Latest news with #Hub71
CairoScene
3 days ago
- Business
- CairoScene
Abu Dhabi Startup Ecosystem Ranks Third in MENA for Performance
Abu Dhabi has entered the global top 60 emerging startup ecosystems according to Startup Genome's 2025 report, generating $4.4 billion in value and ranking third in MENA for ecosystem performance. Jun 17, 2025 Abu Dhabi has been ranked among the top 60 emerging startup ecosystems globally in the 2025 Global Startup Ecosystem Report by Startup Genome. The emirate moved from the 61–70 bracket into the 51–60 tier, reflecting strong performance despite a 14% global decline in startup valuations. Between July 1st 2022 and December 31st 2024, Abu Dhabi's startup ecosystem generated $4.4 billion in value, placing third in the MENA region for overall performance. The ranking is based on key indicators including startup valuations, venture capital activity, and major exits. Abu Dhabi also placed among the top five MENA ecosystems for funding, talent, knowledge, and capital efficiency. Fintech, climatetech, and digital assets were identified as the emirate's most competitive sectors, supported by national economic diversification efforts and initiatives such as Hub71 and Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM). Startups in the Hub71 ecosystem have raised over $2.17 billion to date.
Mid East Info
4 days ago
- Business
- Mid East Info
Abu Dhabi Startup Ecosystem Ranks 3rd in MENA for Performance Amid Global Slowdown - Middle East Business News and Information
Startup Genome launches the world's most comprehensive report on startup ecosystems, released at VivaTech Paris Abu Dhabi, UAE — June, 2025 —Abu Dhabi's startup ecosystem has made remarkable strides, emerging as one of the fastest-growing hubs in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), according to the 2025 Global Startup Ecosystem Report (GSER) launched today at VivaTech in Paris. Recognized as the world's most comprehensive research on startup ecosystems, the GSER leverages the largest quality-controlled dataset in the industry, analyzing data from over 5 million companies across 350+ entrepreneurial innovation ecosystems worldwide. The GSER 2025 highlights Abu Dhabi's impressive leap into the top emerging global ecosystems, ranking in the #51-60 tier, up from its previous #61-70 position. This advancement comes despite a global 14% decline in overall startup ecosystem value. Notably, Abu Dhabi generated $4.4 billion (approximately AED 16.2 billion) in Ecosystem Value between July 1, 2022, and December 31, 2024, marking a 6% annual growth. Abu Dhabi also ranked 3rd in the MENA region for Performance, a category that evaluates startup success through valuations and exit activity. This recognition reinforces Abu Dhabi's position as a dynamic, results-driven hub for entrepreneurship and innovation. 'Abu Dhabi's rise in the global rankings is a testament to the exceptional pace and cohesion of its innovation ecosystem, with Hub71 at the heart of this transformation. Amid a global downturn in startup ecosystem value, Abu Dhabi's long-term vision is beginning to pay off – demonstrating bold leadership and collaborative strength. We expect this momentum to continue, with Abu Dhabi poised to grow at a faster rate than many global peers in the years ahead.' says Samantha Evans, Managing Director MENA, Startup Genome. The report also places Abu Dhabi among the top five ecosystems in MENA across several core categories, including Knowledge, Funding, and Talent & Experience. Additionally, the emirate was recognized among the region's best for 'Bang for Buck,' reflecting efficient use of venture capital and a strong return on investment. Ahmad Ali Alwan, CEO of Hub71, said: 'Abu Dhabi's rise in global rankings reflects the strength of our startup community and the impact of Hub71's ecosystem-enabling initiatives. Over the past six years, Hub71 has built a connected network of founders, investors, corporates, and global partners, enabling sustainable startup growth, international scaling, and the evolution of Abu Dhabi's early-stage technology landscape. This progress is driven by Abu Dhabi's deliberate focus on innovation and technology, alongside an increasingly agile business and regulatory environment. Hub71 and its startups continue to benefit from a compelling Abu Dhabi value proposition, allowing them to contribute meaningfully to the emirate's economic and technological ambitions.' Sectoral drivers of startup growth in Abu Dhabi: FinTech, ClimateTech, and Digital Assets are key strengths of Abu Dhabi's innovation landscape, supported extensively by strategic regulatory frameworks, and sector-specific infrastructure. Key developments including ADGM's expanded licensing frameworks, substantial venture funding, and strategic partnerships in sustainability-focused enterprises, and strategic alliances in blockchain technology, exemplify the emirate's deliberate and cohesive strategy for long-term economic diversification and innovation. Why startups choose Abu Dhabi: The emirate's appeal lies in forward-thinking policies, such as streamlined regulatory procedures and targeted government support for technology-driven sectors. Initiatives such as Khalifa Fund's MZN HUB are pivotal in bridging local startups with international innovation networks, further amplifying Abu Dhabi's global entrepreneurial influence. The GSER is widely regarded as the most comprehensive evaluation of global startup ecosystems, offering data-driven insights