As cities across the world grapple with the imperatives of energy efficiency and climate resilience, SureFlow’s mission to democratize smart city technology through accessible AI-driven solutions feels both urgent and inevitable.
By Ghulam Haider
In an era defined by relentless technological acceleration and a global race toward sustainable urban futures, the choices made by forward-looking companies are more than just business decisions — they are strategic signals shaping the cities of tomorrow. Few embody this vision as compellingly as SureFlow, an AI-powered innovator at the forefront of smart energy solutions. At the heart of this momentum stands Mr. Sebastien Dui, SureFlow’s dynamic Chief Executive Officer, whose recent decision to relocate the company’s Research & Development (R&D) Centre to Dubai offers a window into the evolving calculus of global innovation hubs.
Dubai, with its magnetic blend of state-of-the-art infrastructure, progressive governance, and unmatched connectivity, has long sought to position itself as a crossroads of East and West — a place where ambitious ideas and global talent converge. For Mr. Sebastien Dui, the Emirate’s appeal goes far beyond glossy skyscrapers and tax incentives. It lies in the ecosystem: a place designed to remove friction, accelerate innovation, and welcome the brightest minds with open arms.
As cities across the world grapple with the imperatives of energy efficiency and climate resilience, SureFlow’s mission to democratize smart city technology through accessible AI-driven solutions feels both urgent and inevitable.
In his exclusive conversation with DNTV, Mr. Sebastien Dui shares why Dubai is more than just a new corporate address, how its forward-thinking policies foster a culture of innovation, and why SureFlow’s seamless, inclusive approach to energy management could be a defining pillar of the smart cities we have yet to imagine. Here are the excerpts of the interview;
DNTV: Why did SureFlow decide to move its R&D Centre to Dubai?
Mr. Sebastien Dui: The decision to create our R&D Centre in Dubai was driven by several key operational advantages that directly impact our ability to innovate and scale globally.
It made perfect sense to us to relocate to such an environment that actively embraces technological innovation accelerates our development cycles.
Our decision was based multiple positive aspects that Dubai offers. The talent availability here is remarkable, Dubai naturally attracts top-tier professionals from around the world, because it is such an inviting city to live and work in. And the onboarding and visa processes for international talent is remarkably smooth, we can bring in specialists from different countries and have them integrated and productive within a few weeks.
We have built a team and created a cross-cultural work environment, where our teams combine expertise from all continents of the world, bringing diverse perspectives to energy challenges that are truly global in nature. Since we’re currently building diverse business development teams to promote our systems in multiple cities worldwide, ad having team members who understand infrastructure challenges and business cultures across different regions is essential for our global expansion strategy.
And from a business point of view, what truly sets Dubai apart is how smoothly and quickly everything operates. The business infrastructure is so efficiently designed, regulatory processes are streamlined, administrative tasks are accurately executed. Enabling our teams to dedicate 100% of their energy to developing cutting-edge AI algorithms and IoT solutions, rather than navigating bureaucratic hindrances.
Not only that, but the logistics also here work seamlessly as well, and the airline connectivity is exceptional, having direct flights to many destinations is outstanding. This is very important to us, as we are currently promoting our systems across multiple cities worldwide, so this connectivity and seamless connectivity to global supply chains. helps us reach these markets with ease, as we continue to establish business relations and promote our solutions across the continents, and this applies to both passengers and cargo.
Even the Dubai Customs operations are remarkably streamlined and efficient. Dubai understands the needs of innovative companies, and it offers simplified procedures for importing and exporting development materials and equipment which is crucial for our hardware development and global distribution, as it helps us move our hardware development processes faster. And its world-class clearance and processing systems for both passengers and cargo, affordable logistics costs and minimal bureaucracy with no delays, greatly supports our business planning.
All these advantages, help us greatly in focusing only on our innovative work, as we feel that we have one job, focus on our innovative R&D, because Dubai has taken care of everything else.
