The global tech ecosystem, created in 2019 with support from sovereign wealth fund Mubadala, now counts 371 companies. Its focus is shifting from simply adding new ventures to scaling globally competitive firms, with artificial intelligence and healthcare at the forefront.<\/p>\n
\u201cAI was a very strategic topic we chose because Abu Dhabi has a strong value proposition \u2013 from compute power and energy to talent and sovereign investment,\u201d Peter Abou Hachem, Head of Growth and Strategy at Hub71, told Arabian Business. \u201cOur aim is to help create the next OpenAI out of the emirate.\u201d<\/p>\n
The new entrants span fields from genomics to enterprise software. Healthcare and life sciences are emerging as priority areas, with start-ups applying advanced models to accelerate drug discovery and clinical research. Hub71 plans to launch a healthcare cluster later this year, adding to existing verticals in climate technology, AI and digital assets.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhenever you see Abu Dhabi building out infrastructure in a sector, we build the start-up ecosystem to match,\u201d Abou Hachem said. \u201cStart-ups won\u2019t come unless customers, investors and regulators are already in place.\u201d<\/p>\n
Safe haven effect<\/p>\n
Abu Dhabi\u2019s appeal has been amplified by turbulence elsewhere. Higher taxes in the UK and tougher rules in the US, Hong Kong and Switzerland have prompted firms in digital assets and other sectors to seek new bases. Many of them have moved to Abu Dhabi, where the Abu Dhabi Global Market offers clearer frameworks for fund formation and virtual assets.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur companies come from around 40 countries,\u201d Abou Hachem said. \u201cGeopolitics matters, but so does quality. The US, UK, Singapore and Hong Kong are still where the best start-ups are \u2013 and we\u2019re plugged into those ecosystems.\u201d<\/p>\n
Since its inception, Hub71 companies have generated AED 4.5 billion ($1.2 billion) in revenue and raised \u201cbillions\u201d in funding, according to the organisation. The ecosystem expanded by nearly 30 per cent in 2024, supported by more than 150 venture capital firms, corporates and institutional partners.<\/p>\n
Broader ecosystem growth<\/p>\n
The expansion comes as the UAE cements its place as one of the world\u2019s most supportive markets for entrepreneurs. The country was ranked first globally for entrepreneurship<\/a> for the fourth consecutive year, according to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor 2024\u20132025 Report. The study credited $8.7 billion of government investment under the \u201cProjects of the 50\u201d initiative and found that 70 per cent of UAE adults see strong opportunities to start a business locally.<\/p>\n