Abu Dhabi is putting real money behind local entrepreneurship. At the MZN Hub71 Demo Day, three Emirati startups have been awarded support packages of up to AED 100,000 each. Founders achieved this by completing a three-month course designed to transform early concepts into viable businesses.
The program is part of a collaboration between the Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development and Hub71, the tech ecosystem arm of Abu Dhabi. Together, they provided young entrepreneurs with more than just a paycheck. Before enrolling in larger startup accelerators, founders were mentored, given hands-on guidance, and given direct access to investors and industry experts.
17 Emirati startups took part, working across AI, health tech, climate tech, fintech, and agritech. After pitching to a panel from KFED and Hub71, three stood out. Limb, an AI-powered platform helping patients recover through remote physiotherapy, took first place and AED 100,000 in support.
Reach LLM, a startup helping brands show up better across AI search tools, came second with AED 60,000. Hign Al Khaleej, a marketplace for buying and selling camels across the Gulf, placed third and received AED 40,000.
The 12-week program wasn't light on substance and ran 21 sessions covering everything from product building to fundraising, with experts from both government and private companies pitching in to sharpen these young businesses.
This effort fits into Abu Dhabi's bigger plan, one focused on backing founders early, before they even have a finished product. By pairing money with mentorship, the emirate hopes these startups grow into companies that add real value to its economy for years to come.