RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Nov. 26, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — CIQ, a US-based leader in enterprise-grade open-source software infrastructure, has announced the opening of its new regional headquarters in the Gulf region. This strategic expansion aims to leverage CIQ’s expertise in high-performance computing (HPC) and artificial intelligence (AI) to support the Middle East’s rapid digital transformation, particularly in alignment with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.
Founded by open-source pioneer Gregory Kurtzer, who co-founded CentOS and established Rocky Linux, CIQ has positioned itself as a key player in merging traditional HPC with modern AI workloads. Its product portfolio includes Rocky Linux and its AI-enhanced variants RLC-AI and RLC-H, as well as Fuzzball, Warewulf Pro, and Ascender Pro. These offerings enable organizations to build secure and scalable digital infrastructures without vendor lock-in, streamlining the deployment of performance-intensive computing solutions.
The timing of CIQ’s entry into the Gulf region coincides with substantial investments in AI infrastructure and data sovereignty across the Middle East. As nations embark on giga-scale projects, there is a pressing need for the performance, security, and transparency that have characterized HPC environments for years. CIQ’s extensive experience in the global HPC community, coupled with innovations like RLC-AI and its collaboration with NVIDIA to integrate CUDA, uniquely positions the company to aid the region’s shift toward AI-driven workloads.
Rocky Linux, which has emerged as a leading Enterprise Linux platform, has captured over 40% of the market just four years after its launch. CIQ’s commercial offerings enhance this foundation by providing enterprise-grade support, security hardening, and AI-optimized kernel enhancements, allowing organizations to reduce deployment times from weeks to mere minutes. From its new regional hub, CIQ will tailor solutions to meet the distinct demands of Gulf organizations.
Among CIQ’s offerings is RLC-AI, which delivers out-of-the-box optimizations for AI model training and inference, significantly reducing configuration times. RLC-H focuses on security, providing proactively secured systems through validated supply chains for various sectors including government, energy, healthcare, and finance. CIQ also emphasizes HPC-grade performance with tools like Fuzzball and Warewulf Pro, enabling federated computing across hybrid cloud and on-premises environments.
In addition to its product offerings, CIQ plans to establish training and certification programs for Gulf-based developers and collaborate with universities and research centers to develop local engineering expertise tailored for enterprise customers. Adam Jackson has been appointed as the regional head to spearhead CIQ’s growth and partnerships throughout the Gulf and Middle East. “The future of computing in the Middle East will be defined by organizations that control their infrastructure from the base OS to AI at scale,” Jackson stated. He highlighted that CIQ’s solutions bring the performance, transparency, and sovereignty that have long supported US research and HPC environments, now adapted for the region’s ambitions.
Bjorn Hovland, chief operating officer of CIQ, remarked that the Gulf region’s investments in AI infrastructure necessitate the same performance and security standards that have historically defined HPC. He emphasized CIQ’s commitment to empowering organizations in the region to take ownership of their computing futures with an open-source foundation that fosters data sovereignty and transparency, backed by enterprise-grade support for sustained success.
CIQ’s establishment in the Gulf region not only enhances its capacity to support local enterprises but also signifies a broader trend in the global tech landscape, where the integration of AI into traditional IT frameworks is becoming paramount. As the Middle East continues to invest in advanced technologies, the collaboration between CIQ and local entities may play a crucial role in shaping the future of computing in the region.
For more information about CIQ and its product portfolio, visit ciq.com/products/rocky-linux/.
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