Innovation and impact are inextricably linked, and
nowhere is this more apparent than at Hub71.
Abu Dhabi’s rapid rise in the prestigious Startup Genome rankings underlines its status as a top player in the MENA region and a growing force in the global tech ecosystem space.
Looking ahead, Hub71’s trajectory remains steeply upward, with its numerous startups making waves worldwide. It’s more than a global tech ecosystem; it’s a community boldly shaping the future, embracing every challenge, and redefining what’s possible.
In times of rapid and major transformations, fortune favors the ‘Falcons,’ resilient economies able to soar above prevailing headwinds to swoop on opportunities for growth and advancement. Abu Dhabi has risen to not merely sustain but soar in its ambition, further underlining the Emirate’s growing status as a global economic hub.
Reflecting on our journey, Hub71 has emerged as a global tech ecosystem generating impact infused with entrepreneurial spirit.
Our refined approach to ecosystem enablement and startup value creation has been instrumental in unlocking opportunities for startups that join our community.
Total number of startups based at Hub71
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Corporate deals signed with corporate partners in 2022 and 2023
Value of corporate deals signed in 2022 and 2023
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Fintech startups
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Click on a year from the timeline
Hub71 and Masdar City partnered to promote opportunities for CleanTech and ClimateTech startups
Hub71 onboarded 10 partners as part of Hub71+ Digital Assets Hub71 partnered with Singapore Enterprise
Hub71 partnered with Investible to support the growth of tech startups in Abu Dhabi
Hub71 and Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA) partnered to develop AgTech innovations
Hub71 supported ADNOC’s $1 million decarbonization technology challenge
Hub71 onboarded WEMIX as Hub71+ Digital Assets partner
Hub71 and Sanofi joined forces to accelerate healthcare innovation
Hub71 and Wio Bank joined forces to enhance banking for tech startups in Abu Dhabi
Hub71 launched digital Tech Barza platform for family offices to access technology investments in Abu Dhabi
Hub71 partnered with Emirates NBD on Sustainability Challenge Campaign
Hub71 partnered with ADIO to drive research and innovation efforts for Smart and Autonomous Vehicle Industry (SAVI)
Hub71 and Strategic Development Fund signed MoU to support tech innovation in Abu Dhabi
Hub71 welcomed Iliad Partners to its investor community
Hub71 and Seoul Metropolitan Government partnered to foster global entrepreneurship and innovation
Hub71 signed MoU with AI71 to support Ab Dhabi’s efforts to become a global tech hub for emerging technologies
Hub71 onboarded 25 partners as part of Hub71+ ClimateTech
Hub71 and Stride Ventures join forces to foster innovation in Abu Dhabi
Hub71 and Emirates NBD partnered to accelerate FinTech innovation
Click on a year from the timeline
Maalexi closed $1.2 million pre-seed round
Takalam partnered with Dubai National Insurance to provide award-winning mental health platform to DNI customers
Ostaz secured deal with Aldar Education
Revoltech crowned one of four winners of the 2022 FoodTech Challenge
Key2enable won the Zero Project Award
Zywa partnered with Mastercard to empower youth to go cashless
Sarwa, Tarabut, PaySky, and Thndr featured in Forbes top 30 Fintech companies of 2023
Dapi and Mastercard formed strategic partnership to bring seamless A2A payments to UAE
Abhi awarded Technology Pioneer 2023 by World Economic Forum
Lune partnered with SimpliFi to utilise AI in MENAP region
Alma Health secured $10mn funding
Trade Capital and Emirates Development Bank launched supply chain financing for SMEs
Fuze raised $14 million in seed round
Cypherleak raised $750,000 in seed round
Zest Equity secured $3.8 million in seed funding
NymCard and Grubtech named among LinkedIn’s Top 10 Startups in the UAE in 2023
Archireef and Lune received recognition at the Tech Innovation Awards 2023
Remotepass partnered with Hub71 to increase the convenience of remote working for Abu Dhabi startups
Securrency Inc. acquired by DTCC
Lune and Green Future Project partnered to pave the way for Net Zero journeys in banking
Dharma raised $4.7 million in pre-series A round
ACX launched ACX Abu Dhabi exchange and clearing house
Momint won the Best Web3 Startup Award at Global Startup Awards Africa Verofax won the GITEX Supernova Blockchain & Web3 Disruptor Award Sustainable Planet won Better Nutrition award at the United Nations World Food CarbonSifr partnered with Careem, bringing the ‘Eco-friendly’ ride to UAE
28 startups selected as a part of Future 100’s leading enterprise
Fuze partnered with Wio Bank and Al Fardan Exchange for virtual assets trading Archireef partnered with First Abu Dhabi Bank to restore the UAE’s coral reefs EYouth, Zywa, DarDc and Synapse Analytics founders recognized in Forbes Middle East Under 30 list
Click on a year from the timeline
Hub71 named ‘Main Partner’ for the Start track at Step Conference 2024
Hub71 launched Hub71+ Digital Assets paving the way for a new era of innovation and collaboration to advance Web3 and digital assets technologies
Hub71 named Ecosystem Lead Partner at AIM Congress
Hub71 revealed winning startups of The Outliers program to address real industry challenges
Hub71 welcomed 12th cohort of the year comprising 15 startups
Hub71 awarded Ecosystem Enabler of the Year at Leaders in Fintech Awards 2023 by Entrepreneur Magazine
Hub71 partnered with Dealroom to produce data-driven insights on Abu Dhabi’s entrepreneurial ecosystem
Abu Dhabi ranked fastest growing startup ecosystem in MENA in the 2023 Global Startup Ecosystem Report
Hub71 announced revamped Company Building Program that will now provide startups with up to AED 750,000
Hub71 welcomed 23 startups to Cohort 14
Hub71 announced as Tech Ecosystem Partner of Abu Dhabi Finance Week
Hub71 launched Hub71+ ClimateTech to support startups worldwide working on solutions to tackle decarbonization and achieve net zero Hub71 and Hub71 startups participated in COP28
Hub71 has adopted a strategic approach to advancing diverse tech sectors aligned with Abu Dhabi’s economic priorities by launching two new specialist ecosystems in 2023.