essential for policymakers, ecosystem leaders, and entrepreneurs worldwide. Abu Dhabi's consistent rise in global rankings over the past three years highlights the strength of its strategy and the growth of its startup ecosystem, positioning the emirate as a leading global hub for innovation. About HUB71: Hub71 is Abu Dhabi's global tech ecosystem that enables founders to build globally enduring homegrown tech companies in any sector by providing access to global markets, a capital ecosystem, a global network of partners, and a vibrant community filled with highly skilled talent governed by forward-thinking regulation. Backed by the Government of Abu Dhabi and Mubadala Investment Company, Hub71 is growing its vibrant community of tech startups, investors, government, and corporate partners to ensure the availability of investment, commercial activities, and incentives from the public and private sectors. Through Hub71's entrepreneurial infrastructure, value-add programs, enabling services and support packages, founders can build, and scale widely adopted technologies with purpose and impact. Hub71 is on a mission to introduce new minds and technologies to Abu Dhabi, finding new ways to build globally enduring technology companies and sustain the nation's continuous economic development. About STARTUP GENOME: Startup Genome is the world-leading innovation ecosystem development organization, having worked with more than 180 economic and innovation ministries and public/private agencies in over 65 countries. We work to catalyze startup success and ecosystem growth and ensure that all cities and countries capture their fair share of the new economy. Startup Genome strategy clients grew their ecosystem values 59% faster than peers (41% vs. 25%). On average, Startup Genome clients produced $1.4 billion per year more in ecosystem value from an average starting point of $9.2 billion. Our evidence-based ecosystem research, advisory, and scaleup programs are rooted in global experience with the world's largest AI-curated startup dataset and proprietary instruments developed from over a decade of primary research.
Al Etihad
4 days ago
- Business
- Al Etihad
Abu Dhabi climbs startup ecosystem rankings despite global downturn
17 June 2025 00:15 KHALED AL KHAWALDEH (ABU DHABI) Abu Dhabi's startup ecosystem has firmly established itself as one of the most dynamic in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), ranking among the top five in the region in the 2025 Global Startup Ecosystem Report (GSER).The report - unveiled by Startup Genome at the recently concluded VivaTech in Paris -recognised the emirate's impressive rise in the rankings, despite a challenging global environment for startups. The GSER 2025 draws on data from more than five million companies across more than 350 ecosystems globally. This year's report highlights how Abu Dhabi soared into the top emerging global ecosystems, moving into the #51-60 tier, a significant leap from its previous #61-70 position. This advancement comes in a year when the global startup ecosystem value contracted by 14%, underscoring the emirate's resilience and strategic vision, the report said."Abu Dhabi's rise in the global rankings is a testament to the exceptional pace and cohesion of its innovation ecosystem, with Hub71 at the heart of this transformation," Samantha Evans, Managing Director MENA at Startup Genome, said in the report. "Amid a global downturn, Abu Dhabi's long-term vision and collaborative strength are driving sustained growth. We expect this momentum to accelerate, with Abu Dhabi poised to outperform many (of its) global peers in the coming years."According to the report, the emirate generated $4.4 billion in ecosystem value between July 2022 and December 2024, reflecting an annual growth rate of 6%. Abu Dhabi ranked among the top five MENA ecosystems in multiple key areas, including Performance (3rd), Knowledge (4th), Funding (5th), and the prominent Bang for Buck category, which measures the efficiency of capital deployment and returns on emirate ranked particularly high in the market reach of its ecosystem and funding availability; however, it showed room for improvement in knowledge and access to talent and Support for StartupsAccording to VivaTech, the success of Abu Dhabi's startup ecosystem is driven by a combination of forward-looking government policies, targeted funding initiatives, and a robust support infrastructure. "Abu Dhabi's rise in global rankings reflects the strength of our startup community and the impact of Hub71's ecosystem-enabling initiatives," Hub71 CEO Ahmad Ali Alwan said in the report. "Through strategic partnerships, access to capital, and a supportive regulatory environment, we are helping startups scale internationally and contribute to Abu Dhabi's economic and technological ambitions."Among the key sectors that are fuelling this growth are FinTech, ClimateTech, and Digital Assets, all underpinned by innovative regulatory frameworks and purpose-built infrastructure. Notable enablers such as the Abu Dhabi Global Market's (ADGM) expanded licensing frameworks and substantial venture funding have attracted both local and international entrepreneurs, particularly in sustainability and blockchain technology. Moreover, initiatives like the Khalifa Fund's MZN HUB have helped streamline regulatory processes and offer startups seamless access to global innovation networks, strengthening Abu Dhabi's influence on the international entrepreneurial stage.
