09/09/2026 05:08 AST
Abu Dhabi-based IHC, the global investment company, is set to acquire an 80 per cent stake in Marlan Holding, the parent company of UAE space firm Marlan Space.
The acquisition will be carried out through IHC's wholly owned subsidiary International Tech Group and remains subject to regulatory approvals, the company said on Tuesday.
The deal expands IHC's technology portfolio into deeptech and the new space economy, giving the group a platform for investment and growth across satellite infrastructure, advanced manufacturing and emerging space technologies. It also reflects IHC's continued focus on building long-term platforms in sectors underpinned by structural global growth and technological innovation.
The companies did not disclose the deal value.
Marlan Space is an investor-operator focused on space and space-relevant companies, with a portfolio spanning space systems, autonomous operations and advanced compute.
The company also founded and operates Orbitworks, a joint venture with US-based Loft Orbital that ranks as the Middle East's first private space infrastructure company, building commercial satellites at scale.
Orbitworks' flagship programme, Altair, is a multi-sensor, AI-enabled Earth observation constellation combining optical, hyperspectral, thermal, infrared and passive RF payloads with onboard processing. The venture designs, builds, tests and operates satellite systems at its assembly, integration and testing facility in the Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi (Kezad), producing satellites for regional and international customers.
'New space economy'
Syed Basar Shueb, CEO of IHC, said space is becoming an increasingly important part of the global technology and infrastructure landscape, with applications extending across communications, Earth observation, data, AI and many other sectors.
"This acquisition gives IHC a strategic position in the new space economy and provides Marlan Space with access to the Group's capital, capabilities and Dynamic Value Networks to accelerate its next phase of growth," he said.
Hamdullah Mohib, CEO of Marlan Space, said the company has been built to establish globally competitive space capabilities from Abu Dhabi and to connect the UAE with the best technology and expertise internationally.
"With IHC as our majority shareholder, we will have an even stronger platform to scale our capabilities, deepen our partnerships and pursue opportunities across the global space economy. Our focus remains on building infrastructure and technologies that can serve the UAE while competing globally," he added.
The acquisition comes as the global space economy undergoes significant transformation, driven by declining launch costs, growing demand for satellite-enabled data and services, and rising investment in sovereign space capabilities.
The Marlan Space deal is IHC's latest in a string of acquisitions this year. The Abu Dhabi conglomerate has been on an active dealmaking run through 2026, including entering Pakistan's banking sector through a majority stake in First Women Bank Limited, taking a 70 per cent stake in Peko Holdings, and increasing its shareholding in Invictus Investment Company.
IHC has also been executing an approved Dh5 billion share buyback programme alongside a series of subsidiary-level transactions across chemicals, financial services and other sectors.
Khaleej Times
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