Zain's internal innovation program 'ZAINIAC' invests in AI startup Actly

06/05/2025 02:07 AST

ZAINIAC, Zain's internal innovation program, has made a strategic investment in Actly, an AI startup founded by Zain Kuwait employee Ahmad Al-Obaid, who will also serve as the entity's CEO. This groundbreaking development reflects ZAINIAC's ongoing interest in redefining what is possible when employees are empowered to dream, build, and lead. At its core, Actly provides actionable decision intelligence, combining real-time insights, behavior analytics, and predictive reporting to elevate business decision-making. With the capability to automate over 20,000 monthly conversations, Actly empowers organizations to scale effortlessly and meet growing customer expectations with precision.

Ahmad's transition from an innovator within Zain to a startup CEO embodies the very essence of ZAINIAC's mission: to spark, support, and scale game-changing ideas from within. ZAINIAC is dedicated to nurturing homegrown ideas and empowering employees to become industry-shaping entrepreneurs. With a laser focus on AI and real-world applications, Actly represents the future of delivering meaningful, personalized customer experiences through AI agents.

This investment aligns with Zain's '4WARD - Progress with Purpose' strategy, which emphasizes meaningful innovation, inclusive growth, and digital transformation with real societal impact. By backing employee-led ventures like Actly, ZAINIAC reinforces its commitment to building a future where progress is fueled by purpose and innovation is driven from within.

Malek Hammoud, Zain Group Chief Digital and Investment Officer said, "We don't just talk about innovation - we invest in it, especially when it comes from our own people. This strategic deal is a reflection of belief in our employees' potential to become the region's next tech pioneers."

Ahmad Al-Obaid, CEO of Actly commented, "History is witnessing a tectonic shift with the emergence of AI, and the region is rapidly adapting and exploiting it. With Zain's continuous support and belief in emerging talents, the opportunities are immense, and the future for Actly is bright."

Actly's progress has seen the platform recently engage a select group of enterprise customers to test the innovative solution who provided conducive feedback to enhance the AI-powered service, also indicating their eagerness to adopt it. Actly is in the final stages of development and plans are underway to integrate the platform into Zain Kuwait soon, as well as other Zain operations in due course. Through ZAINIAC, employees are encouraged to build boldly. This milestone transaction represents a new chapter in Zain's ongoing commitment to foster intrapreneurship, transform ideas into impact, and champion the future of digital innovation in the region and beyond.

 AI startup delivering personalized customer experiences through AI Agents

 ZAINIAC is dedicated to nurturing homegrown ideas and empowering employees to become industry-shaping entrepreneurs.

 ACTLY is a success story that will inspire more internal innovation across the organization

Kuwait Times