HT Labs and The Doers Company Sign Strategic MoU to Strengthen India-Cyprus-UAE Innovation Corridor
HT Labs and The Doers Company Sign Strategic MoU to Strengthen India-Cyprus-UAE Innovation Corridor
The MoU was formalised at a high-profile event hosted at Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO) under the aegis of Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZ), with participation from government dignitaries, investors, and tech leaders spanning India, Cyprus, and the UAE.
The collaboration arrives at a pivotal moment of renewed global engagement, following Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Cyprus and a subsequent delegation led by the Cypriot Deputy Minister of Research, Innovation & Digital Policy to Dubai. The delegation included top officials such as the Chief Scientist of Cyprus and key investors and business leaders from Europe and the Middle East-underscoring a powerful tri-nation vision to foster startup growth, capital flow, and entrepreneurial exchange across India, Cyprus, and the UAE.
The alliance empowers HT Labs to leverage The Doers Company's extensive European innovation ecosystem to accelerate the global journey of OTTplay-India's first AI-powered OTT aggregator and recommendation engine. With Cyprus as a launchpad into Europe and Dubai Silicon Oasis as the testbed for cross-border digital infrastructure, media tech, and smart city initiatives, the MoU sets a dynamic framework for founder-investor collaboration, cross-border pilots, and community-led innovation.
The Government of Cyprus, through its Ministry of Research, Innovation & Digital Policy, has extended strong support for the initiative, aligned with its vision of positioning Cyprus as a key entry point into Europe for Indian companies. With strategic geographic and political alignment, Cyprus aims to become a regional hub for cross-border investment, innovation, and talent.
Commenting on the partnership, Demetris Skourides, Chief Scientist of Research, Innovation & Technology, Republic of Cyprus, remarked, 'I would like to thank Mr. Avinash for his trust in our ecosystem and look forward to further profiling how Cyprus and other investors can benefit from bidirectional value creation. Such collaborations are the foundational pillars that build the future.'
Badr Buhannad, Deputy Director General, Dubai Silicon Oasis, said, 'Dubai Silicon Oasis was envisioned as a smart, future-ready hub for innovation, talent, and entrepreneurship. Hosting the Doers Summit in partnership with The Doers Company aligns perfectly with Dubai's Economic Agenda D33 to position the city among the world's leading digital and economic centres. The Summit reinforces our mission to attract forward-looking ventures and connect European and Middle Eastern innovators-accelerating cross-border collaboration in support of the UAE's vision for digital economy growth and global competitiveness.'
Avinash Mudaliar, Co-Founder & CEO, HT Labs, added, 'At HT Labs, this isn't just an expansion-it's a strategic leap into the future. Dubai Silicon Oasis offers the ideal launchpad to take India's most disruptive, AI-driven innovations to the world. At the core of our work is TaaS-Technology-as-a-Service-delivering scalable, AI-powered solutions across video, apps, web, and content systems that boost engagement, unlock new revenue, and enable global growth. With our strong focus on intelligent, tech-first solutions, we see immense potential to co-create platforms that resonate globally.
What truly elevates this journey is the camaraderie weve built-especially with visionaries like Demetris Skourides, Chief Scientist of Cyprus. His insights and spirit of collaboration have made him not just a strategic ally, but a trusted friend in our cross-border mission.
With OTTplay leading our media-tech push, we're excited to align with DSO's smart city vision and deliver transformative experiences in entertainment and data intelligence. This marks a defining chapter in building globally relevant platforms from India.'
Also speaking on the occasion, Dusan Duffek, Co-Founder, The Doers Company & Managing Partner, Zero One Hundred, said 'With a young, tech-savvy population and a booming innovation ecosystem, Indian startups such as OTTplay etc. offer some of the most exciting investment opportunities globally. Similarly, startups from Europe and the Middle East are now building some of the most consequential technologies, which will have an impact not only regionally, but globally. We believe now is the time to build bridges, not borders, and connect this energy with global capital and strategic partners.'
Stylianos Lambrou, Co-Founder & CEO at The Doers Company, added 'We see a significant opportunity in India. With our growing presence in Greece, Cyprus, and now Dubai, we're uniquely positioned to bridge the gap, providing Indian startups & companies with access to Europe, and offering European startups and companies a pathway into India. The strong relationship between my country and India gives us a powerful advantage, enabling us to amplify our impact across both regions.'
In the long term, the MoU establishes a multi-regional platform for sustained cooperation-facilitating deal flow, talent mobility, and co-development of cutting-edge digital solutions. It marks a new chapter in HT Labs' global journey. The agreement also opens doors for internationalisation, driving investments into Indian startups like OTTplay -a significant milestone in the global journey of Indian innovation.