Hub71+ Digital Assets, supported by global investment partners, is aimed at unleashing the potential of Web3.
In the year of sustainability, Hub71+ ClimateTech was unveiled at COP28 UAE to grow the sector further and support global startups developing sustainable technologies.
Tapping into innovative technologies like blockchain and AI, it’s set to transform the FinTech sector.
EdTech is set to enhance personalized learning, improve access, and promote innovative training methods.
HealthTech and Life Sciences are set to revolutionize healthcare delivery in Abu Dhabi and beyond.
Abu Dhabi’s Mobility and Logistics sector is gearing up for a significant leap in efficiencies with AI, automation, and data analytics.
Breakthroughs in FoodTech are helping to tackle food security challenges through sustainable practices and technology-driven agriculture.
Abu Dhabi’s gaming sector is set to drive tech innovation and bolster creative industries, becoming a significant economic contributor.
RetailTech is evolving rapidly, leveraging AI, AR, and data analytics to revolutionize shopping experiences in Abu Dhabi and beyond.
Abu Dhabi’s commitment to digital transformation is propelling PropTech to the forefront, making the emirate a hub for innovative real estate solutions.
Brings in specialized venture builders to identify promising business models and create startups around them, fostering innovation from the ground up.
In a year when global FinTech investment declined 48 per cent, the UAE defied this trend, recording a remarkable 92 per cent jump in funding.
Simultaneously, UAE startups raised $371 million in the first nine months of 2023 despite a global decline in Series A valuations. This dynamic funding landscape underscores the crucial role of Hub71 in the region, where it acts as a pivotal bridge connecting startups with a vast network of investors, including SWFs, VC funds, and family offices.
Our approach to cultivating powerful partnerships is grounded in supporting the commercialization of innovative solutions by connecting startups with global investors and industry giants.
Our approach to cultivating powerful partnerships is grounded in supporting the commercialization of innovative solutions by connecting startups with global investors and industry giants.
A prime example is the partnership between Lune, a transaction enrichment and analytics platform, and Green Future Project, which has built a Software-as-a-Service solution for ESG reporting.
ADAFSA: Our partnership with Abu Dhabi’s Agriculture and Food Safety Authority promises to propel innovation in the AgriTech sector by integrating advanced technologies in agriculture, food safety, and biosecurity.
Masdar City: Hub71’s collaboration with Abu Dhabi’s flagship sustainable urban community and innovation hub aims to support clean tech and climate tech startups.
ADNOC: The ADNOC Decarbonization Challenge awarded a $1 million (AED 3.7 million) piloting opportunity to Houston-based Revterra for its novel approach using recycled steel in battery production.
Through the partnership with this venture capital firm from Asia-Pacific, Investible will engage with the Hub71 community, offering mentorship and support, particularly for ClimateTech startups.
The India-based venture debt fund has received regulatory approval to operate in Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM).
Hub71’s partnership with the French pharmaceutical giant focuses on improving patient care and healthcare systems in the UAE and beyond. Sanofi offers Hub71 startups business development opportunities for healthcare innovation, advancing the UAE’s HealthTech industry and promoting collaboration among industry leaders.
Hub71 signed four cross-border partnerships with Pakistan, Singapore, South Korea, and India. In the same year, Abu Dhabi’s global tech ecosystem activated four partnerships in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, France, Singapore, and South Korea.
To expand global market access for startups, Hub71 has established partnerships in 10 countries, focusing on markets with significant talent and technological capabilities. These countries have shown great potential for accessible capital and were selected to align with startup demands.
The world is facing a shortage of tech talent. Hub71 is tackling this challenge head-on by spearheading strategic initiatives to attract and nurture the next generation of experts who will drive technological progress. This is why Hub71 is helping to build a pipeline of talent, tapping into existing relationships with top universities and other organizations, while adding new talent partners all the time.
By collaborating with state-of-the-art laboratories and R&D facilities like the Technology Innovation Institute (TII), Hub71 grants its startups unparalleled access to sophisticated research tools and generous computing power credits. Moreover, the availability of world-class research infrastructure at the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) and Khalifa University (KU) empowers these startups to undertake pioneering research.
Hub71 aims to harness and commercialize IP from local universities, encouraging startups to link with this IP. This initiative not only focuses on commercializing local IP but also exporting new technologies, fostering a cycle of innovation and entrepreneurship.
FULL 2023 IMPACT REPORT