• UAE-based creative technology startup Popcorn AI Studio has secured a $1 million pre-seed funding package, led by Emirati entrepreneur and investor Mohammed Bin Bouta Alharsoosi, to support product development and international expansion.
• Founded in 2026 by Egyptian entrepreneurs Shady Essam and Mohamed Hedar, Popcorn AI Studio operates an AI-powered video production platform that enables filmmakers, content creators, agencies and brands to produce cinematic content through an integrated workflow.
• The platform offers AI tools for scriptwriting, character development, scene generation, voiceovers, lip-syncing and post-production, with a particular focus on Arabic-language content and regional dialects.
• The funding will support the development of Popcorn's AI technology, expansion of its product suite and growth across the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, alongside international partnerships.
• Popcorn AI Studio has also announced an AI filmmaking competition associated with the El Gouna Film Festival, featuring a $70,000 prize pool to support emerging filmmakers.

Press release:

Popcorn AI Studio, the Dubai-based artificial intelligence platform transforming how films and video content are created, has announced a $1 million funding package, marking a significant milestone in its mission to reshape the future of creative production.

The funding, led by Emirati serial entrepreneur and investor Mohammed Bin Bouta Alharsoosi, will support Popcorn's next phase of growth, including continued AI technology development, international expansion, and the evolution of its creative platform.

Founded by Egyptian entrepreneurs Shady Essam and Mohamed Hedar, Popcorn AI Studio is challenging one of the creative industry's longest-standing limitations: the belief that producing high-quality cinematic content requires substantial budgets, large production teams, and complex technical workflows.

Popcorn is building a future where a compelling idea, rather than access to expensive production infrastructure, determines what can be brought to life.

From an Idea to a Film. Without the Traditional Barriers.

Unlike conventional AI video generators that require creators to navigate multiple tools, complex prompts, and disconnected production workflows, Popcorn brings the creative process together within one integrated platform.

Through its specialised AI studios, creators, filmmakers, agencies, and brands can develop concepts, build characters, generate cinematic scenes, create commercial videos, and produce multilingual content using advanced generative AI models.

A defining strength of the platform is its focus on Arabic-language content — including native Arabic lip-sync capabilities and support for regional dialects — addressing a major gap in the global AI video landscape.

Built in Dubai with international ambitions, Popcorn combines advanced AI technology with a deep understanding of regional culture, language, and storytelling.

Its vision extends beyond making video production faster or more affordable. The company aims to establish an entirely new creative infrastructure where filmmakers can experiment more freely, brands can produce content at scale, and emerging storytellers can bring ambitious ideas to the screen.

A New Chapter for AI-Powered Filmmaking

Popcorn's growth comes at a time when artificial intelligence is fundamentally changing the economics of the global creative industry.

What once required weeks of planning, expensive equipment, physical locations, and large production crews can increasingly be developed through AI-powered creative workflows.

Yet the company's founders believe the greatest opportunity is not simply automation but creative empowerment.

"Technology has always changed how stories are told. Cinema evolved from silent films to sound, from film reels to digital cameras, and now we're entering the next chapter with artificial intelligence," said Shady Essam, Co-Founder and CEO of Popcorn AI Studio.

"Our ambition isn't to replace filmmakers. It's to remove the barriers between imagination and execution. We want to make it possible for anyone with a powerful story to create something extraordinary, regardless of their budget, location, or technical background."

The company's momentum has also extended into the filmmaking community, with Popcorn announcing an AI filmmaking competition connected to the El Gouna Film Festival, featuring a $70,000 prize pool. The initiative reflects Popcorn's commitment to supporting emerging filmmakers and accelerating the adoption of AI-powered storytelling across the region.

Strategic Investment to Accelerate Global Ambitions

For Mohammed Bin Bouta Alharsoosi, the investment reflects a conviction that the MENA region is positioned to lead the next chapter of AI-driven content creation — and that Popcorn has the team and the technology to make that happen.

"POPCORN AI Studio represents exactly the kind of bold, regionally rooted technology I look for. The content market across the Middle East and North Africa is enormous, and AI is still in its earliest stages here. Shady and Mohamed have the vision, the execution capability, and a product that's already resonating. I am proud to back them at this stage."

— Mohammed Bin Bouta Alharsoosi, Investor.