Partnership strengthens sovereign manufacturing of secure data protection systems in the UAE.
ABU DHABI: EDGE entity KATIM, a leading provider of data protection solutions, has partnered with Kerno Enterprises (Kerno), the UAE’s first enterprise-grade IT hardware manufacturer, to support the local production of KATIM products in the country.
The move builds on KATIM’s existing sovereign capabilities in design and development.
The partnership will strengthen in-country manufacturing and integration capabilities for network encryption technologies, supporting the UAE’s efforts to enhance data sovereignty and achieve greater technological independence in critical infrastructure.
Network encryptor
The agreement was signed by Didier Pagnoux, CEO of KATIM, and Christopher Caswell, Co-Founder and CEO of Kerno Enterprises, during the Make it in the Emirates 2026 event.
KATIM Gateway is a sovereign-grade, post-quantum-resistant network encryptor designed to secure high-bandwidth data flows across core networks, data centres, and mission-critical operations.
The first phase of in-country production will focus on the X9001 and X9001-R devices—portable versions of the KATIM Gateway—before expanding to the X9011, a large-scale data encryption solution.
Didier Pagnoux, CEO of KATIM, said: “This partnership marks another step in the UAE’s journey towards full technological sovereignty.
“By manufacturing and integrating Gateway devices locally, EDGE Group plays a key role in strengthening national resilience, ensuring data protection even in highly sensitive, volatile, and critical environments.
“We remain committed to delivering reliable, end-to-end sovereign solutions under all conditions, without interruption.”
Christopher Caswell, Co-Founder and CEO of Kerno Enterprises, added: “This partnership with EDGE and KATIM reflects a shared commitment to strengthening the UAE’s control over its most critical infrastructure. It is not only about performance, but also about trust, security, and independence.
“At KERNO, we are building the capability to manufacture and support advanced systems locally. Together, we are enabling secure, sovereign infrastructure that can be deployed and maintained within the UAE, particularly in environments where there is no margin for compromise.”
