# Dubai-Based Popcorn AI Studio Raises $1M Pre-Seed to Build Arabic-Language AI Filmmaking Platform

_Funding · published 2026-10-18_

Popcorn AI Studio, a Dubai-based AI video production platform founded by Egyptian entrepreneurs Shady Essam and Mohamed Hedar, has closed a $1 million pre-seed round led by Emirati serial entrepreneur and investor Mohammed Bin Bouta Alharsoosi. The funding will support AI technology development, international expansion, and the continued build-out of the company's integrated filmmaking platform, which allows creators to develop concepts, build characters, generate cinematic scenes, and produce multilingual content within a single workflow.

A key differentiator is the platform's focus on Arabic-language content, including native Arabic lip-sync and regional dialect support — a capability the company says addresses a significant gap in the global AI video landscape. Popcorn has also announced an AI filmmaking competition tied to the El Gouna Film Festival with a $70,000 prize pool, signalling early moves to embed itself in the broader filmmaking community.

## Sources
- [zawya.com](https://www.zawya.com/en/press-release/companies-news/dubai-based-popcorn-ai-studio-secures-pre-seed-1mln-in-funding-to-redefine-the-future-of-filmmaking-1739811)
---
Canonical: https://genbuzz.news/posts/dubai-based-popcorn-ai-studio-raises-1m-pre-seed-to-build-arabic-language-ai-filmmaking-platform