Hub71 Onboards 26 AI-Driven Startups, Raising $222.7 Million
Hub71, Abu Dhabi’s global tech ecosystem, has onboarded its 17th Cohort, the most AI-intensive to date, welcoming 26 high-growth startups. Collectively, these companies have raised over USD 223 million (AED 818 million), marking the highest funding total for any Hub71 cohort. This achievement highlights both the calibre of startups scaling from Abu Dhabi and growing investor confidence in the emirate as a hub for advanced technologies.
More than 80% of the startups develop AI-driven solutions tackling key challenges across priority sectors such as HealthTech, FinTech, and ClimateTech. Their entry into Abu Dhabi reflects the emirate’s strategic importance in the global AI landscape, boosted by the launch of Hub71+ AI. This specialised ecosystem, backed by partners including AI71, Core42, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Google for Startups, aims to catalyse cross-sector AI breakthroughs.
Diverse Global Startups and Funding Success
Cohort 17 was selected from over 2,000 global applications, featuring startups from 12 countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Singapore, France, Canada, Egypt, and India. Notably, 74% of the startups are headquartered outside the UAE, demonstrating Abu Dhabi’s growing appeal as a destination for internationally ambitious founders seeking capital, customers, and growth.
The cohort primarily comprises seed-stage startups, aligning with Hub71’s mission to empower early-stage companies to become resilient international businesses. Ahmad Ali Alwan, CEO of Hub71, said: “The startups joining Cohort 17 reflect the ambition and calibre of founders we are welcoming into our community. 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.”
Notable entrants include Harmonic Discovery, a US BioTech company using AI to design precision therapies for hard-to-treat diseases such as sickle cell disease, with USD 8.5 million (AED 31.2 million) in funding. Planys Technologies from India, developing autonomous underwater robots and smart sensors for diver-free inspections, raised USD 7.2 million (AED 26.4 million).
Strategic Support and Sector Impact
Six startups in Cohort 17 focus on environmental challenges, leveraging the Hub71+ ClimateTech ecosystem. Among them is SunGreenH2, a Singapore-based firm producing green hydrogen with high-efficiency electrolysers, backed by USD 6.6 million (AED 24.2 million).
Eight startups are developing blockchain and Web3 solutions through the Hub71+ Digital Assets ecosystem, including UAE-based Resolv Labs, a crypto investment platform that raised USD 12.5 million (AED 46 million).
All Cohort 17 startups will join Hub71’s Access programme, receiving up to AED 500,000 in in-kind and cash incentives. Top-performing startups may earn up to AED 1 million in follow-on support after completing one year. Beyond funding, participants gain access to the Hub71 network, Abu Dhabi market, talent pool, and investor connections, positioning them to seize commercial opportunities and scale quickly from the UAE capital.
This latest cohort reinforces Hub71’s global appeal and highlights Abu Dhabi’s growing influence in shaping AI-powered industries.
