United Arab Emirates

Abu Dhabi

#41-50

Emerging Ecosystem

#4

MENA ECOSYSTEM
Members: Hub71

#2

MENA Ecosystem in AI-Native Cluster

#4

MENA Ecosystem in R&D engine

#4

MENA Ecosystem in Performance
Abu Dhabi’s progress in the Global Startup Ecosystem Report reflects a deliberate national strategy to build a globally-competitive economy driven by technology, entrepreneurship, and international collaboration.
H.E. Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi
H.E. Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi
Chairman, Hub71

Highlights

Abu Dhabi has emerged as a major innovation center in the Middle East, leveraging sovereign investment, international partnerships, and specialized startup platforms to accelerate growth across technology-driven sectors. Central to this landscape is Hub71, Abu Dhabi’s global tech ecosystem, that provides founders with access to capital, market, and talent.

Abu Dhabi is investing heavily in advanced computing infrastructure to support the next generation of AI-enabled companies. In May 2025, Hub71 partnered with Google to launch the Google for Startups Accelerator within the Hub71+ AI vertical, selecting 28 startups to participate in a three-month program offering global mentorship and access to up to $300,000 in cloud credits for top-performing startups to scale AI-driven technologies from Abu Dhabi.

In September 2025, Hub71 welcomed its 17th cohort of startups, with 26 companies joining, the most AI-focused cohort in the ecosystem's history. Over 80% of the startups develop AI-driven solutions across sectors such as Healthtech, Fintech, and Climatetech. The same year, Abu Dhabi’s Technology Innovation Institute partnered with Nvidia to launch the first Nvidia AI Technology Center in the Middle East, focusing on next-generation AI models and robotics systems.

In October 2025, Abu Dhabi-based AI company G42 announced progress on the Stargate UAE AI campus, with the first 200-megawatt phase expected to come online in 2026 as part of a multi-gigawatt computing complex designed to power large-scale AI research and commercial applications.

The Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry Roadmap 2025–2028 and the Abu Dhabi Government Digital Strategy 2025–2027 integrate AI across government services, support private sector growth, and boost global presence.

New industrial partnerships are also expanding Abu Dhabi’s innovation base. In November 2025, Italian Aerospace firm Leonardo and Abu Dhabi Defense Technology group EDGE announced plans to establish a joint venture in the UAE to develop advanced defense systems and sensor technologies, supporting local R&D capabilities and specialized engineering talent.

The Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry announced a new digital platform designed to connect SMEs with large corporations, enabling procurement opportunities and stronger private-sector collaboration.

Ecosystem by the Numbers

ECOSYSTEM VALUE

A measure of economic impact, calculated as the value of exits and startup valuations from H2 2023–2025. Ecosystem Value includes all active unicorns.
(H2 2023 - 2025)
$73 BN
GLOBAL AVG. $25 BN
REGIONAL AVG. $20 BN

ECOSYSTEM VALUE GROWTH

Growth is calculated based on the Ecosystem Value from H2 2018–2020 vs. H2 2023–2025.
(H2 2018 - 2020 VS. H2 2023 - 2025)
3057%
GLOBAL GROWTH 149%
REGIONAL GROWTH 230%

AI-Native Ecosystem Value

A measure of economic impact, calculated as the value of exits and startup valuations from H2 2023–2025 for AI-Native. Ecosystem Value includes all active unicorns.
(H2 2023 - 2025)
$5.4 BN
GLOBAL AVG. $4.4 BN
REGIONAL AVG. $2.1 BN

AI-Native Ecosystem Value Growth

Growth is calculated based on the AI-Native Ecosystem Value from H2 2021–2023 vs. H2 2023–2025.
(H2 2021 - 23 VS. H2 2023 - 25)
351%
GLOBAL GROWTH 161%
REGIONAL GROWTH 47%

AI-Native Early Stage Funding Growth

AI-Native Early-Stage Funding (ESF) Count Growth Tier evaluates the growth in the number of Early-Stage Funding rounds between 2022–23 and 2024–25. Ecosystems are scored on a scale from 1 to 10, where 1 represents the lowest growth and 10 represents the highest.
(2022-23 vs. 2024-25)
8
Scale of 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest)

AI-Native Early Stage Funding Growth

AI-Native Early-Stage Funding (ESF) Count Growth Tier evaluates the growth in the number of Early-Stage Funding rounds between 2022–23 and 2024–25. Ecosystems are scored on a scale from 1 to 10, where 1 represents the lowest growth and 10 represents the highest.
(2022-23 vs. 2024-25)
9
Scale of 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest)

TOTAL VC FUNDING

The Total VC funding (Seed, Series A, Series B+) in tech startups in 2021–2025.
(2021 - 2025)
$4.8 BN
GLOBAL AVG. $5 BN
REGIONAL AVG. $4 BN

