Abu Dhabi — Hub71, Abu Dhabi’s global tech ecosystem, has onboarded its most AI-intensive cohort to date, welcoming 26 high-growth startups to its 17th Cohort. Together, these companies have raised over $223 million (Dh818 million), the largest funding total of any Hub71 cohort to date, underscoring the calibre of startups scaling from Abu Dhabi and rising investor confidence in Abu Dhabi’s position as a global centre for advanced technologies.
Over eighty per cent of startups selected are developing AI-driven solutions to address critical challenges across priority sectors, including HealthTech, FinTech and ClimateTech, contributing to the diversification of Abu Dhabi’s economy. Their entry into Abu Dhabi reflects the emirate’s growing strategic relevance in the global AI landscape, amplified by the launch of Hub71+ AI, the specialist ecosystem backed by partners including AI71, Core42, Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Google for Startups, designed to catalyse cross-sector AI breakthroughs.
Cohort 17 was selected from over 2,000 global applications, with startups from 12 countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Singapore, France, Canada, Egypt and India. Notably, 74% are headquartered outside the UAE, reflecting Abu Dhabi’s emergence as a destination of choice for internationally ambitious founders seeking capital, customers, and growth. The cohort is primarily composed of seed-stage startups, aligning with Hub71’s focus on empowering early-stage startups to grow into resilient international businesses.
Ahmad Ali Alwan, CEO of Hub71, said: “The startups joining Cohort 17 reflect the ambition and calibre of founders we are welcoming into our community. Backed by strong funding and building technologies with broad market applications, they are pursuing growth globally. Their decision to build from Abu Dhabi highlights the strength of our ecosystem and its position as a global launchpad for innovation.”
Among the notable startups joining Hub71 is Harmonic Discovery, a US BioTech company applying AI to design precision therapies for hard-to-treat diseases like sickle cell disease. The company has raised USD 8.5 million (AED 31.2 million) in funding. Also joining Hub71 is Planys Technologies from India, which develops autonomous underwater robots and smart sensors for diver-free inspection, with USD 7.2 million (AED 26.4 million) in funding.
Six startups in Cohort 17 are scaling solutions to address environmental challenges, leveraging the Hub71+ ClimateTech ecosystem to accelerate their growth and impact. Among them is SunGreenH2, a Singapore-based company building high-efficiency electrolysers to produce green hydrogen for industrial, energy and mobility use, backed by USD 6.6 million (AED 24.2 million) in funding. Eight startups will develop solutions in blockchain and Web3 technologies and will benefit from the Hub71+ Digital Assets ecosystem, including Resolv Labs, a UAE-based crypto investment platform that has raised USD 12.5 million (AED 46 million).
Cohort 17 startups will join Hub71’s Access programme, benefitting from a comprehensive support package that includes up to AED 500,000 in in-kind and cash incentives, and the opportunity for top-performing startups to receive up to AED 1 million in follow-on support after completing one year at Hub71. Beyond capital, startups gain access to the Hub71 network and Abu Dhabi market, talent pool, and investor networks, positioning them to take advantage of commercial opportunities and scale quickly from the UAE capital.
This latest cohort confirms Hub71’s growing global attractiveness and Abu Dhabi’s rising influence in shaping the future of AI-powered industries.
