The Mohammed Bin Rashid Innovation Fund (MBRIF), under the UAE Ministry of Finance, has unveiled eight standout startups from the ninth cohort of its prestigious Innovation Accelerator. These ventures are pioneering solutions in critical sectors—including insurance, education, sustainability, and finance—demonstrating the depth of impactful innovation emerging from the UAE’s ecosystem.
A Diverse Cohort Tackling Global Challenges
Selected for their ingenuity and potential for global scale, the Cohort 9 startups are addressing complex, real-world problems. From providing AI-driven insurance for the digital economy to creating sustainable alternatives for single-use plastics and revolutionizing SME financing, these companies represent the next wave of transformative technology.
Meet the Innovators
Each startup brings a unique, high-impact solution to its respective industry:
Technology & Insurance
- Mantas | Cyber Insurance, Reimagined: Mantas is an AI-driven platform offering specialized cloud downtime insurance. It automates risk assessment, detects outages in real time, and delivers rapid financial payouts, providing a cost-effective alternative to traditional policies and safeguarding businesses’ cloud-based operations.
- Aura Finance | Inclusive Credit for SMEs: Aura is bridging the SME credit gap with a fully automated digital lending platform. It offers invoice discounting, allowing small and medium-sized businesses to get paid instantly on outstanding invoices and unlock immediate liquidity to fuel their growth.
- Procure Hub | Construction Procurement, Simplified: This digital procurement platform connects construction companies with trusted suppliers. Procure Hub transforms manual, fragmented purchasing processes into efficient, transparent, and trackable digital workflows that save time and reduce overspending.
Sustainability & Circular Economy
- BIRD Collaborative | Microplastic-Free Hospitality: BIRD is helping the hospitality industry eliminate plastic waste. Having already replaced over 20 million plastic straws with its non-soggy, wood-based alternative, the company is now expanding into sustainable cutlery and cups.
- Seramic Materials | Tiles from Waste: Seramic is tackling industrial waste by converting it into high-quality, durable ceramic tiles. Their low-carbon products help the construction industry embrace the circular economy, combining high design value with a commitment to reducing landfill.
EdTech & Knowledge
- Peekapak | Emotion-First EdTech: Peekapak is an educational platform that teaches emotional intelligence and resilience to students through engaging, story-based learning. Already used in prominent UAE schools, its real-time wellbeing dashboards have been shown to improve student self-regulation by 29% in just weeks.
- Space. | Revolutionizing STEM Education: This platform transforms any curriculum—whether for classrooms or corporate training—into AI-generated, interactive learning journeys. Space. makes knowledge creation and absorption intuitive, scalable, and highly personalized for every user.
FoodTech & Nutrition
- NXW (Nutrition from Water) | Clean-Label Nutrition: NXW has developed Marine Whey™, a breakthrough natural protein concentrate sourced from microalgae. It provides a sustainable, scalable, and environmentally superior alternative to traditional dairy protein, offering a cleaner product with a higher concentration of essential amino acids.
Looking Ahead
These eight startups reflect MBRIF’s unwavering commitment to backing innovators who are not just disrupting markets but delivering tangible solutions with global potential. As they move through the accelerator program, they will gain access to mentorship, resources, and a network designed to help them scale and make a lasting impact.
Source: Zawya
