Emerging Technology Hubs

Thrilled to see my guest essay in the The New York Times today. I make 5 key points: 1. There’s little clear evidence of AI eliminating jobs at scale yet. But waiting to see is risky. Pittsburgh’s steel towns saw early signs with mini-mills before the losses showed up. Service capitals like London and New York should prepare now rather than after the shock. 2. Diversification helps—but only so much when the disruptor is a general-purpose technology. Generative AI cuts across marketing, accounting, coding, research, and admin. Being “in many industries” isn’t a shield if the same tool touches them all. 3. High-skill, knowledge jobs have big local multipliers. Each manufacturing job supports 1.6 local jobs; each high-skill tech/professional role supports 5. That means even modest losses of analysts, developers, or paralegals can ripple through restaurants, retail, and transit systems. 4. AI needn’t replace workers to matter. It only needs to make work easier. If lets firms do entry-level work elsewhere, cities feel it. As location and experience matter less at the margin, some work will offshored to cheaper places (e.g. India, UAE, or Philippines). 5. The lesson from deindustrialization isn’t inevitability—it’s reinvention. Detroit poured resources into legacy industries and still declined. Boston repeatedly bet on talent, education, and new sectors.

HUMAIN, Saudi Arabia’s $77B AI company, is Vision 2030 in action. Saudi Arabia is not just adopting AI, it is building it on its own soil. Through HUMAIN, the Kingdom has become the first nation in the Middle East to host OpenAI’s frontier models locally, backed by significant compute capacity: 18,000+ Nvidia H100 and AMD MI300X GPUs, a 50 MW pilot data center already operational, and a long-term plan to reach 6.6 GW of AI-ready infrastructure by 2034. Why this matters for AI: 1/ Sovereign compute: Local hosting removes dependency on foreign cloud providers, ensuring control over data and uptime. 2/ Low-latency applications: Critical for autonomous vehicles, robotics, space technology, defense, finance, and healthcare. 3/ Scalable infrastructure: Multi-year buildout secures capacity for the next decade of AI growth. 4/ Ecosystem development: $10B venture fund, partnerships with NVIDIA, AMD, AWS, Qualcomm, and the upskilling of 50,000+ STEM professionals. This is more than an infrastructure project. It is a strategic move to position Saudi Arabia as a producer and, eventually, a global hub of AI innovation. In the AI era, speed and influence come from the compute you control. Saudi Arabia has just secured its place on that map. #Vision2030 #HUMAIN #AI #SaudiArabia

Saudi Arabia announced the $100B investment initiative Alat in Feb this year, to develop a smart tech, advanced manufacturing and semiconductors hub and 🔽 By now it's clear that the region intends to become an AI and advanced tech powerhouse But how is it progressing? ✳️ To reflect, I revisited some of the announcements worth noting in 2024: → Deployment of Cerebras Systems CS-3 by Aramco Digital, to accelerate AI development and support industries, universities, and enterprises in KSA → aramco digital and Groq developing the NourOS gen-AI model, a voice-commanded AI solution, aiming to deliver 25M tokens by Q1 2025 → Qualcomm and Aramco Digital announced 5G 450 MHz chips to revolutionize IoT and Edge device connectivity, with plans to integrate advanced processors for seamless 5G coverage → Introduction of the Design in Saudi Arabia (DISA) startup incubator by Qualcomm and Aramco Digital, providing AI and IoT startups with access to technical assistance, coaching, and advanced innovation labs → aramco digital in talks with Mavenir for $1B investment, to enhance 5G capabilities and prepare for 6G rollout by 2030. Deal would value Mavenir at $3B → Alat and Lenovo's $2B partnership to establish smart manufacturing hub and regional HQ in Riyadh. Expected to generate $10B in economic impact and create 60K jobs by 2030 → Alat and SoftBank's $150M investment, establishing an industrial automation hub to manufacture robotic systems, with ops set to begin in Dec 24 → $200M joint venture by Alat and Dahua Technology Co. LTD, creating the Alat AIVisio Technology Co to manufacture vision-centric products for intelligent cities and enterprise applications → Cloud Computing Special Economic Zone (CCSEZ) expanding KSA's cloud infrastructure, projected to account for 30% of ICT spend by 2030, with over 400 data centers planned across the country → Google Cloud's Dammam Region, contributing $109B to KSA's economy by 2030, generating 150K jobs, and supporting 1.2M SMEs → Over 150 regional HQs have been established including Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Citi, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, BlackRock, Lazard, Boeing, PepsiCo, just to name a few → Snowflake announced their RHQ just earlier this week → Global AI Summit (GAIN) hosted more than 450 speakers from 100 countries with a focus on advancing AI ethics and governance --- 68% of ME companies are planning to migrate a majority of their ops to the cloud within the next 2 years according to a PwC Strategy& survey on the ME cloud infra market On reflection, '24 in my opinion was an accelerant year Sizeable number of major investments and mega projects are reaching later stages of maturity, the private sector is following suit in its transformation ⏺ Areas I believe represent the most significant opportunities for global tech providers: → Cloud infrastructure and migration → Cybersecurity and resilience → Technology modernisation → Robotic process automation → Data engineering and intelligence

