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AI Chip Startup Groq Secures $1.5 Billion Investment From Saudi Arabia

Groq, a U.S.-based AI semiconductor startup, has secured a $1.5 billion commitment from Saudi Arabia to expand its advanced AI chip delivery in the country. The startup, founded by a former Alphabet AI chip engineer, specializes in AI inference chips that optimize speed and execute commands for pre-trained models.

Groq already has a partnership with Aramco Digital, the tech arm of oil giant Aramco, through which they developed a key AI hub in the region in December. The investment will fund the expansion of Groq’s data center in Dammam, with the startup having obtained the necessary licenses to export its chips despite U.S. export controls.

The announcement was made at Saudi Arabia’s LEAP 2025 event, where the country also secured $14.9 billion in AI investments. One of the technologies supported by the Dammam Center is Allam, an AI language model developed by the Saudi government that operates in both Arabic and English.

In August, Groq raised $640 million in a funding round led by Cisco, Samsung, and BlackRock, bringing its valuation to $2.8 billion.

Cyprus Business Electricity Prices Rank Among The EU’s Highest

Electricity prices for a defined group of non-household consumers in Cyprus reached €0.23 per kilowatt-hour in the first half of 2026, placing the country among the most expensive in the EU, according to Eurostat.

The rate matched Italy and exceeded the EU average of €0.18. Ireland recorded the highest price at €0.27 per kilowatt-hour.

The figures cover non-household consumers with annual electricity consumption of between 500 and 2,000 megawatt-hours, rather than all businesses or households.

EU Electricity Prices Continued To Fall

Across the EU, average prices for this consumer group declined by 2% compared with the second half of 2025 and were 5.4% lower year on year.

The lowest rates were recorded in Finland (€0.09 per kWh) and Sweden (€0.12), followed by Denmark, Spain and Portugal, all at €0.13.

Prices Fell In Most Member States

Electricity prices declined year on year in 19 EU countries during the first half of 2026. Luxembourg recorded the largest fall, at 23.8%, followed by Czechia (11.9%) and Greece (11.8%).

Prices increased in eight member states, led by Sweden (18.8%), Finland (18.7%) and Bulgaria (14.2%). Despite the sharp increases, Finland and Sweden continued to have the lowest electricity prices in the bloc.

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