Twenty Emirati founders to receive 16 weeks of support to develop technology ventures.
Dubai: Dubai has opened applications for a new technology incubator designed to help 20 Emirati entrepreneurs transform early-stage ideas into commercially viable businesses.
The 16-week programme will begin in October 2026 and is open to UAE nationals with promising technology ideas or minimum viable product (MVP) concepts. Applications for the programme will close in August.
Participants will receive support in areas including market validation, product strategy, commercial readiness and business growth, while gaining access to mentors, investors, corporate partners and startup services through Dubai Founders HQ.
Supporting founders from the idea stage
The programme is designed for Emiratis at the early stages of their entrepreneurial journey, including applicants who have not previously secured funding or launched a company.
Founders will receive guidance throughout the journey from developing an initial idea to validating their market potential and preparing their products for launch, with the goal of building scalable technology ventures.
Support will continue beyond the programme through Dubai Founders HQ, providing participants with access to additional programmes, events, investors, corporate partners and a wider community of founders.
“Embedding Hi2 within Dubai Founders HQ is about creating a structured, end-to-end pathway that enables Emirati talent to progress from an initial idea to an investable business,” said Ahmad Al Room Almheiri, CEO of Dubai SME.
“In a global environment defined by rapid economic transformation, Dubai has responded by strategically investing in its founders and developing the infrastructure and programmes needed to ensure Emirati entrepreneurs are not only equipped to compete globally, but also positioned to lead.”
He added, “Through the new incubator programme, we are opening the door to founders at the earliest stage of their journey, welcoming applicants regardless of prior funding or company formation. This is how we build a stronger and more diverse pipeline of national startups, supporting the goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33.”
Hi2 joins Dubai Founders HQ
The programme follows the integration of Hamdan Innovation Incubator, known as Hi2, into Dubai Founders HQ.
Established in 2014 under the patronage of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, Hi2 has supported Emirati entrepreneurs for more than a decade.
The incubator will now operate as a dedicated platform for national founders within the wider Dubai Founders HQ ecosystem, continuing to support the development of Emirati-led technology ventures.
The move gives Hi2 participants direct access to startup programmes, mentors, investors, corporate partners and support services through a single platform.
Dubai Founders HQ was established in 2025 as a joint initiative between the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism and the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy.
The platform connects founders with investors, businesses and startup ecosystem partners, forming part of the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33, which aims to double the size of Dubai’s economy by 2033.
