PAKISTAN

HBL has partnered with Mastercard to launch its Business Debit Card for SMEs, sole proprietors and entrepreneurs. Available in Classic and World variants, the card offers seamless day-to-day transactions and reflects HBL’ s commitment to financial inclusion and a cashless economy. SMEs contribute nearly 40 % to Pakistan’ s GDP and employ one-third of the workforce. HBL, the first bank to surpass PKR100 billion in SME lending, also pioneered non-collateralised loans to expand credit access.

HBL President & CEO, Muhammad Nassir Salim, said:“ By equipping SMEs, sole proprietors and entrepreneurs with the means to transact securely and seamlessly, HBL is supporting the national agenda of enabling businesses to grow, formalise and contribute to Pakistan’ s economic progress.”

J. K. Khalil, Division President, East Arabia, Mastercard, said the initiative reinforces both institutions’ commitment to digitising SMEs and driving financial inclusion.

USA

Alaska Communications( ACS) has introduced ACS SmartBiz, a secure managed Wi-Fi solution designed for small businesses. ACS is the first provider in Alaska to launch Wi-Fi 7, offering speeds up to four times faster than Wi-Fi 6, lower latency and support for more connected devices. The SmartBiz Wi-Fi 7 Gateway can deliver up to 10 gig symmetrical speeds, positioning businesses for future growth.

“ Reliable, fast and secure Wi-Fi is essential for today’ s small business,” said Cindy Christopher, Senior Director, Sales, Alaska Communications.“ They need broadband solutions from a local provider they can trust so they can focus on running their business.”

SmartBiz features include integrated cybersecurity, safe guest Wi-Fi, automatic resiliency during outages and a mobile app for easy management. John Durocher, Chief Customer Officer, Calix, said ACS is the first broadband provider in Alaska to deploy Wi-Fi 7, fuelling innovation and community transformation.

UAE

Mastercard, IFZA and Global Tax Assistant have launched an AI-driven digital business registration process in the UAE, aimed at accelerating SME growth and supporting the country’ s entrepreneurial vision. The collaboration offers simplified, discounted services for Mastercard business credit cardholders, reducing costs and friction in business set-up and compliance.

SMEs make up 94 % of UAE businesses and contribute more than 50 % of GDP. The initiative marks one of the region’ s first AI-powered pilots, streamlining onboarding from document submission to licence issuance through automation and faster processing.

“ This joint initiative will boost the UAE’ s global competitiveness as a business hub with progressive infrastructure,” said Jochen Knecht, CEO, IFZA.

Onur Kursun, Executive Vice President, Mastercard, added the partnership strengthens financial inclusion while aligning with the nation’ s digital economy agenda.

Global Tax Assistant CEO, Smbat Alikhanyan, said the collaboration enhances compliance and advisory services while fostering an enabling environment for entrepreneurship.

FINLAND

Optinova, a dual-function SaaS studio and AI integration partner, has expanded operations across Europe, Asia and North America, building automation tools and digital products for global SMEs. Co-founded by Stefan Coker( CEO), Nathan Foley( CGO) and Anass Hamdaoui( CSO), the company focuses on scaling AI-powered solutions across diverse markets while maintaining product discipline and operational efficiency.

The founders bring expertise in AI development, SaaS growth, Web3 engagement and large-scale event operations, supporting Optinova’ s international strategy. Its internal product suite includes Tapp, a deep linking tool for digital marketers; DriveSmart, a gamified EU driver’ s license exam preparation platform; and Nutriquest, a social nutrition tracking app with competitive and community features.

On the enterprise side, Optinova delivers custom AI automations for industries including real estate, legal services, fitness and e-commerce. These solutions are pitched as helping SMEs optimise lead activation, streamline workflows and unlock new revenue opportunities.

Intelligent SME. tech

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