Zawya
5 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
Abu Dhabi startup ecosystem ranks 3rd in MENA for performance amid global slowdown
Abu Dhabi, UAE — Abu Dhabi's startup ecosystem has made remarkable strides, emerging as one of the fastest-growing hubs in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), according to the 2025 Global Startup Ecosystem Report (GSER) launched today at VivaTech in Paris. Recognized as the world's most comprehensive research on startup ecosystems, the GSER leverages the largest quality-controlled dataset in the industry, analyzing data from over 5 million companies across 350+ entrepreneurial innovation ecosystems worldwide. The GSER 2025 highlights Abu Dhabi's impressive leap into the top emerging global ecosystems, ranking in the #51-60 tier, up from its previous #61-70 position. This advancement comes despite a global 14% decline in overall startup ecosystem value. Notably, Abu Dhabi generated $4.4 billion (approximately AED 16.2 billion) in Ecosystem Value between July 1, 2022, and December 31, 2024, marking a 6% annual growth. Abu Dhabi also ranked 3rd in the MENA region for Performance, a category that evaluates startup success through valuations and exit activity. This recognition reinforces Abu Dhabi's position as a dynamic, results-driven hub for entrepreneurship and innovation. 'Abu Dhabi's rise in the global rankings is a testament to the exceptional pace and cohesion of its innovation ecosystem, with Hub71 at the heart of this transformation. Amid a global downturn in startup ecosystem value, Abu Dhabi's long-term vision is beginning to pay off - demonstrating bold leadership and collaborative strength. We expect this momentum to continue, with Abu Dhabi poised to grow at a faster rate than many global peers in the years ahead.' says Samantha Evans, Managing Director MENA, Startup Genome. The report also places Abu Dhabi among the top five ecosystems in MENA across several core categories, including Knowledge, Funding, and Talent & Experience. Additionally, the emirate was recognized among the region's best for "Bang for Buck," reflecting efficient use of venture capital and a strong return on investment. Ahmad Ali Alwan, CEO of Hub71, said: 'Abu Dhabi's rise in global rankings reflects the strength of our startup community and the impact of Hub71's ecosystem-enabling initiatives. Over the past six years, Hub71 has built a connected network of founders, investors, corporates, and global partners, enabling sustainable startup growth, international scaling, and the evolution of Abu Dhabi's early-stage technology landscape. This progress is driven by Abu Dhabi's deliberate focus on innovation and technology, alongside an increasingly agile business and regulatory environment. Hub71 and its startups continue to benefit from a compelling Abu Dhabi value proposition, allowing them to contribute meaningfully to the emirate's economic and technological ambitions.' Sectoral drivers of startup growth in Abu Dhabi: FinTech, ClimateTech, and Digital Assets are key strengths of Abu Dhabi's innovation landscape, supported extensively by strategic regulatory frameworks, and sector-specific infrastructure. Key developments including ADGM's expanded licensing frameworks, substantial venture funding, and strategic partnerships in sustainability-focused enterprises, and strategic alliances in blockchain technology, exemplify the emirate's deliberate and cohesive strategy for long-term economic diversification and innovation. Why startups choose Abu Dhabi: The emirate's appeal lies in forward-thinking policies, such as streamlined regulatory procedures and targeted government support for technology-driven sectors. Initiatives such as Khalifa Fund's MZN HUB are pivotal in bridging local startups with international innovation networks, further amplifying Abu Dhabi's global entrepreneurial influence. The GSER is widely regarded as the most comprehensive evaluation of global startup ecosystems, offering data-driven insights essential for policymakers, ecosystem leaders, and entrepreneurs worldwide. Abu Dhabi's consistent rise in global rankings over the past three years highlights the strength of its strategy and the growth of its startup ecosystem, positioning the emirate as a leading global hub for innovation. View the full report here - About HUB71 Hub71 is Abu Dhabi's global tech ecosystem that enables founders to build globally enduring homegrown tech companies in any sector by providing access to global markets, a capital ecosystem, a global network of partners, and a vibrant community filled with highly skilled talent governed by forward-thinking regulation. Backed by the Government of Abu Dhabi and Mubadala Investment Company, Hub71 is growing its vibrant community of tech startups, investors, government, and corporate partners to ensure the availability of investment, commercial activities, and incentives from the public and private