IHC Acquires Majority Stake in Marlan Holding to Boost UAE Space Economy

International Holding Company (IHC), a prominent Abu Dhabi-based conglomerate, is set to acquire an 80% majority stake in Marlan Holding. This strategic acquisition, conducted through IHC's subsidiary International Tech Group, aims to bolster IHC's portfolio within the burgeoning deep tech and new space economy.

Marlan Holding is the parent company of Marlan Space, an investor-operator focused on space and related technologies. Its portfolio includes space systems, autonomous operations, and advanced computing. Marlan Space also established and operates Orbitworks, a private space infrastructure company based in Abu Dhabi, which is a joint venture with US-based Loft Orbital.

Advancing Space Infrastructure

Orbitworks designs, builds, tests, and operates satellite systems from its facility in Kezad. One of its key initiatives is Altair, a multi-sensor, AI-enabled Earth observation constellation. This program incorporates multiple satellites combining optical, hyperspectral, thermal, infrared, and passive RF payloads with onboard processing capabilities. The acquisition is expected to provide Marlan Space with access to IHC's capital and extensive value networks, accelerating its growth.

Global Impact and AI Integration

Further demonstrating its ambition, Marlan Space and Loft Orbital announced a $1 billion investment in France for Altair-Next Gen, which is described as the "world's largest artificial intelligence satellite infrastructure." This initial phase will involve 50 satellites, built at the Orbitworks facility in Kezad, carrying radar, optical, and other sensors. These satellites are designed to serve governmental users in France, Europe, and the UAE, as well as global commercial and sovereign customers.

The Altair-Next Gen satellites feature in-orbit analysis capabilities, allowing users to receive alerts within seconds, a significant improvement over conventional systems that take hours to process data. This rapid response is crucial for applications such as maritime domain awareness, wildfire detection, disaster response, and the security of critical infrastructure. Services will be accessible through an AI application store, enabling various providers to run their models on shared satellites, thereby maximizing the constellation's utility.