About DXBStart
DXBStart is an independent media and data platform tracking the Dubai and UAE startup ecosystem. As of June 20, 2026, we publish 116 company profiles, 260 news articles covering funding rounds, launches, and ecosystem developments, and 84 open job listings— all updated continuously and free to access. Founded by Shashank Jha and operated from Dubai, DXBStart’s mission is to make the regional startup ecosystem legible to founders, investors, operators, and journalists who need fast, accurate context. We cover 25 sectors including fintech, AI, proptech, healthtech, and logistics. Our data is sourced from founder communications, public funding disclosures, regulatory filings (ADGM, DIFC), official accelerator releases (Hub71, in5, DIFC Innovation Hub), and direct outreach. All entries are reviewed by a human editor before publication. The platform accepts no paid placements; company inclusion is always free.
Mission
Dubai is one of the fastest-moving startup ecosystems in the world. DXBStart’s mission is to make that ecosystem legible — organising the signals that matter for founders, investors, operators, journalists, and anyone building in the region. Better information leads to better decisions, and a stronger ecosystem for everyone.
What we cover
- News — funding rounds, acquisitions, partnerships, and launches from Dubai and UAE startups. See news →
- Funding — investment tracker across seed, Series A, and growth stages with investor details. See funding →
- Jobs — open roles at UAE startups across engineering, product, design, ops, and more. See jobs →
- Directory — 116 company profiles with funding history, team size, and current status. See directory →
- Sectors — 25 sector verticals from fintech to spacetech. See sectors →
- Reports — quarterly ecosystem analysis with structured data on funding, deals, and sector activity. See reports →
How we source data
DXBStart compiles its data from multiple public and direct sources:
- Public funding announcements — press releases, TechCrunch, Wamda, Khaleej Times, Arabian Business, Forbes Middle East, and other regional publications.
- Regulatory filings — Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), and UAE Ministry of Economy company records where publicly available.
- Accelerator programmes — Hub71, in5, DIFC Innovation Hub, Dubai Future Accelerators, and similar cohort announcements.
- Founder communications — direct outreach via email at shashank@dxbstart.com.
- Original reporting — interviews with founders, investors, and ecosystem operators.
Every company profile and funding round is reviewed by a human editor before publication. We do not use AI-generated text on company profiles or news articles.
Editorial standards
- Independence. DXBStart is not owned by any VC fund, accelerator, or government entity. Editorial decisions are made by the DXBStart team without external influence.
- Free access. The directory, news, jobs, sectors, and quarterly reports are free to browse. No paywall, no signup required.
- No paid placements. Company listings are never paid. Sponsorships, when added in the future, will be clearly labelled.
- Source transparency. Funding amounts and dates link to the primary source where possible.
- Correction policy. Errors are corrected promptly. To report an inaccuracy, email shashank@dxbstart.com with the URL and the correction.
Team
Shashank founded DXBStart from Dubai to make the UAE startup ecosystem more legible. He writes the quarterly ecosystem reports, runs the funding tracker, and maintains the company directory. Reach him at shashank@dxbstart.com.
Frequently asked
What is DXBStart?
DXBStart is an independent media and data platform tracking the Dubai and UAE startup ecosystem. As of 2026-06-20, we publish 116 company profiles, 260 news articles, 84 open job listings, and cover 25 startup sectors — all free to access and updated continuously.
Who runs DXBStart?
DXBStart was founded and is operated by Shashank Jha from Dubai. The platform is editorially independent and not owned by any VC fund, accelerator, or government entity. Editorial decisions are made by the DXBStart team without external influence.
How does DXBStart source its data?
Company profiles, funding rounds, and news are compiled from public funding announcements, regulatory filings (ADGM, DIFC), founder communications, accelerator press releases (Hub71, in5, DIFC Innovation Hub), and direct outreach to startups. All entries are reviewed by a human editor before publication, with each company profile linked to its primary public sources.
Is DXBStart free to use?
Yes. The entire DXBStart directory — company profiles, news, funding tracker, job listings, sector pages, and quarterly reports — is free to browse with no signup required. There is no paywall and no paid listings. The platform is supported by the founder and may add sponsored placements (clearly labeled) in the future.
How can I get my company added to DXBStart?
Email shashank@dxbstart.com with your company name, founding year, sector, founders, and any public funding details. New profiles are typically added within 7 days of submission, subject to editorial review. Inclusion is free and there is no charge for updates or removal requests.
How is DXBStart different from Crunchbase, Wamda, or Magnitt?
Crunchbase and Magnitt require paid subscriptions for full data access. Wamda focuses on editorial features. DXBStart's wedge is being the free, structured, machine-readable canonical for Dubai and UAE startup data — designed natively for fast retrieval, with consistent schema, daily updates, and full coverage of the regional ecosystem.