UAE residents may soon be able to read Friday sermons in more than 30 languages through a new artificial intelligence (AI) platform developed by a local startup and showcased at the Khalifa Fund Entrepreneurship Competition.

The platform, developed by KhutbahFlow, is expected to launch this year and will allow worshippers to access translated sermons through QR codes available at participating mosques.

The initiative aims to make Friday sermons more accessible to the UAE's diverse population, which is home to more than 200 nationalities speaking a wide range of languages.

According to the company, the platform will support languages including English, Urdu, Hindi, Bengali, Malayalam, Tamil, Tagalog, Indonesian, Pashto, Russian, Chinese, Turkish, Uzbek, Malay, Swahili and Somali, among others.

Mohammed Ahmad, founder and CEO of KhutbahFlow, returned to the UAE after studying at King's College London and working at UK startup Fuse Energy during its rapid growth phase to launch his own venture.

"The competition at the Khalifa Fund event is tough, and that's exactly what's inspiring about being here. It pushes us all to do better, and it's an extremely exciting place to be building a company," he said, adding that “being surrounded by founders who are building innovative solutions gives me confidence that the UAE entrepreneurship scene is becoming increasingly competitive and globally relevant."

He also encouraged aspiring entrepreneurs to embrace emerging technologies.

"We are living in the best time in history to build a company. AI allows entrepreneurs to build prototypes quickly, validate ideas faster, and reach customers with far fewer barriers than ever before," he said.

The competition also featured Baynuna Gene Solutions, an Abu Dhabi-based biotechnology company focused on developing and manufacturing molecular diagnostic testing kits locally.

Dr. Omar Najam, CEO and co-founder of the company, said the initiative was inspired by lessons learned during the Covid-19 pandemic and recent regional challenges.

"Today, molecular testing kits are largely imported from overseas. Our goal is to design, manufacture, and validate these solutions locally using artificial intelligence and the capabilities that already exist within the UAE," he said.

He added that the company aims not only to serve the UAE market but also to position Abu Dhabi as a launchpad for expansion across the Middle East and Africa.

Khalifa Fund has been shaping the entrepreneurial ecosystem within the Emirate of Abu Dhabi for the past 18 years

"The support we have received from organizations such as Khalifa Fund is helping us move towards becoming a regional biotechnology champion," he said.

Ali Abdullah Al-Saadi, Director of Program Management at Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development, said the organization has spent nearly two decades supporting entrepreneurs across the UAE through financial and non-financial programs.

"For the past 18 years, Khalifa Fund has been shaping the entrepreneurial ecosystem within the Emirate of Abu Dhabi," Al-Saadi said. "We support entrepreneurs through business planning, financial planning, advisory services, and mentorship to help build sustainable businesses that contribute to the UAE economy."

He noted that the competition attracts participants from diverse sectors and regions, including Abu Dhabi, Al Dhafra and Dubai.

"What makes this competition unique is that we help shape ideas through specialized boot camps and ensure participants develop innovative solutions that support the country's economic priorities," he said.