1001 AI, a deeptech startup dual-headquartered in London and Dubai, has raised $9 million in seed funding led by CIV, General Catalyst, and Lux Capital.
Additional backers include Chris Ré, Amjad Masad (Replit), Amira Sajwani (DAMAC), Khalid Bin Bader Al Saud (RAED Ventures), and Hisham Al-Falih (Lean Technologies).
Founded by Bilal Abu-Ghazaleh, 1001 AI is developing an AI-native operating system designed to automate operational decision-making in aviation, logistics, construction, and oil & gas. These industries collectively lose more than $10 billion annually to inefficiencies across the Gulf.
The company’s platform integrates real-time operational data from client systems, modelling workflows to predict bottlenecks and automate complex decisions with minimal human intervention. Its goal is to enable more efficient fleet movements, resource allocation, and infrastructure coordination.
“We’re extremely bullish on AI that solves physical-world problems at scale—optimising how airports turn around flights, how ports move cargo, and how construction sites operate,” said Deena Shakir, Partner at Lux Capital.
“1001 AI is building the decision engine that automates complexity in large-scale operations, combining world-class AI execution with deep regional understanding,” added Neeraj Arora, Managing Director at General Catalyst.
The funding will support early deployments across Gulf markets, starting with construction, and expand the company’s engineering, operations, and go-to-market teams in both London and Dubai. Its first customer deployment is planned for the end of 2025.
