Dubai-based Popcorn AI Studio has announced a $1M funding package led by Emirati entrepreneur and investor Mohammed Bin Bouta Alharsoosi, as the AI filmmaking startup prepares to expand its platform and international reach.
Founded by Egyptian entrepreneurs Shady Essam and Mohamed Hedar, Popcorn is developing an integrated platform for creating films, commercial videos, cinematic scenes and multilingual content. The company said the funding will support further AI development, international expansion and the evolution of its creative tools.
The platform is designed to bring several stages of production into one workflow, including concept development, character creation and scene generation. It also focuses on Arabic-language production, with native Arabic lip-sync capabilities and support for regional dialects.
Popcorn said it plans to grow its user base across the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt while building partnerships to bring AI-powered filmmaking to more creators worldwide.
The company has also announced an AI filmmaking competition linked to the El Gouna Film Festival, with a $70,000 prize pool. According to the announcement, the initiative is intended to support emerging filmmakers and encourage the use of AI in storytelling across the region.
Essam said Popcorn aims to reduce the barriers between an idea and its execution without replacing filmmakers. Alharsoosi said his investment reflects confidence in the MENA region’s potential in AI-driven content creation.
Source: EntArabi
