customers in natural, productive conversations that drive results.
For more information, visit our website at www.trypopcorn.ai

 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/popcorn-ai-secures-500-000-to-define-next-generation-conversational-commerce-302306999.html

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Putting Young Innovators Center Stage: Leaders In Future Tech+ Wraps with ¥526 Million in Investment Intentions and 31 Enterprise Landings

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NANJING, China, Nov. 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — On November 7, the grand finale of Leaders In Future Tech+ — a documentary sci-tech innovation program jointly produced by China Media Group, the Ministry of Education, and the Nanjing Municipal People’s Government — aired as the Youth Innovation Carnival.

Since its October 3 premiere, the program traveled to 10 cities across China, selecting 100 teams of young innovators with an average age of just 28 from nearly 500 applicants. Fifteen finalists advanced to the finale, presenting breakthroughs spanning AI chips, optical interconnect, biomedicine, smart agriculture, and more.

To date, the program has facilitated ¥526 million in investment intentions covering 34 participating enterprises, and helped 31 companies reach landing agreements with 11 districts and counties of Nanjing.

At the carnival, the “Leaders In Future Tech+ Little Giant Transformation Plan” was launched, with 13 enterprises selected in the first batch to receive a five-module service system guiding them toward specialized, high-end development.

Behind these numbers is a media-driven innovation model: closed-door investment meetings were turned into open, transparent dialogues, connecting young innovators directly with venture capital firms, academicians, industry experts, and local governments — with the focus not on short-term commercial maturity, but on long-term growth potential.

The finale also showed how technology serves everyday life: non-invasive brain-computer interface demonstrations, low-cost bone-repair materials, and ultra-low-cost fresh-keeping cards that reduce agricultural loss — each a footnote to innovation with human warmth.

With Season One concluded, Season Two recruitment is now open to innovation teams nationwide via China Media Group’s official channels and the Yangshipin app (CMG Mobile). As the program’s message goes: put young innovators at center stage — and hand the future to innovation.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/putting-young-innovators-center-stage-leaders-in-future-tech-wraps-with-526-million-in-investment-intentions-and-31-enterprise-landings-302932710.html

SOURCE China Media Group

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GSMA MWC26 Doha opens with call to align on global industry standards and close MENA’s connectivity gap

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Operators, technology leaders, policymakers and innovators gather in Doha today for three days of exhibition, collaboration and debate on the future of connectivity across the Middle East and North Africa

DOHA, Qatar, Nov. 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — MWC26 Doha, held in partnership with Qatar’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT), opened today at Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre (DECC), bringing together connectivity ecosystem to shape the next phase of growth for a mobile economy forecast to add $470 billion to the Middle East and North Africa by 2030.

MWC26 Doha officially opened today, in presence of His Excellency Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan bin Ali Al Thani, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Affairs. His Excellency Mr. Mohammed bin Ali Al Mannai, Minister of Communications and Information Technology, State of Qatar delivered a welcome address.

In his opening remarks, H.E. Mr. Mohammed bin Ali Al Mannai, Minister of Communications and Information Technology, said: “The second edition of MWC Doha takes place at a time when the requirements of telecommunications infrastructure are undergoing fundamental change. As artificial intelligence advances towards executing tasks through intelligent agents, the need for more resilient networks and advanced computing capabilities continues to grow. At the same time, global challenges underscore the importance of diversifying connectivity routes and ensuring service continuity.”

GSMA Director General Vivek Badrinath and ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin took to the stage for a fireside chat. Mr Badrinath set out the key priorities shaping the region’s connected future, with a continued commitment to global standards keeping networks and services interoperable across markets, as well as a renewed push to extend connectivity to populations that remain offline in MENA.

Vivek Badrinath, Director General, GSMA, said: “Progress only counts if everyone shares in it. That means two things: global standards that keep networks, services and devices working across borders, and a concerted effort to connect the people who are still offline. Over the next three days, MWC Doha, alongside its co-location with ITU’s PP-26, will bring together the policy makers, innovators and industry leaders setting these standards and building these networks, to help make this vision a reality. As the ITU Plenipotentiary continues, we are confident that the enhanced dialog which our co-location has allowed will feed into the important conversations taking place.”

SOURCE GSMA

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Club Offers for Travel Enthusiasts in Germany

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BERLIN, Nov. 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Travelzoo® (NASDAQ: TZOO), the club for travel enthusiasts, announces five of many new Club Offers for Club Members in Germany.

Rigorously vetted and negotiated for us travel enthusiasts:

FROM €99 PP—HESSE: 3 DAYS AT A CASTLE HOTEL WITH DINNER IN THE KNIGHTS’ HALL
A crackling fireplace and historic suits of armor on the walls: a cozy winter evening at Staufenberg Castle. Included for us Club Members: a 3-course dinner in the Knights’ Hall, which is more than 500 years old.

€499 PP—TUSCANY: VILLA WITH COOKING CLASS & 6-COURSE DINNER
“Fantastic cooking class, wonderful wine tasting, excellent dinner.” Club Members love Villa Patriarca, which is why we’ve negotiated another offer. Save 50% for three nights in a junior suite compared to the market price.

FROM €299 PP—NEW 5-STAR HOTEL IN PORTO WITH FLIGHTS
Three nights in a prime location next to the historic city walls. Views of the Douro River from the outdoor hot tub. A special price to celebrate the opening of this boutique hotel: the offer regularly costs €580.

€89 PP—3 DAYS AT A BOUTIQUE HOTEL ON SYLT
A ship’s wheel on the wall and a historic nautical chart on the ceiling. Or Delft tiles in the bathroom and a tiger-print rug. Every room at Haus Noge is unique. In the off-season, we travel enthusiasts pay €89 instead of €267 per person.

FROM €399 PP—TURKEY: 1 WEEK ALL-INCLUSIVE WITH FLIGHTS
Relax on a sandy beach and soak up the sun at the start of the season in April. Included for Club Members: a sea-view room and all meals and drinks. There’s also a sports and entertainment program, from beach volleyball to tennis.

Are you a travel enthusiast? Join the club today: https://travelzoo.com

Who are we?
We, Travelzoo®, are the club for travel enthusiasts. We reach 30 million travelers. Club Members receive Club Offers negotiated and rigorously vetted by our deal experts around the globe. Our relationships with thousands of top travel companies give us access to irresistible deals. Our club and its benefits are built around the lifestyle of a modern travel enthusiast.

Travelzoo
Unter den Linden 40
10117 Berlin

Media Contact: 
Natalia Cwierz – Berlin
+49 30 311 975 20
ncwierz@travelzoo.com

 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/club-offers-for-travel-enthusiasts-in-germany-302932690.html

SOURCE Travelzoo

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