Abu Dhabi, UAE/Atella, Italy – The United Arab Emirates’ advanced technology and defence group, EDGE, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the region of Basilicata to explore opportunities for industrial collaboration, knowledge exchange, and talent development.

The MoU was signed in Atella, Italy, during an official EDGE delegation visit to Costruzioni Motori Diesel (CMD), the Italian propulsion specialist in which EDGE has agreed to acquire a controlling stake. It was formalised by Hamad Al Marar, Managing Director and CEO of EDGE, and Vito Bardi, President of Basilicata, with the signing ceremony also attended by H.E. Abdulla Ali Al Subousi, UAE Ambassador to Italy; Giuseppe Telesca, Mayor of Atella; and Francesco Somma, President of Confindustria Basilicata.

The visit reinforces EDGE's open ecosystem approach to international growth, which extends beyond individual companies to engage with the wider industrial, governmental, and academic landscape of the regions in which it operates. The MoU supports this engagement in practice, with both parties working to identify future opportunities that strengthen industrial capabilities, accelerate innovation, and contribute to sustainable regional growth, reflecting a broader recognition that capability is built through strong ecosystems and lasting partnerships.

ENDS

About EDGE

Launched in November 2019, the UAE’s EDGE is one of the world’s leading advanced technology groups, established to develop agile, bold and disruptive solutions for defence and beyond, and to be a catalyst for change and transformation. It is dedicated to bringing breakthrough innovations, products, and services to market with greater speed and efficiency, to position the UAE as a leading global hub for future industries, and to creating clear paths within the sector for the next generation of highly skilled talent to thrive.

With a focus on the adoption of 4IR technologies, EDGE is driving the development of sovereign capabilities for global export and for the preservation of national security, working with front-line operators, international partners, and adopting advanced technologies such as autonomous capabilities, cyber-physical systems, advanced propulsion systems, robotics and smart materials. EDGE converges R&D, emerging technologies, digital transformation, and commercial market innovations with military capabilities to develop disruptive solutions tailored to the specific requirements of its customers. Headquartered in Abu Dhabi, capital of the UAE, EDGE consolidates more than 35 entities into five core clusters: Platforms & Systems, Missiles & Weapons, Space & Cyber Technologies, Technologies & Industrialisation, and Homeland Security.

For more information, visit edgegroup.com

For media enquiries, please contact:
EDGE Group Press Office
media@edgegroup.ae

About CMD

Founded in 1989 by the Negri family, the company has been designing, prototyping, and developing engines and propulsion engineering solutions for over 30 years. The business, originally founded with the traditional automotive sector, has evolved over time, thanks in part to the generational shift, expanding its expertise to new sectors, from nautical to aeronautical, from energy to defense, until today positioning itself as a technological partner for the provision of flexible and cutting-edge propulsion solutions, with prestigious international clients. He joined the Elite program of Borsa Italiana in 2012. With over 220 employees and a 2025 turnover of approximately €40 million (up from €38.5 million in 2024), the company represents a technological excellence in Southern Italy, where it has always operated: in Atella, in the province of Potenza, with four production plants, and in nearby Campania, with the R&D center and administrative offices in the municipality of San Nicola La Strada (CE). After a few years of opening up to foreign capital, in January 2026 an extraordinary reverse buyout operation returned 100% of the shareholding to Italian hands, those of the founding family.

www.cmdengine.com