Yesterday, the UK Government released its Modern Industrial Strategy and Digital and Technologies Sector Plan. The strategy is ambitious, including a £4 billion capital injection via the British Business Bank to unlock £12 billion in private investment; £670 million for development and adoption of quantum computers, and £54 million for a new Global Talent Taskforce. But beyond the numbers, what matters is this: the government is designing industrial policy with scaling tech companies in mind. At Tech Nation and Founders Forum, we’ve been listening to our community of tech founders across the UK and actively relaying their feedback to No 10, DSIT, and HM Treasury over the last few months, calling for practical changes to unlock growth for UK tech scaleups. It’s clear from this plan that the government have been listening attentively to our founder feedback, and are prioritising tech innovation as a key gateway to growth for our country. What stands out: – Growth capital: Deepening the pool of scaleup capital available to UK founders with increased firepower from the British Business Bank, and a long-overdue move to unlock pension capital now underway. – Talent: Doubling down on how we attract the world’s top talent to choose the UK as home base; the TechFirst programme and AI scholarships show a serious commitment to building the UK’s tech workforce, from school leavers to PhDs to global fellows. – Infrastructure: From regional AI Growth Zones to faster data centre connections, this is the first strategy that sees physical and digital infrastructure as core to scaling startups and focuses on unblocking grid connections so founders from all across the country can scale brilliant ideas. – Regulation and procurement: With the Regulatory Innovation Office, AI sandboxes, and Defence-led R&D pathways, there’s now more room for founders to take the right risks. – Regional innovation: Significant cluster funding with guaranteed local allocations, so that we can turbocharge game-changing tech companies from all corners of the UK. The direction of travel is clear: The UK is committed to cementing its place as a global innovation hub and technology leader, but it takes all of us – founders, investors, enterprise corporations, Big Tech, policymakers, and startup operators – to put this plan into action and deliver its results. This plan is just the beginning, but we’re looking forward to working with the government and our broader Tech Nation community to make it a reality. #IndustrialStrategy #Digital #Tech #UK #ScaleUps #TechPolicy #FoundersForum #TechNation #FoundersPulse #Startups #Founders #Entrepreneurs #ItTakesaTechNation

They could've retired after $100M exits.  Instead, they're rebuilding American downtowns. Most real estate developers think in 7-year cycles. Buy low, flip high, move on. But these tech founders are playing a completely different game. They see what traditional money misses entirely. Why? They're not building properties. They're building ecosystems. And it's printing money in ways Wall Street never imagined. Take Dan Gilbert (Rocket Mortgage). He could have bought a yacht and called it quits. Instead: • Bought when Detroit looked "contrarian" • Now owns 21M+ square feet across 140+ properties • Crime at lowest levels since 1966 The man turned America's most famous failing city into a tech hub. Then David Cummings, Pardot, $100M exit at 32. Most people would retire. He thought differently: • Created Atlanta Tech Village: $750M+ raised by startups • Just acquired 1M sq ft of boarded-up buildings • Uses robotic dogs to clear people from renovation sites in Atlanta His thesis is beautifully simple: "If one unicorn emerges from this, it all makes sense." Here's the thing: Most folks see empty buildings and high crime rates. But this isn't about real estate at all. It's about patience meeting vision. While traditional developers are calculating cap rates and exit strategies. These entrepreneurs think differently. They partner with local culture instead of bulldozing it. Instead of just collecting rent checks, they create community. The secret sauce? Patient capital + community focus + startup thinking. You can't copy-paste this model anywhere. Every downtown is different. But when you find the right entrepreneur-place match. Something magical can happen. And the big money is starting to catch on: • Family offices are asking questions • Institutional funds want in • Traditional developers are scrambling to understand the playbook Which means we're still early. Which dying downtown could benefit from the tech entrepreneur model next?

