Four MZN x Hub71 startups recognised at the Khalifa Fund Entrepreneurship Competition

Four startups from the inaugural MZN x Hub71 cohort have been named winners at the second Khalifa Fund Entrepreneurship Competition, marking an important milestone for the founders and signalling the momentum behind Emirati entrepreneurs building technology ventures from Al Ain.

TAIA, SouqView, AIN by TYAR and Nabdh were recognised for solutions spanning education, financial services, sustainable agriculture and healthcare. Each startup is addressing a different challenge, but they share a common ambition: applying technology to real-world problems that impact people day to day, in classrooms, clinics, markets and farms across the region.

Organised by Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development, the annual competition recognises entrepreneurs and startups developing innovative solutions that contribute to Abu Dhabi's economic priorities. It combines a multi-stage selection process with intensive bootcamps, mentorship and live pitches before standout ventures are recognized across several innovation categories.

This year’s competition attracted 509 entrepreneurs, startups and young talents from across Abu Dhabi. Of those, 57 startups progressed to an intensive bootcamp, where founders received mentorship and guidance to refine their ideas and strengthen their business models ahead of the final judging stage.

Applying AI to education and healthcare

TAIA, founded by Hind Aljneibi, received an AI Innovation Award for a platform that supports educators by automating grading, lesson planning and student performance tracking.

By reducing the time teachers spend on administrative work, TAIA aims to help educators focus more closely on student engagement and personalised learning. Its solution can assess both paper-based and digital work, demonstrating how AI can be applied to everyday classroom challenges in a practical and accessible way.

Nabdh, founded by Afra Alahbabi, also received an AI Innovation award for an Arabic-language clinical assistant.

The platform supports doctors by automating medical documentation and administrative tasks, including real-time transcription and translation. By streamlining clinical workflows, Nabdh reduces the administrative burden on healthcare professionals and gives them more time to focus on patient care. Its Arabic-first approach reflects the value of developing solutions that around the specific linguistic and operational needs of the region.

Making investment knowledge more accessible

SouqView, founded by Mohammed Al Nasri, won the FinTech Sector Award for its AI-powered investment-learning platform.

The startup is working to make financial markets easier to understand by simplifying stock analysis, providing predictive insights and enabling users to practise investment mechanisms in an educational environment.

For many first-time investors, access to information is not always the challenge; understanding that information is. SouqView is addressing this gap by helping users develop stronger financial literacy and approach investment decisions with greater confidence.

Supporting more sustainable agriculture

AIN by TYAR, founded by Mohammed Almehrezi, received the Sustainability Innovation Award for AI-enabled irrigation and farm-management technology.

The solution pairs solar-powered sensors and controllers with an intelligent platform that helps farmers monitor conditions and manage water more efficiently. Designed for agriculture in arid environments, the technology can reduce irrigation water consumption by between 20 and 50 per cent.

In a region where water conservation is a strategic priority, AIN by TYAR shows how innovative technology can strengthen agricultural productivity while conserving limited natural resources.

An early milestone for MZN x Hub71

The four winning startups are part of the first MZN x Hub71 cohort, which brought together 17 Emirati founders selected from more than 370 applications. Delivered by Hub71 in partnership with Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development, the programme supports early-stage founders as they develop, validate and prepare their ventures to enter the market.

The recognition earned by TAIA, SouqView, AIN by TYAR and Nabdh highlights the breadth of innovation emerging from Al Ain, with founders applying technology to address challenges across education, healthcare, financial services and sustainable agriculture.

As these founders continue to build, their early success offers an indication of the entrepreneurial talent emerging from the emirate and reinforces the role of programmes such as MZN x Hub71 in supporting the next generation of Emirati founders.