Dubai Holding and Emaar Properties have announced the launch of Dubai Square, a new retail metropolis drawing on next-generation technology in Dubai Creek Harbor.
“Blurring the boundaries of online and in-mall shopping, integrating indoor and outdoor, and delivering a social experience like none other, the all-new Dubai Square is designed for the new era of customers, digital, connected and tech-savvy, and setting a benchmark for retail experiences in the 21st century,” Emaar said in a press release.
Dubai Square was revealed at an exclusive retailers event that offered a fully immersive experience for the participants. Through state-of-the-art 3D projection technologies, they were given an overview of the world of opportunities that await them in partnering with the development.
Abdulla Al-Habbai, chairman of Dubai Holding, said: “Dubai is experiencing tremendous tourist inflow and continues to rank highly as a holiday destination for people from many different parts of the world. The city’s appeal is anchored in its strong leisure and entertainment, retail and hospitality industry, the foundations of which Dubai Holding helped build and strengthen over time. The destinations we have delivered, such as Jumeirah Burj Al-Arab, JBR, Global Village and Business Bay, are some of the most recognizable urban landmarks of today. Dubai Square is our new retail and leisure destination, and with this we aim to actually redefine the shopping experience by introducing a variety of innovative concepts. This is our latest endeavour to bring the best to Dubai, as part of Dubai Holding’s promise, ‘for the good of tomorrow’.”
Mohamed Alabbar, chairman, Emaar Properties, said: “Dubai Square disrupts the traditional mall and retail experience. Focused on the aspirations of the new generation of customers, it reflects the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, UAE vice president and prime minister and ruler of Dubai, to position Dubai as a global hub and a smart city.
Dubai Square will play a pivotal role in further establishing Dubai as the next champion of global retail.
Alabbar added: “With Dubai Square, we are delivering a new destination experience that will bring incredible value to our retail partners. Dubai Square is where technology meets the human touch, and retail meets next-generation entertainment. With its omnichannel offering, it not only drives in-store retail but also the online engagement of brands with customers. With its location in Dubai Creek Harbor, and by serving as the closest mega-retail district to millions of passengers passing through the Dubai International Airport, it meets the real need for a new generation lifestyle destination, especially given Dubai’s growth in population and tourist arrivals.”
Dubai Square is set in the heart of Dubai Creek Harbor, the 6 square kilometer mega-development only 10 minutes from the Dubai International Airport and the Burj Khalifa by Emaar, as well as set by the historic Dubai Creek. Dubai Square — in its totality — represents a 2.6-million square meter retail, hospitality and residential district for the future.
Dubai Square: A tech-driven retail destination
Dubai Square: A tech-driven retail destination
More crop per drop: NADEC and EF Polymer deploy breakthrough technology to cut agricultural water use by 40%
Following a strategic technology-scouting framework led by Universal Materials Incubator, the National Agricultural Development Company has entered into a partnership to launch large-scale field trials of EF Polymer, marking a significant step in deploying deep-technology solutions to strengthen the Kingdom’s food and water security.
The collaboration initiates field trials of EF Polymer’s proprietary solution — a 100 percent organic, biodegradable powder that performs like a “soil battery” upcycled from food waste. Engineered to address water scarcity in arid and semi-arid regions, the material can absorb up to 50 times its own weight in water and gradually release moisture directly to plant roots. This mechanism has the potential to reduce irrigation water use by up to 40 percent, while enhancing crop yield and long-term agricultural productivity.
Beyond water efficiency, EF Polymer improves nutrient retention by minimizing fertilizer leaching, thereby reducing overall fertilizer requirements. After approximately one year in the soil, the material fully biodegrades into organic carbon, organic matter, and trace nutrients such as magnesium, calcium, and nitrogen — contributing directly to improved soil health and long-term fertility.
The solution is affordable, easy to apply, and suitable for a wide range of crops, making it viable both for individual farmers and for industrial-scale agricultural operations such as NADEC’s.
EF Polymer has already achieved significant commercial adoption across multiple global markets, including Japan, the US, India and Turkiye, where it is actively used by farmers and agribusiness operators to improve water efficiency, soil health, and crop resilience under varying climatic conditions.
Its organic credentials are certified by OMRI and Ecocert, reinforcing its alignment with sustainable and regenerative agricultural practices.
The stakes for this alliance are high. By 2030, global freshwater demand is projected to exceed supply by 40 percent. In Saudi Arabia, the challenge is localized but intense: the agricultural sector alone consumes approximately 11.4 billion cubic meters of water annually. This partnership underscores NADEC’s commitment to adopting innovative, scalable technologies that conserve natural resources while supporting resilient food systems across the Kingdom.
Mohamed Al-Rajhi, VP of supply chain sector at NADEC, said: “Strategic agriculture today requires a long-term commitment to soil health and resource circularity. NADEC is leading the shift toward regenerative practices that restore our natural capital rather than merely consuming it. By diversifying our crop portfolio and investing in closed-loop nutrient management, we are insulating our operations against global price volatility and environmental shifts.”
“We are aggressively deploying AI-driven irrigation systems and satellite-based crop monitoring to optimize every drop of water and every hectare of land. This strategic pivot toward agri-digitization allows us to mitigate climate risks in real-time while significantly reducing our carbon footprint. Our commitment to sustainability is our greatest competitive advantage, ensuring that NADEC remains the cornerstone of the Middle East’s agri-food sector for decades to come. These trials focus on strategic scalable crops like wheat and olive trees to ensure the future of the Kingdom’s food security is both sustainable and locally rooted,” he added.
Strategic trial milestones:
- Wheat: Trials have commenced to demonstrate water retention in this water-intensive crop.
- Olive and blueberry: Specialized testing is scheduled for March to evaluate yield improvements and nutrient efficiency.
This collaboration supports Saudi Vision 2030 goals of reducing non-renewable groundwater use by 90 percent.