Great shout out today for Synthesia from Matt Clifford, Peter Kyle and Keir Starmer during the launch of the AI Opportunities Action Plan. We’re happy to see a government plan that addresses key industry needs: data access, computational resources, supportive infrastructure, and a balanced regulatory framework. This blueprint not only supports existing AI scaleups like ours but also paves the way for new startups to thrive, contributing to a dynamic AI ecosystem in the UK. ℹ️ Let’s start with data. The commitment to establish a National Data Library, providing access to anonymized public datasets, directly addresses the industry's call - including our own - for data availability. This initiative will empower startups to train models more effectively, creating more innovation and competitiveness in the market. 🧠 Secondly, compute. The plan to increase public sector compute capacity by a factor of at least 20, including the development of new data centres, will also help meet the computational demands of AI research and development. Once these data centres are built, we hope that the government will also work with the private sector to offer startups access through compute credits, enabling them to scale and innovate without prohibitive costs. 📈 Thirdly, growth. The introduction of AI Growth Zones, designed to expedite planning permissions and provide necessary infrastructure, mirrors successful models from other regions such as the Middle East. This approach will attract more investment and talent, stimulating economic growth and establishing the UK as a global leader in AI. 🧑⚖️ Finally, regulation. By adopting a distinctively British approach to AI regulation—prioritizing evidence-based, proportionate measures grounded in science—the government is creating a stable and pragmatic environment for investors and innovators. This strategy balances the need for safety and ethical considerations with the imperative to foster innovation. Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

Foxconn’s semiconductor push in Uttar Pradesh is being seen by many as a factory announcement, but it’s actually much more than that. When global technology players choose a region, they’re not just evaluating land parcels or incentives. They’re assessing whether the ecosystem is ready in terms of infrastructure, policy clarity, talent availability, connectivity, and the ability to execute at global quality standards. The HCL–Foxconn OSAT unit coming up in Jewar reflects that readiness. It signals a shift in how Uttar Pradesh is positioning itself, from purely industrial execution to enabling deep-tech capabilities. This move goes beyond job creation and points toward the creation of skills corridors, innovation capacity, and long-term technological depth. What makes this moment important is the underlying belief it validates that world-class tech ecosystems don’t always emerge organically in a few legacy hubs. They can be intentionally designed through the right mix of policy, infrastructure, and institutional support. That’s a powerful idea for any region looking to move up the value chain. As this momentum builds, the next phase will be crucial. Strengthening talent and skilling pipelines, encouraging R&D partnerships, enabling startup participation, and maintaining strong quality and standards frameworks will determine how durable this ecosystem becomes. Deep tech isn’t just a buzzword here; it’s a strategic lever for growth. Uttar Pradesh’s trajectory is starting to show how thoughtful policy can translate into technology-led economic transformation not overnight, but in a way that compounds over time. #SiliconSwaraj  #AI_Pradesh #TechUPgrade

