Dubai Doubles AI Campus Target to More Than 1,000 Companies and 5,000 Jobs by 2030

Dubai has set a new target for its AI campus at the Dubai International Financial Centre to attract more than 1,000 artificial intelligence companies and create over 5,000 specialized jobs by 2030, after it passed its original goals two years early.
HomeInvestmentAbu Dhabi’s EDGE Completes Acquisition of Controlling Stake in Italian Engine Maker...

Abu Dhabi’s EDGE Completes Acquisition of Controlling Stake in Italian Engine Maker CMD

Abu Dhabi defense and technology group EDGE has completed the acquisition of a controlling stake in CMD S.r.l., an Italian company that designs and develops propulsion systems for automotive, marine and aeronautical use, the state news agency WAM reported on Monday.

The transaction was signed in Rome. It follows an agreement reached in May 2026 at CMD’s plant in Atella, in the Basilicata region of southern Italy.

Executives from EDGE and CMD shake hands at a signing ceremony
Executives from EDGE and CMD at a signing ceremony, in a photo distributed with EDGE’s October 26, 2026 announcement of the completed acquisition. Photo: EDGE

EDGE did not disclose the size of the stake or the value of the deal. CMD’s current shareholders keep a significant minority stake and stay in key management roles, the company said.

Engines for EDGE’s unmanned aerial systems are an immediate priority, and talks on large-volume orders are under way, EDGE said. The group is also exploring maritime uses for CMD’s engines with its naval shipbuilding unit Abu Dhabi Ship Building and other partners.

“Completing this acquisition takes us from agreement to delivery in building a highly capable European propulsion hub that complements and reinforces our global industrial footprint,” said Hamad Al Marar, managing director and chief executive officer of EDGE.

EDGE said it will invest in CMD to expand manufacturing capacity and speed up research and development. The two companies will draw up a joint integration plan.

CMD will continue to supply its automotive partners and plans to grow that business, EDGE said.

Mariano Negri, chief executive officer of CMD Group, said the combination would help the company increase production capacity and scale its operations.

The Negri family founded CMD in 1989. EDGE launched its European business, EDGE Europe, in Paris in June 2026, and signed a memorandum of understanding with the Basilicata region during a visit to CMD that month.