DNTV: How do you view Dubai as an international financial centre and as a strategic business hub for the GCC and the Middle East?
Mr. Sebastien Dui: Dubai is already one of the main financial centres of the world which increasingly becoming more attractive, no surprise that family offices and investment funds are increasingly deciding to relocate t, as it’s notably becoming the place to be, and to get connected with the ease of communication and business opportunities it provides.
Venture capitalists, investment funds and asset managers from across the globe, find the city to be a safe and stable place for their businesses and investments. That’s why they decided to become frequent visitors or establish a permanent business entity here.
This is one of the many reasons that positioned Dubai as the perfect business hub in the region.
DNTV: How do you perceive the Dubai Government’s initiatives to attract global investors and talent into the emirate?
Mr. Sebastien Dui: The Dubai Government’s approach is refreshingly forward-looking. Initiatives like the Golden Visa program, demonstrate a genuine commitment to retaining global talent, something I have experienced myself as a Golden Visa holder, and with our international team members as I’ve expressed earlier, the talent pool here is truly world-class. It feels good to find yourself welcome somewhere because of what you develop and innovate, and the government of Dubai encourages welcoming a stable stream of talent. This stability allows us to invest in long-term R&D projects with confidence.
Senior talents move here for the quality of life, as well as the quality of education for their kids. And starting from early years school years to higher education, is becoming a very inviting incentive for families from all over the world to move and build the future of their children here, complemented by the wider quality of life and safety.
What sets Dubai apart is how the government actively facilitates innovation rather than just regulating it. Programs supporting AI development, smart city initiatives, and green technology adoption create an environment where companies like SureFlow can thrive.
The government’s commitment to economic diversification through technology and innovation creates a sustainable foundation for growth.
With talents feeling welcome, investors assured safety, entrepreneurs feeling incentivised, no wonder that innovative companies and investors find Dubai to be the perfect meeting point, to build a future for their businesses and investments.
DNTV: Do you believe SureFlow’s AI-driven devices are an ideal fit for smart cities?
Mr. Sebastien Dui: Absolutely, and This is a cornerstone of our strategic roadmap. SureFlow’s AI Energy Suite addresses one of the most fundamental challenges in smart city development: making advanced technology accessible and beneficial for all residents while achieving city-wide sustainability goals.
Our Do-It-Yourself, easy to install sensors and predictive analytics transform existing infrastructure into intelligent systems without the massive capital expenditure typically associated with smart city implementations. As no modifications are required to integrate our solutions to the infrastructure of smart cities. Enabling faster and cost-effective integration from day one.
What makes our solution particularly suited for smart cities is our focus on inclusive technology. Our AI operates in the background, requiring minimal digital literacy from residents while delivering maximum benefits. This ensures that smart city advantages reach all demographics, from tech-savvy millennials to elderly residents who might otherwise be excluded from digital transformation.
At the household-level, our solutions enable residents to prevent over-consumption and achieve budget enforcement, while on the larger smart city-scale, the aggregate optimization patterns reinforce smart cities with energy efficient operations.
Our scalable solutions can detect major water leaks, optimize solar panel usage on a city-scale based on analysis of peak times and lowest energy tariffs, which encourages the maximisation of solar energy reliance, whether it’s off-grid photo-voltaic panels or electric vehicles chargers, and our insights are also capable of going all the way into the household level, to recommend the best time to run a home appliance, and individual household small solar installations.
As not everything can be run at the same time, without consumer budgets being affected with over consumption and lack of consideration for energy tariffs, SureFlow comes in as the AI guardian to make everything work efficiently on all levels, from individual households to the entire smart city community. Our platform’s ability to scale from individual households to entire districts while maintaining unified monitoring and control makes it ideal for cities planning phased smart city deployments. Smart cities authorities get comprehensive visibility into resource consumption patterns, enabling data-driven urban planning decisions.
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