36startup funding programmes in United Arab Emirates

Prize or competitionOpen now

Dubai World Challenge for Self-Driving Transport 2027

Total prizes of 1.2 million USD (4.41 million AED) across categories for solution providers and top-performing local academic participants

Regional government · Dubai

LoanOpen now

EDB Advanced Technology Adoption Finance

Bank or lender · Nationwide

LoanOpen now

EDB AgriTech Loans Programme

AED 100 million programme allocation; per-borrower maximum not stated

Bank or lender · Nationwide

LoanOpen now

EDB Business Loan (EDB 360)

Up to AED 5 million

Bank or lender · Nationwide

Government-backed loanOpen now

EDB Credit Guarantee Scheme

Bank or lender · Nationwide

LoanOpen now

EDB Digitization Finance

Bank or lender · Nationwide

LoanOpen now

EDB Long Term Finance (CAPEX)

Bank or lender · Nationwide

LoanOpen now

EDB Renewables and Energy Finance

Bank or lender · Nationwide

LoanOpen now

EDB Startup Financing

Up to AED 2 million; asset-backed up to AED 2 million or 70% of assets, tenor up to 72 months

Bank or lender · Nationwide

Equity investmentOpen now

Emirates Growth Fund

Typically AED 10 million to AED 50 million in primary capital

Public agency · Nationwide

AcceleratorOpen now

Hub71 Access Programme

AED 250,000 in-kind plus AED 250,000 cash (SAFE note); top-up of AED 250,000 possible

Accelerator · Abu Dhabi

Support, no moneyOpen now

Hub71 Sandbox Programme

Public agency · Abu Dhabi

AcceleratorOpen now

Hub71 x SAVI (smart and autonomous mobility)

AED 250,000 in-kind plus AED 250,000 cash (SAFE note); top-up of AED 250,000 possible

Accelerator · Abu Dhabi

AcceleratorOpen now

Hub71+ AI

AED 250,000 in-kind plus AED 250,000 cash (SAFE note); top-up of AED 250,000 possible

Accelerator · Abu Dhabi

AcceleratorOpen now

Hub71+ ClimateTech

AED 250,000 in-kind plus AED 250,000 cash (SAFE note); top-up of AED 250,000 possible

Accelerator · Abu Dhabi

AcceleratorOpen now

Hub71+ Digital Assets

AED 250,000 in-kind plus AED 250,000 cash (SAFE note); top-up of AED 250,000 possible

Accelerator · Abu Dhabi

AcceleratorOpen now

Hub71+ Life Sciences

AED 250,000 in-kind plus AED 250,000 cash (SAFE note); top-up of AED 250,000 possible

Accelerator · Abu Dhabi

Support, no moneyOpen now

Initiate by Hub71

Accelerator · Abu Dhabi

AcceleratorOpen now

Khalifa Fund Cybersecurity Accelerator Program

Public agency · Abu Dhabi

LoanOpen now

Khalifa Fund Loans for Emirati-Owned Businesses

Public agency · Abu Dhabi

Government-backed loanOpen now

MBRIF Guarantee Scheme

Public agency · Nationwide

GrantOpen now

MBRIF Innovation Trailblazers

Grant funding for the top 3 teams; amounts not stated

Public agency · Nationwide

For: Students, Young founders

Equity investmentOpen now

MEVP (Middle East Venture Partners)

Venture fund · Nationwide

Support, no moneyOpen now

Sandbox Dubai (AI and PropTech sandboxes)

Public agency · Dubai

Support, no moneyOpen now

Sheraa Membership

Incubator · Sharjah

Equity investmentOpen now

Shorooq Partners (Bedaya early-stage funds)

Venture fund · Nationwide

Prize or competitionCloses 19 Nov 2026

Nabat TerraPod Challenge (desert seed-carrier)

US$50,000 to the winning solution, plus a potential partnership discussion with Nabat

Other · Abu Dhabi

GrantCloses 30 Nov 2026

CBUAE Financial Health Innovation Challenge

AED 30,000 participation grant for each of up to seven shortlisted applicants, plus up to AED 90,000 more for a pilot with a UAE-licensed financial institution

National government · Nationwide

Prize or competitionCloses 31 Dec 2026

Spotlight on Early Learning Impact (HundrED and the Khalifa Award for Education)

$100,000 for each of two winners

Nonprofit · Nationwide

AcceleratorOpens in rounds

Sharjah Innovation Acceleration Programme (SAIA)

Public agency · Sharjah

AcceleratorCheck the official site

DCAI Accelerator: Agentic AI for Government Services

Public agency · Dubai

AcceleratorCheck the official site

Make it in the Emirates Accelerator (MIITE)

Bank or lender · Nationwide

AcceleratorCheck the official site

MBRIF Accelerator

Public agency · Nationwide

AcceleratorClosed for this year

SANDBOX by Dtec

USD 150,000 via a SAFE note (USD 110,000 cash plus a USD 40,000 programme fee)

Accelerator · Dubai

Prize or competitionClosed for this year

Zayed Sustainability Prize

Winners US$1,000,000 per category (Health, Food, Energy, Water, Climate Action); finalists US$100,000

Regional government · Nationwide

AcceleratorClosed

Nestlé NextGen Founders

AED 150,000 in prize grants across winning teams

Company · Nationwide

For: Young founders, Students