sectors. Through Hub71's entrepreneurial infrastructure, value-add programs, enabling services and support packages, founders can build, and scale widely adopted technologies with purpose and impact. Hub71 is on a mission to introduce new minds and technologies to Abu Dhabi, finding new ways to build globally enduring technology companies and sustain the nation's continuous economic development. For more information visit and follow us on @Hub71AD #Hub71. About STARTUP GENOME Startup Genome is the world-leading innovation ecosystem development organization, having worked with more than 180 economic and innovation ministries and public/private agencies in over 65 countries. We work to catalyze startup success and ecosystem growth and ensure that all cities and countries capture their fair share of the new economy. Startup Genome strategy clients grew their ecosystem values 59% faster than peers (41% vs. 25%). On average, Startup Genome clients produced $1.4 billion per year more in ecosystem value from an average starting point of $9.2 billion. Our evidence-based ecosystem research, advisory, and scaleup programs are rooted in global experience with the world's largest AI-curated startup dataset and proprietary instruments developed from over a decade of primary research. For interviews and further inquiries, please contact: Franzis Walther Manager, Operations and Communications, Startup Genome franzis@ LinkedIn
Al Etihad
09-06-2025
- Business
- Al Etihad
Abu Dhabi offers strategic launchpad for global businesses
10 June 2025 00:30 MAYS IBRAHIM (ABU DHABI)Abu Dhabi is an ideal base for startups with global ambitions, as seen in companies like Atiom - a gamified training platform that has evolved from navigating uncertainty to securing deals across the Middle East and Hub71, Abu Dhabi's flagship tech ecosystem, Atiom's co-founder and CEO Matt Spriegel tapped into a powerful investor network, joined a vibrant entrepreneurial community, and leveraged the emirate's strategic location to bridge Asia, Europe, and Africa."The support we received - from mentorship to market access - was unlike anything we'd experienced," said Spriegel. "Abu Dhabi took us from wandering in the dark to landing major clients and investors across the region."Since joining Hub71, Atiom has rapidly scaled across the GCC and now operates in 70 countries Dhabi offers a strategic and highly efficient base for running a global business, according to Spriegel."What stands out to me is how well-connected the UAE is," he said. "We have clients in Paris and London, and I can be there in six to eight hours. The same goes for key markets in Asia like Singapore, Hong Kong, and Bangkok."The favourable time zone, he noted, also reduces the need for late-night or early-morning calls."It's a practical advantage that really adds up." Beyond the logistics, the startup co-founder described Abu Dhabi as safe, welcoming, and reminiscent of Asia in its cultural warmth. "There's a real sense of openness and helpfulness here; it's a very supportive environment for entrepreneurs." Gamification SuccessAtiom, which Spriegel co-founded with Ali Nosrati in Shanghai, was born out of a personal pain point: trying to absorb complex, technical training content in Mandarin. Drawing on the way he taught himself Chinese through consistent daily 10-minute sessions, Spriegel began working on a new kind of corporate learning built on habit experience became the basis for Atiom, a platform that turns long, stagnant training material into bite-sized, gamified learning experiences designed for frontline staff, especially in to Atiom's success is its use of gamification. Staff are encouraged to engage with short Q-and-A-based lessons, earning points, badges, and recognition from peers through a live leaderboard."The content itself, like health and safety procedures or SOPs, is not naturally engaging," Spriegel explained. "But with game mechanics, it becomes something they come back to every day."He noted that the habit-building structure mirrors what makes language learning platforms sticky, and it's especially effective for non-desk workers like housekeepers, maintenance staff, and front desk intelligence is now playing a major role in Atiom's continued evolution, according to Spriegel. The platform's backend tools allow clients to upload vast sets of training content in PowerPoints, Excel files and automatically transform them into multilingual, interactive learning modules."We're using AI to build entire training playbooks, support peer-to-peer recognition, and even create content for mystery shopping and internal audits," said tools not only streamline knowledge transfer but also help companies mobilise internal knowledge that might otherwise sit idle in shared drives, he explained. Looking ahead, Atiom is set to go deeper in the Middle East and Europe while expanding into adjacent sectors such as airlines and high-end healthcare. Source: Aletihad - Abu Dhabi