HT Labs is the digital innovation hub and 'startup factory' of HT Media, dedicated to creating cutting-edge digital products using research, deep tech, and AI. They focus on addressing consumer needs gaps by developing personalized, tech-driven experiences across various categories like entertainment, food, and finance. Key products include OTTplay, an AI-powered OTT recommendation engine and aggregator with 30+ OTTs in one app and access to over a million titles (movies, web series etc.) in a single subscription and Slurrp, a recipe aggregator, both recognized for their innovative approaches.
About The Doers Company
The Doers Company is a globally respected platform for connecting tech, business, and innovation leaders across Europe, MENA, and beyond. Through high-impact events such as Reflect Festival (Cyprus) and the upcoming Doers Summit (Dubai), Doers fosters a powerful cross-pollination of ideas, capital, and collaboration opportunities. The partnership with Dubai Silicon Oasis further strengthens their vision of creating an interlinked innovation corridor from the UAE to Europe.
Website: www.thedoerscompany.com
About OTTplay
OTTplay is India's first AI-powered OTT aggregator, offering personalised content discovery and bundled subscriptions to over 30 leading OTT platforms. With OTTplay Premium, users can enjoy an intelligently curated content experience tailored to their unique viewing preferences.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
18 minutes ago
- First Post
In a veiled dig at China, PM Modi urges Brics to 'prevent weaponisation' of rare earths
PM Modi has urged BRICS nations to work together to secure supplies of critical minerals and cautioned against any country using these resources as a 'weapon,' in remarks seen as a veiled swipe at China's export restrictions on rare earths. read more India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks during the first plenary session of the BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on July 6, 2025. Image- AFP Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged Brics nations to work together to secure supply chains for critical minerals and, in an indirect way, took a dig at China, saying that no country should use these resources as a 'weapon' against others. Speaking on Sunday at the Brics summit session on multilateralism, finance, and artificial intelligence, Modi also called for global rules on AI to ensure transparency and stop misuse. His remarks come amid worries about China's restrictions on exporting rare earth minerals and its lack of transparency in the sector. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'We need to work together to make supply chains for critical minerals and technology secure and reliable. It's important to ensure that no country uses these resources for its own selfish gain or as a weapon against others,' Modi said. China's dominance in rare earth market Critical minerals like lithium, nickel, and graphite are essential for making high-tech products such as electric vehicles, drones, and batteries. China currently dominates the global supply of these minerals. China controls an overwhelming share of mining, refining, and processing for critical minerals, holding roughly 85–90 per cent of global rare earth element refining and around 60 per cent of lithium chemicals, 68 per cent of nickel refining, 73 per cent of cobalt refining, and 99 per cent of battery-grade graphite production. In 2024, it accounted for about 75 per cent of global processing capacity for key minerals like copper, lithium, cobalt, graphite, and rare earths. This dominance extends upstream through major investments in mines across Africa and Latin America and downstream into refining, component manufacturing, and EV battery factories. China's tight grip gives it strategic leverage but also poses risks for Western nations, as any disruption or export controls—especially on rare earths and graphite—could severely impact global technology and clean energy supply chains. As a result, Western governments are urgently seeking alternative sources and building up their own processing capacities. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Mint
20 minutes ago
- Mint
Stocks to buy for the short term: Shriram Finance to Federal Bank— 5 stocks in which AI sees up to 50% upside
Stocks to buy for the short term: The Indian stock market has been rangebound in the last few sessions as investors seek clarity on the India-US trade deal and await early trends of the Q1 results. The Nifty 50 ended flat on Monday. After four consecutive months of gains, it is in the red for the month so far. However, the broader market trends remain positive due to expectations of durable and healthy economic growth in the country and a strong influx of retail investors. Experts suggest at this juncture, one should consider picking quality stocks at dips for the long term. Mint spoke to Tradonomy, a financial services and wealth management firm, for stock recommendations suitable at this juncture. The firm suggested five short-term buys. Tradonomy, using its proprietary quant-based framework, identifies companies with strong fundamentals, efficient capital use, attractive valuations, and durable growth potential. "This week's list features five standout stocks ranging from power equipment to finance, each evaluated on metrics most relevant to its sector. Whether it's ROE (return on equity) for manufacturers or ROA (return on assets) and P/B (price-to-book) for lenders, these stocks demonstrate the right balance of performance, positioning, and price," Tradonomy said. Shriram Finance is among India's leading NBFCs, specialising in commercial vehicle and small-ticket retail lending. Its strength lies in deep rural reach and high-yield lending. The company posted 29.7 per cent net profit growth and a healthy 22.8 per cent net margin. What sets it apart is its strong ROA of 3.25 per cent, far above industry averages, which shows asset-side