1001 raises £6.8m led by CIV and General Catalyst
This article covers 1001, an AI startup, which has raised £6.8m ($9m) in a pre-seed funding round to build a decision-making platform for complex physical operations such as airports, ports and large infrastructure projects. The development aims to support aviation, logistics and infrastructure operators by applying AI to reduce delays and costs where small inefficiencies can scale into large losses.
1001, an AI startup, has raised £6.8m ($9m) in a pre-seed funding round to build a decision-making platform for complex physical operations such as airports, ports and large infrastructure projects. The raise, led by CIV, General Catalyst and Lux Capital, matters because the company aims to use AI to cut minutes and costs across industries where small inefficiencies scale into large losses.
Why it matters
Airports and ports operate at tight margins and with high sensitivity to minutes of delay. The company cites industry-scale friction — hundreds of millions of passengers handled annually and the statistic that nine out of ten mega-projects run behind schedule or over budget — to argue there is demand for systems that improve operational decision-making. If an AI system can reliably shave minutes from turnarounds or reduce schedule slippage, the financial and capacity impacts could be significant.
Inside the product
1001 is pitching an "AI-native operating system" that ingests live data, maps operations, and applies AI-driven decisioning with oversight and audit trails. The product is positioned to sit in the flow of operations and produce prescriptive actions rather than just analytics. Early work includes pilots with tier-one logistics operators and collaborations with regional developers to test applied AI on large-scale workflows. The company says the funding will accelerate deployments across aviation, logistics and infrastructure, and support hiring in Dubai, London and globally.
Who are the investors?
The round was led by CIV, General Catalyst and Lux Capital. The announcement also lists regional and individual backers including Chris Re, Amjad Masad (Replit), Amira Sajwani (DAMAC, PRYPCO), Khalid Bin Bader Al Saud (RAED) and Hisham Alfalih (Lean).
These names combine US venture capital firepower with regional strategic investors and tech founders. The involvement of General Catalyst and Lux Capital signals continued international VC interest in enterprise AI that addresses physical-world operations, while the regional backers connect the business to MENA infrastructure and development networks.
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Founder perspective
In the announcement, Bilal Abu-Ghazaleh, founder at 1001, said:
We are building an AI-native operating system for decision-making in critical industries. Our aim is simple: make smarter decisions, faster. The platform combines live data ingestion, operational mapping, AI-driven decisioning, and oversight modules designed to turn real-time complexity into clear, auditable action. The future belongs to decision engines that act in the flow of operations, with outcomes you can count and governance you can trust.
The bigger picture
1001's raise sits at the intersection of two trends: the push to industrialise AI beyond lab models, and growing interest in applied systems that tie software to heavy industry and logistics. The company’s MENA roots and its hiring plans in London mirror how founders are building regionally grounded products with global markets in mind. The deal also reflects growing interest from AI investors in startups focused on operational decisioning rather than purely generative or consumer-facing tools.
As 1001 moves from pilots to early deployments, its progress will be a useful case study for UK and European investors watching whether applied AI can deliver predictable, auditable savings in sectors where minutes translate directly into margins.
They've invested in 1001
Get to know these AI investors
| Investors | Investment Focus | Startup Investments | Round Size | Connect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 CIV( ) | ||||
 General Catalyst( ) GC is an investment and transformation company that partners with entrepreneurs ... London  | ||||
 Lux Capital( ) | ||||
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| Angel Investors | Location | Connect | Investment Focus | Startup Investments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Amjad Masad | ||||
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