The Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence’s (MBZUAI) Incubation and Entrepreneurship Center (IEC) has announced the launch of “Build It Demo Day,” a new platform designed to showcase working AI solutions to the UAE’s innovation ecosystem. Shifting the focus from presentations to products, the event provides a stage for early-stage builders to demonstrate their innovations in progress. The first event is scheduled for October 30, 2025, at Masdar City Park.
From Prototype to Product
Unlike traditional pitch events, Build It Demo Day emphasizes tangible progress over polished presentations. The initiative has three core requirements for participants: they must demo a product they are genuinely proud of, the solution must have AI at its core, and it must be a work-in-progress, such as a mock-up, prototype, or short video. Applications are open on a rolling basis to university students, startup founders, and professionals currently building AI-powered products.
Fueling Innovation with Major Tech Credits
Selected participants will gain significant exposure to a network of leading local and global organizations. More importantly, they will receive a comprehensive package of technology credits valued at over $200,000 to help them reach their next milestone. The package includes:
- Nvidia credits (up to $120,000)
- ElevenLabs credits ($50,000)
- PostHog credits (up to $50,000)
- AWS credits ($25,000)
- Microsoft Azure credits ($5,000)
- OpenAI API credits (up to $2,000)
- HuggingFace credits (up to $2,000)
- A 90% discount on HubSpot
Cultivating Abu Dhabi’s AI Hub
Haochen Sun, Acting Head of the Incubation and Entrepreneurship Center, highlighted the need for such a platform in the ecosystem. “About 25% of our students show up with a startup idea already running, and there are builders across Abu Dhabi working on their own projects. But there wasn’t a place to share that early work,” Sun said. “‘Build It Demo Day’ is that stage… We’re creating the space where a rough demo becomes a conversation, and that conversation becomes a company. And we want that story to be in Abu Dhabi.”
Since its launch in 2023, the IEC has been instrumental in growing the local AI scene, supporting the creation of 14 AI startups, facilitating external investment, and building a community of over 2,000 members.
About Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI)
MBZUAI is the world’s first university dedicated entirely to the advancement of science through artificial intelligence. The university empowers the next generation of AI leaders by driving innovation and impactful applications of AI through world-class education and interdisciplinary research. In 2025, MBZUAI launched its first undergraduate program, a Bachelor of Science in AI.
Source: Zawya
