Tech & Software · Week of Oct 26, 2026
AI enters Gulf finance at Gateway Gulf: the week in tech releases
Bahrain's Gateway Gulf forum produced AI-linked finance news, alongside a field-inspection tablet, quarterly results and two market forecasts.
AI was folded into finance announcements made at Gateway Gulf 2026 in Bahrain on Nov. 1. Investcorp says it launched an AI Investment Framework while reporting US$11.1 billion in aggregate activity for the first nine months of 2026. Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company and ARP Group announced plans for an AI-native, blockchain enabled wholesale bank, which has in-principle approval from the Central Bank of Bahrain. Mastech Digital also tied its third-quarter results to what it calls continued Data & AI momentum.
Elsewhere, the releases were mixed. SCANOLOGY introduced AirGO Pad, a tablet for on-site 3D scanning, inspection and reporting. SMX publicised a TechCrunch profile of its material-tracking technology. Palo Alto Networks responded to an unsolicited mini-tender offer. Wissen Research and MarketsandMarkets issued growth forecasts for the graphene and ESG reporting software markets.
Bahrain EDB
Investcorp Announces Aggregate Financial Activity for 2026 at Gateway Gulf Investment Forum
Investcorp says it recorded US$11.1 billion in aggregate activity in the first nine months of 2026: US$4.8 billion raised, US$3.7 billion deployed and US$2.6 billion in exits, with assets under management of US$65.2 billion as of September 2026. The firm says its Investcorp Wealth digital platform has enabled more than US$620 million in client capital raising since its 2024 launch, and that it has launched an AI Investment Framework.
Bahrain EDB
On the Sidelines of Gateway Gulf 2026: Mumtalakat and ARP Group partner to establish an AI native wholesale bank in Bahrain
Mumtalakat, Bahrain's sovereign wealth fund, and ARP Group announced a partnership to establish an AI-native, blockchain enabled wholesale bank headquartered in Bahrain, with in-principle approval from the Central Bank of Bahrain. The bank would serve regulated financial institutions, payment companies and cross-border businesses through API connections, and will begin regulated activities only after final authorisation.
SCANOLOGY
SCANOLOGY Introduces AirGO Pad for On-Site 3D Scanning, Inspection and Reporting
SCANOLOGY introduced AirGO Pad, a tablet-based platform that works with compatible SCANOLOGY wireless 3D scanners to handle scanning, measurement, inspection and report generation on-site without a separate laptop. The company says the device supports standard CAD/3D formats and wireless PC synchronization; the release does not state pricing or an availability date.
Mastech Digital, Inc.
Mastech Reports Third Quarter 2026 Results
Mastech Digital (NYSE American: MHH) reported its third quarter 2026 results on Oct. 30, 2026. The company says the quarter was its second consecutive quarter of sequential revenue growth, led by continued Data & AI momentum.
Palo Alto Networks, Inc.
Palo Alto Networks Recommends Stockholders Reject Mini-Tender Offer by Tutanota LLC
Palo Alto Networks (NASDAQ: PANW) says it received notice of an unsolicited mini-tender offer from Tutanota LLC to purchase up to 250,000 of its shares. The company recommends that stockholders reject the offer.
SMX (Security Matters)
SMX Featured in TechCrunch Profile; Article Highlights Company's Technology
SMX says TechCrunch has published a profile of its molecular marking technology and Digital Material Passport Platform (DMPP), which link physical materials to digital records of provenance, composition and lifecycle history. According to the company, the article covers applications across plastics, metals and textiles; the link given points to TechCrunch's contributor-content section.
Wissen Research LLC
Graphene Market Set to Reach US$ 3.94 Billion by 2031 as Demand for Next-Generation Materials Accelerates
Wissen Research says the global graphene market is valued at USD 970 million in 2026. The firm projects it will reach USD 3.94 billion by 2031, a CAGR of 32.4% over the 2026–2031 period.
MarketsandMarkets
ESG Reporting Software Market worth $4.48 billion by 2031 - Report by MarketsandMarkets™
MarketsandMarkets projects the global ESG Reporting Software Market will reach USD 1.83 billion in 2026 and USD 4.48 billion by 2031. That implies a CAGR of 19.6%, according to the firm.
This roundup is written with AI assistance from the press releases listed above, using only what they state. The releases are the companies' own announcements, not GrowTech Host reporting.