Everyone's fighting for jobs in Bangalore and Mumbai. Meanwhile, the cities with the fastest hiring growth right now aren't even metros. According to Taggd's India Decoding Jobs 2026 report, Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities have seen a 25–35% surge in overall hiring activity, while metros continue to slow down. And Tier-2 cities now account for 32% of all planned hiring in India, rapidly closing the gap with Tier-1 hubs. The jobs have moved. Most candidates haven't. Here's exactly where the hiring is happening and what's driving it: The cities growing fastest right now: ✔️ Visakhapatnam: IT hiring in Visakhapatnam jumped by nearly 50% in the last year alone. Cognizant and TCS are investing ₹1,582 crore and ₹1,370 crore respectively, expected to generate over 20,000 new jobs. This city just topped LinkedIn's Cities on the Rise list. And almost no one from outside Andhra is looking there. ✔️ Jaipur: Jaipur's IT sector has grown 25% each year since 2022. Lower operational costs, strong engineering talent, and GCC expansion are making it one of the most overlooked hiring destinations in North India. ✔️ Kochi: Kochi has become a hotspot for fintech startups looking for cheaper options outside Bangalore and Mumbai. Kerala's digital mission is actively funding IT and ITeS expansion here. ✔️ Nashik: Nashik currently reports 1,100+ open roles in the automobile sector alone, with EV manufacturing, defence supply chains, and medical device production all expanding simultaneously. ✔️ Coimbatore: Coimbatore leads in hiring activity with 24.6% growth, driven by engineering design, IT exports, and a strong SME base feeding global supply chains. Tier-2 cities are growing at 21% year-on-year in hiring versus 14% in metros. There has been a 40% surge in the share of Tier-2 cities now hosting Global Capability Centers. Housing costs in Tier-2 cities run 40–60% lower than metros. A one-bedroom apartment costs ₹7,000–20,000 versus ₹15,000–30,000 in a metro. Commutes are 30–45 minutes versus Bangalore's average of 1.5 hours. What this means for your job search right now: ➡If you're only applying in Bangalore, Delhi, and Mumbai, you're competing in the most crowded market with the slowest growth rate. ➡51% of India's startups are now based in smaller cities because that's where early-stage equity and fast career growth actually live. ➡A ₹10 LPA offer in Jaipur or Coimbatore often means more real purchasing power than ₹14 LPA in Bangalore once rent and commute are factored in. ➡GCC expansion in Tier-2 cities means international work exposure without the metro price tag. The candidates I've seen crack the best opportunities in 2026 weren't just the most qualified. They were the ones who knew where to look before everyone else did. Are you still only looking for a job in a metro city? Tell me in the comments. #tier2cities #jobsearchindia #hiringnow #careergrowth2026 #interviewcoach #jobopportunities #indiahiring

🇸🇦 Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman launched HUMAIN in May 2025 with a simple thesis: if you want Saudi Arabia to lead in AI, you can't rent infrastructure from Silicon Valley. One year later, HUMAIN has 500MW of AI computing capacity under construction, the world's largest Arabic language model operational, and a consumer app serving millions. Most countries buy AI from American or Chinese tech giants. They rent cloud capacity, license models, and hope their language will be supported eventually. Saudi Arabia decided to build the entire stack. Data centres, cloud infrastructure, AI models, applications. Full sovereignty, Arabic-first design, no dependencies on external providers. The execution speed: May 2025: Company launched under PIF, chaired by Crown Prince MBS Within weeks: Signed partnerships with NVIDIA (18,000 GPUs, $10B+ infrastructure), AMD ($10B compute expansion), AWS (co-developed "AI Zone"), Groq ($1.5B commitment). August 2025: Launched ALLaM 34B (world's largest Arabic language model) and HUMAIN Chat consumer app. Q4 2025: First 50MW data centre capacity operational. 2026: Enterprise voice-controlled OS launching. Before HUMAIN, Saudi founders building AI products faced three problems: 1️⃣ Data had to leave the Kingdom. Building on OpenAI, Anthropic, or Google meant routing data through US servers. For healthcare, finance, or government applications, this was a regulatory dealbreaker. 2️⃣ English models don't understand Arabic. Fine-tuning English models for Arabic is expensive, time-consuming, and never works as well as native training. Cultural nuances, regional dialects, and context get lost. 3️⃣ No access to GPU compute at scale. Training AI models requires massive GPU clusters. Most startups can't afford this. Cloud providers charge premium rates for spot capacity. The question is no longer whether Saudi Arabia has AI infrastructure. The question is: what will founders build on top of it? From zero to an operational AI ecosystem in 12 months. Now it's up to startups to prove the thesis. 👀 Interested in MENA tech & startups? Sign up to my weekly newsletter here: https://lnkd.in/dJMzb8Tt in partnership with CapQuest. #MENA #startup #VC

Kolkata is NOT just about rosogolla and heritage anymore. It’s quietly building some of India’s most powerful startups. And yet most investors and founders still ignore it. That’s a huge mistake. Look at what’s happening: - Wow! Momo turned a local snack into a national F&B brand. - iMerit trains AI data for giants like Microsoft & Google. - Mihup is building conversational AI in vernacular languages—something Silicon Valley can’t crack. - Sasta Sundar got acquired by Flipkart Health+. - Kisah Apparels just hit a ₹100 crore valuation. All of this, from a city outsiders call “slow.” The truth is: Kolkata’s Tier-2 image is a myth. The Bengal Silicon Valley Tech Hub is already fueling 100,000+ jobs by 2025. AI, EdTech, FinTech, and consumer brands are rising here without the noise of Bengaluru or Gurgaon. Here’s the controversial take: If investors keep ignoring Kolkata, they’ll miss India’s next unicorns. So the real question is can you afford to keep underestimating this city?