efficiency. "The stock trades at a modest P/B of 2.4 times, offering a cushion for long-term investors. With a Tradonomy score of 78 per cent, it reflects both value and momentum in a segment critical to India's credit penetration story," said Tradonomy. Federal Bank continues to outperform peers in the mid-size banking segment. With 19.6 per cent revenue growth and improving return ratios (ROA: 1.15 per cent, ROE: 12 per cent), it balances loan book quality with digital agility. Net margins at 14.8 per cent and a low P/B of 1.6 times make valuation attractive. "At a Tradonomy score of 80 per cent, the bank reflects solid fundamentals and upside potential. With a strong deposit franchise and expanding retail credit book, Federal Bank is well-positioned for the next phase of financial sector growth," said the financial firm. Shilchar is a rising star in the power equipment space, supplying transformers to telecom, solar, and industrial segments. With stellar 56 per cent revenue growth and an industry-leading 42 per cent ROE, it demonstrates both scale and capital efficiency. Its 23 per cent profit margin and 29.97 per cent RoA highlight operational strength. "The company trades at a premium (P/E of 44 times), but rightly so, given the deep moat and future readiness. With a Tradonomy score of 94 per cent, Shilchar is a textbook case of high-quality growth in an underpenetrated sector," said Tradonomy. AGI Infra is quietly building value in North India's affordable housing and mid-income real estate segment. With consistent 28 per cent net profit growth and strong ROE of 22.6 per cent, it combines margin discipline (20.5 per cent) with real estate demand tailwinds. "At a P/E of 36.8, it's not cheap, but its execution and regional moat justify the multiple. The stock also scores 88 per cent on Tradonomy's model, driven by reliable business strength and steady expansion. AGI stands to benefit from government housing incentives and rising tier-2 demand," said the financial firm. Ashapura Minechem is a global supplier of industrial minerals, with a strong presence in bauxite, bentonite, and value-added specialty products. While top-line growth has been moderate (3.6 per cent YoY), its ROE of 23.8 per cent and improving net margins (10.8 per cent) make it a stable earnings compounder. "With a reasonable valuation (P/E of 14.3 times), Ashapura offers cyclical exposure with strong balance sheet support. Its Tradonomy score of 75 per cent reflects decent value and profitability. As global mineral demand rises, Ashapura is positioned for a demand-led rebound," said the financial firm. Read all market-related news here Read more stories by Nishant Kumar Disclaimer: This story is for educational purposes only. The views and recommendations expressed are those of individual analysts or broking firms, not Mint. We advise investors to consult with certified experts before making any investment decisions, as market conditions can change rapidly and circumstances may vary.
Mint
20 minutes ago
- Mint
Trump Tariffs: India's pharma, auto, textile sector to be in focus; here's why
US President Donald Trump's tariffs are set to take effect on Friday, August 1. Therefore, the 90-day grace period for reciprocal tariffs that was initially scheduled to end this Wednesday, July 9, has been extended due to stalled negotiations. On Monday, July 7, US President Donald Trump disclosed letters his administration sent to different trading partners notifying them of the reciprocal tariff rates that will be in effect starting August 1, 2025. The first two letters shared by Trump on the social media platform Truth Social indicated that the US will apply a 25% tariff on Japan and South Korea. After a brief pause, the US President also released tariff letters for additional countries including Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, South Africa, Bangladesh, Kazakhstan, Indonesia, Tunisia, Malaysia, Serbia, Cambodia, and Bosnia & Herzegovina. On Monday, Trump announced proposals for a 40% tariff on products imported from Myanmar and Laos, a 36% tariff on goods from Thailand and Cambodia, a 35% tariff on items from Serbia and Bangladesh, a 32% tariff on imports from Indonesia, a 30% tariff on products from South Africa, and a 25% tariff on goods from Malaysia and Tunisia. On Sunday, July 6, Trump announced that he might send out as many as 15 initial letters, warning that US import taxes would return to the higher rates implemented in April if countries fail to reach agreements. On Monday, President Donald Trump announced that the United States is nearing a trade agreement with India. Amidst this backdrop, experts highlight the potential impact that different sectors may experience in India as a result tariffs. Mohit Gulati, the CIO and managing partner of ITI Growth Opportunities Fund, said that, in sectors where India enjoys a near-monopoly or dominant market share—such as certain generics in pharmaceuticals and specialized textiles—India will be in a strong position to dictate terms to US buyers, leveraging its indispensability and global supply chain strength. For these monopolistic exports, the US will have limited alternatives, giving Indian exporters greater pricing and negotiation power. Gulati highlighted that for the broader range of exports, however, the scenario is more nuanced. Key sectors like gems & jewellery, electronics, textiles, and auto components will face both opportunities and challenges as tariffs rise. While some Indian exporters may benefit from rivals like China and Vietnam being hit with even steeper duties, others could see margins squeezed and competitiveness tested. There will be pluses and minuses across the board, with the final impact depending on sectoral dynamics, government support, and the evolving terms of the India-US trade deal. "Ultimately, India's ability to capitalize on its strengths while navigating new tariff barriers will define its export trajectory in the post-tariff pause era,' said Mohit Gulati.
