Eric Roberts Doha, Qatar, 19th February 2026, ZEX PR WIRE, Qirtas App, a dual-interface digital platform headquartered in Istanbul and Malmo, announced its mission to bridge the global gap in Arabic literature accessibility following its successful showcase in the Alpha Startup category at Web Summit Qatar. By integrating cutting-edge AI production tools with a seamless streaming interface, Qirtas is providing the technical infrastructure needed to digitize the fragmented $4 billion Arab publishing market.
Despite a global population of 430 million Arabic speakers, the publishing industry has long been hampered by prohibitive shipping costs, high piracy rates, and a lack of digital infrastructure. Qirtas App addresses these systemic barriers through a twofold solution: a freemium streaming platform for readers and a sophisticated digital management backend for publishers.
Empowering Publishers through the “AI Production Suite”
Qirtas is not merely a distributor; it is a catalyst for digital transformation. For traditional publishers, the platform offers a dedicated portal to convert physical catalogs into secure, monetizable digital assets.
AI-Automated Production: The platform utilizes proprietary AI to automatically generate high-quality audiobooks and smart summaries, drastically reducing the time and cost barriers that previously prevented publishers from entering the digital space.
Institutional Security: With advanced Digital Rights Management (DRM) and real-time reader analytics, publishers maintain full control over their intellectual property while gaining unprecedented insights into global consumption patterns.
The Future of the Arab Reading Experience
For the global Arab diaspora, Qirtas offers a comprehensive streaming library featuring Qirtas AI, an interactive reading assistant that provides instant translation, text-to-speech narration, and social integration.
“The Arab publishing world is rich in content but starved of modern distribution,” said Tamer Odeh, CEO of Qirtas App. “With Qirtas, we are removing the friction. We aren’t just giving readers an app; we are giving publishers the tools to survive and thrive in a digital-first economy.”
Alaa Barghouth, COO of Qirtas App, added: “Our participation in Web Summit Qatar has confirmed the massive appetite for this technology. We have already secured commitments from major publishing houses ready to onboard their catalogs. We are now focused on scaling our infrastructure to meet this demand.”
Market Opportunity & Investment
The digital publishing segment in the MENA region is currently valued at $400 million and is experiencing rapid year-over-year growth. Having validated its model with early industry commitments, Qirtas App is currently open for pre-seed investment to accelerate its market launch and expand its AI-driven production capabilities.
For more information or to inquire about partnership opportunities, visit qirtasapp.com.
About Qirtas App
Qirtas is a Swedish-Turkish “Deep-Tech” publishing platform dedicated to revitalizing Arabic literature. By combining AI-powered content production with a global streaming model, Qirtas connects 430 million Arabic speakers with the books they love, while providing publishers with the tools to digitize and protect their heritage.
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