Tala Khlat shares insights on how the Innovate For Tomorrow programme is shaping sustainability-led scale-ups and accelerating the UAE’s circular economy ambitions.
Dubai Holding is stepping up its commitment to sustainability-led innovation with the latest edition of its Innovate For Tomorrow Impact Accelerator. The programme is designed to fast-track scale-ups developing solutions in circularity, resource regeneration, and digital innovation. Tala Khlat, Associate Director of Philanthropy, shared insights with Tahawultech.com on how the accelerator is helping ventures move from concept to commercial deployment — and why building a resilient, circular economy requires long-term collaboration across the UAE’s innovation ecosystem.
Interview Excerpts:
How does Dubai Holding’s Innovate For Tomorrow Impact Accelerator bridge the gap between innovation and impact — and what makes its approach to sustainability-driven entrepreneurship distinct in the UAE’s evolving innovation landscape?
The Innovate For Tomorrow Impact Accelerator bridges the gap between innovation and impact by inviting scale-ups to address critical circularity challenges across the UAE’s most vital sectors. We focus on food loss and waste, resource recovery and regeneration and digital innovation that delivers real-world solutions. This year, we designed an intensive 12-week hybrid training programme in which we closely collaborate with selected scale-ups from solution to implementation, including dedicated mentorship and expert-led masterclasses to strengthen business models and accelerate market entry. This comprehensive support, combined with access to our vast ecosystem, distinguishes Innovate For Tomorrow Impact Accelerator and provides a critical launchpad to scale-ups looking to deliver tangible, sustainable and economic impact.
Once a scale-up wins the Innovate For Tomorrow Impact Accelerator, what support mechanisms are in place to help it move from prototype to scalable solution — particularly in connecting with partners, integrators or resellers who can accelerate its market expansion?
The winner will receive a fully funded opportunity to pilot their solution within our Group’s diverse portfolio, which helps them gain real-world testing and validation. The winner and two runners-up will also receive cash prizes from an Dh850,000 pool as well as one-year access to TECOM Group’s in5 incubator programme, where they can continue scaling their business within a proven entrepreneurial ecosystem. We will work with the winning scale-up every step of the way to turn their solution into a success story while integrating investor engagements throughout to help build relations early, not just at the end.
What differentiates this programme is that it doesn’t end with a pitch, it ends with proof. Four of last year’s finalists have signed contracts with Dubai Holding to continue developing innovative projects within our portfolio.
How is Dubai Holding ensuring that sustainability is not just a selection criterion but a continuous driver of growth for the scale-ups nurtured under Innovate For Tomorrow’s ecosystem?
Sustainability is fundamental to our accelerator. It’s a core driver of growth. We exclusively target scale-ups looking to reimagine the lifecycle of critical resources using inclusive, tech-enabled and regenerative solutions. By focusing on transforming consumption, ownership and production within Dubai Holding’s key sectors, we aim to elevate businesses whose competitive edge – and founding purpose – is sustainability. This approach aims to drive the critical transition to a more sustainable tomorrow and support the UAE Net Zero by 2050 strategic initiative and the UAE Circular Economy Policy 2031 far beyond our programme’s timeframe.
Can you share examples of how the programme’s partnerships — whether with corporates, government entities or accelerators — are helping startups achieve tangible regional scale and long-term commercial viability?
Innovate For Tomorrow Impact Accelerator actively leverages its network to propel scale-ups to the next stage, and our partnerships with TECOM Group PJSC’s business incubator in5 and Bolt Consultancy are critical to that mission. in5 provides proven expertise and extended networks through which participants can pursue further funding and partnership opportunities. It provides scale-ups with access to purpose-built infrastructure, including prototyping labs and cutting-edge facilities, and a supportive community of more than 1,000 start-ups across the tech, media, science and design industries. Bolt helps ensure our programme is seamless and cutting-edge. It lends invaluable expertise in managing the needs of scale-ups and connects participants with a broader stakeholder network to promote growth. Even our portfolio, which spans 10 sectors, provides a considerable landscape for scale-ups to achieve tangible regional scale and commercial viability. The Surpluss – our 2024 runner-up – is a great example of how we collaborate with participants to execute their vision beyond the end of the programme. The Surpluss is now a Dubai Holding partner and is working with us on a circular giving initiative.
Looking ahead, how does Innovate For Tomorrow plan to evolve to attract more high-impact ventures and further embed sustainable innovation into Dubai’s broader entrepreneurial ecosystem?
Sustainable development and the shift towards circularity require continued investment in innovation and entrepreneurship. As an economic driver, Dubai Holding considers it our responsibility to support the growth of the UAE’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. This accelerator, now a vital component of our philanthropy strategy, reflects that. We intend to continue growing the Innovate For Tomorrow Impact Accelerator by actively seeking input from participants and our investor network. This will help ensure that we remain responsive to the evolving needs and challenges of our stakeholders and cultivate an enabling environment far beyond the programme’s duration. We believe that this focused approach will support the transition towards circularity and cement Dubai’s status as a model for sustainable economic growth.