Abu Dhabi’s global tech ecosystem, Hub71, has onboarded its most AI-intensive cohort to date, welcoming 26 high-growth startups to its 17th Cohort. The new cohort reinforces Abu Dhabi’s rising influence in shaping the future of AI-powered industries.
By the Numbers
The 17th cohort is the most well-funded and AI-focused in Hub71’s history:
- 26 Startups: The number of high-growth companies selected for Cohort 17.
- $223 Million+ (AED 818M+): The total funding raised by the cohort, the largest of any Hub71 cohort to date.
- 81% AI-Driven: The percentage of startups in the cohort that are developing AI-powered solutions.
- 12 Countries: The startups were selected from over 2,000 global applications and hail from countries including the US, UK, Singapore, and India.
A Global Launchpad for Innovation
The new cohort underscores the calibre of startups scaling from Abu Dhabi and the rising investor confidence in the emirate’s position as a global center for advanced technologies. Over eighty percent of the selected startups are developing AI-driven solutions to address critical challenges across priority sectors like HealthTech, FinTech, and ClimateTech.
“The startups joining Cohort 17 reflect the ambition and calibre of founders we are welcoming into our community,” said Ahmad Ali Alwan, CEO of Hub71. “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”.
Meet the New Cohort
Among the notable startups joining Hub71 are Harmonic Discovery, a US BioTech company using AI to design precision therapies, and Planys Technologies from India, which develops autonomous underwater robots. The cohort also includes six ClimateTech startups, such as Singapore-based SunGreenH2, which is building high-efficiency electrolyzers for green hydrogen production, and eight Web3 startups, including UAE-based crypto investment platform Resolv Labs.
Comprehensive Support for Growth
Cohort 17 startups will join Hub71’s Access programme, benefiting from a support package that includes up to AED 500,000 in in-kind and cash incentives, with top-performing startups eligible for up to AED 1 million in follow-on support after their first year.
Source: Hub71