TOTAL EARLY–STAGE FUNDING

The total Seed and Series A funding in tech startups in H2 2023–2025.
(H2 2023 - 2025)
$466 M
GLOBAL AVG. $554 M
REGIONAL AVG. $497 M

EXIT AMOUNT

The total value of exits from the ecosystem.
(2021 - 2025)
$3 BN
GLOBAL AVG. $7.6 BN
REGIONAL AVG. $4.9 BN

EXIT COUNT (#)

The number of exits from the ecosystem.
(2021 - 2025)
39
3
2021
10
2022
8
2023
12
2024
6
2025
GLOBAL AVG. 103
REGIONAL AVG. 47

TIME TO EXIT

The average age at the time of exit in the ecosystem in 2021–2025.
(2021 - 2025)
7.7 YEARS
GLOBAL AVG. 11.1 years
REGIONAL AVG. 9.2 YEARS

NUMBER OF UNICORNS 

The number of startups that meet our definition and have been valued at more than $1 billion and have not exited.
(ACTIVE UNICORNS)
4
GLOBAL AVG. 11
REGIONAL AVG. 16

MEDIAN SEED ROUND

The median of seed rounds in tech startups in the ecosystem in H2 2023–2025.
(H2 2023 - 2025)
$1 M
GLOBAL AVG. $1 M
REGIONAL AVG. $853 K

Median Series A Round

The median of Series A rounds in tech startups in the ecosystem in H2 2023–2025.
(H2 2023 – 2025)
$9 M
GLOBAL AVG. $6.2 M
REGIONAL AVG. $5.9 M

Top Funded Startups

Top startups identified based on funding amount from July 2023 to December 2025.
(H2 2023-2025)
1: Alpheya
2: Ocean Harvest
3: Opus
4: CredibleX
5: Andalusia Labs

SOFT. ENGINEER SALARY

Average software engineer salary informed by data from Glassdoor, Salary.com, and PayScale, as well as local sources when available.
(2025)
57 K
GLOBAL AVG. $54 K
REGIONAL AVG. $40 K

Sub-Sector Strengths

Fintech
Fintech

Abu Dhabi is a leading Fintech hub driven by strong regulation, sovereign capital, and proactive government-backed initiatives. In December 2025, the Emirate launched the Fintech, Insurance, Digital, and Alternative Assets cluster, designed to connect regulators, startups, and financial institutions while accelerating development of digital asset platforms and alternative financing solutions.

Climatetech
Climatetech

Abu Dhabi advances Climatetech through clean energy investments and strong policy. In December 2023, Hub71 launched Hub71+ ClimateTech to support startups advancing the development of sustainable decarbonization technologies for a net-zero future. In 2025, Hub71 co-hosted a series of roundtables with industry leaders including GCFC, ADNOC, TAQA, HSBC, and startups to accelerate commercialization pathways for climate technologies. Abu Dhabi’s broader energy transition agenda, driven by national champions TAQA and Masdar, is expanding regional clean energy projects and creating new opportunities for Climatetech innovation.

Web3 and Digital Assets
Web3 and Digital Assets

Web3 and Digital Assets activity in Abu Dhabi continues to expand through ADGM’s progressive virtual asset regulatory framework, attracting global firms across trading, custody, and tokenization services. Since launching in 2023, Hub71+ Digital Assets has onboarded more than 40 startups and convened leading Blockchain ecosystems including Solana, Chainlink, Avalanche, Polygon, and TON. Global digital asset firms and investors such as Binance, YZi Labs, Cypher Capital, Animoca Brands, and Hashgraph Ventures have also established a presence in ADGM, strengthening access to capital and ecosystem support for founders building from Abu Dhabi.

Selected Startup Organizations

Startup Genome Members

MEMBER
Hub71

Hub71 is Abu Dhabi’s global tech ecosystem that enables founders to build globally-enduring homegrown tech companies in any sector by providing access to global markets, a capital ecosystem, a global network of partners, and a vibrant community filled with highly-skilled talent governed by forward-thinking regulation. Backed by the Government of Abu Dhabi and Mubadala Investment Company, Hub71 is growing its vibrant community of tech startups, investors, government, and corporate partners to ensure the availability of investment, commercial activities, and incentives from the public and private sectors. Through Hub71’s entrepreneurial infrastructure, value-add programs, enabling services, and support packages, founders can build and scale widely-adopted technologies with purpose and impact. Hub71 is on a mission to introduce new minds and technologies to Abu Dhabi, finding new ways to build globally-enduring technology companies and sustain the nation’s continuous economic development.

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If you are interested in working with us to drive global attention to your ecosystem, please get in touch with Marina Krizman, Director of Business Development.

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