Programs

40 programs · updated August 2026

Intakes, grants, licenses, visas, sandboxes, and challenges a UAE founder can actually use — with eligibility, dates, and a desk read on each. Closed programs stay listed; most are seasonal. Looking for capital? Browse investors or the funding tracker.

17 Intake · 8 License · 6 Grant · 4 Visa · 3 Challenge · 2 Sandbox

All types Intake Grant License Visa Sandbox Challenge

Any status Open Closing Evergreen Closed

DFHQ Entrepreneur Academy (powered by Antler)

Free six-week Antler-powered programme to take an idea to a launched app — masterclasses, 1:1 mentoring and investor/network access, with no fees and no equity taken.

IntakeDubaiClosing · Aug 2026

IntakeDubaiCloses Aug 2026

Google for Startups Accelerator: Middle East, North Africa and Turkey

Equity-free 10-week accelerator with dedicated Google mentors and technical bootcamps; eligible startups receive Google Cloud/Firebase credits up to $350k for year one; Demo Day in Dec 2026.

IntakeUAE-wideClosing · Aug 2026

IntakeUAE-wideCloses Aug 2026

Hi2 Tech Incubator Programme 2026

16 weeks of structured incubation at Dubai Founders HQ for 20 Emirati founders — mentorship, market validation, product strategy and investor/corporate access via the DFHQ ecosystem.

IntakeUAE-wideClosing · Aug 2026

IntakeUAE-wideCloses Aug 2026

Sharjah Women Impact Fellowship (SWIF) 2026

Free 6-month fellowship for 12 women founders: dedicated accountability partner, Sheraa ecosystem and investor access, AED 3,000 licensing support and a showcase at Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival.

IntakeSharjahClosing · Sep 2026

IntakeSharjahCloses Sep 2026

Supernova 0X at Expand North Star 2026

$200,000 equity-free cash prize pool split across Pre-Seed, Seed and Series A winners, plus growth packages, buyer introductions, sponsored GITEX pods and PR exposure.

ChallengeDubaiOpen · Nov 2026

ChallengeDubaiCloses Nov 2026

Hub71 Access Programme — Cohort 20

AED 250,000 in-kind incentives + AED 250,000 cash via SAFE note on a 12-month programme with a 3-month guided track powered by Techstars; top performers eligible for a further AED 250,000 top-up.

IntakeAbu DhabiOpen

Hub71+ ClimateTech — Cohort 20

AED 250,000 in-kind + AED 250,000 cash via SAFE note, plus a 3-month climate-focused guided track operated by Plug and Play with anchor partners Siemens Energy, Taqa and Tabreed; AED 250,000 top-up for top performers.

IntakeAbu DhabiOpen

Hub71+ Digital Assets — Cohort 20

AED 250,000 in-kind + AED 250,000 cash via SAFE note, 3-month guided track powered by Elixir Capital, ADGM regulatory access and Web3 partners (First Abu Dhabi Bank, Solana, Algorand, Circle); AED 250,000 top-up possible.

IntakeAbu DhabiOpen

Hub71+ Life Sciences — Cohort 20

AED 250,000 of in-kind support plus AED 250,000 cash via SAFE note, with up to AED 250,000 top-up for high performers, on a 12-month programme starting February 2027.

IntakeAbu DhabiOpen

MBRIF Innovation Accelerator — Cohort 13

Six-month accelerator with bespoke mentorship, expert training and investor/partner network access — no fees, no equity taken; members have raised AED 2.8B+ collectively.

GrantDubaiOpen

ADGM FSRA Regulatory Laboratory (RegLab)

A tailored Financial Services Permission to develop and live-test your fintech product with real customers in ADGM for up to two years under a customised, lighter regulatory framework.

SandboxAbu DhabiEvergreen

ADGM Tech Startup Licence

Incentivised ADGM commercial licence from USD 1,500/yr at seed stage, with English common-law jurisdiction, 3 visas per desk and the Hub71 ecosystem.

LicenseAbu DhabiEvergreen

ADIO Innovation Programme

Bespoke financial incentives (rebates on highly-skilled payroll and high-tech CAPEX) plus non-financial support (office space, regulatory assistance, fee exemptions) from an AED 2 billion programme pool.

GrantAbu DhabiEvergreen

Area 2071 Ecosystem Membership

Dubai Future Foundation ecosystem membership at Emirates Towers: AED 1,000/yr subsidised commercial licence, 3-year DDA business licence, workspace and labs, and access to government and enterprise partners.

IntakeDubaiEvergreen

DFSA Innovation Testing Licence (ITL)

A restricted DFSA licence to live-test innovative financial products with real customers in the DIFC (typically a 12-month testing period); service fees USD 5,000–140,000 depending on activity.

SandboxDubaiEvergreen

DIFC Innovation Licence

Subsidised DIFC commercial licence at USD 1,500/yr for tech startups, with discounted coworking, up to 4 discounted visas on the first desk and Ignyte access.

LicenseDubaiEvergreen

DMCC Jump Start Package

DMCC licence + flexi desk + one residency visa in a single package (AED 43,780/yr), with sector-specific Crypto/AI/Gaming Centre variants at AED 31,000.

LicenseDubaiEvergreen

Dubai Future District Fund — Direct Startup Investments

Direct equity investment from an AED 1 billion evergreen fund anchored by DIFC and Dubai Future Foundation (22 direct startup investments to date).

GrantDubaiEvergreen

Dubai Mainland Trade Licence (DED)

Mainland Dubai trade licence issued digitally in about 15 minutes via Invest in Dubai/Basher, bundling Chamber membership, establishment card and work-permit quota.

LicenseDubaiEvergreen

Dubai Silicon Oasis Startup Licence (via Dtec)

Subsidised startup licence bundled with coworking at Dtec, DSO's tech campus — 100% ownership, DIEZ visas and a 5-year runway before standard rates.

LicenseDubaiEvergreen

Dubai SME Seed Capital & Expansion Loans

Seed capital and expansion loans for innovative Emirati-owned pilot projects and SMEs in Dubai, with grace periods up to 24 months and repayment up to 5 years.

GrantDubaiEvergreen

EDB 360 Business Banking & Growth Financing

Business account opened within ~48 hours plus in-app applications for growth financing of up to AED 5 million, with free local transfers and no minimum balance.

GrantUAE-wideEvergreen

IFZA Free Zone Business Licence

Remote, no-presence-required Dubai free-zone licence with 100% ownership and mix-and-match business activities, set up via IFZA's partner network.

LicenseDubaiEvergreen

in5 Design

Subsidised FZ-LLC setup with coworking, prototyping lab, 3D printers, wood/metal machinery and fashion lab, investor access and sponsored showcasing at Dubai Design Week and Arab Fashion Week; no equity taken.

IntakeDubaiEvergreen

in5 Media

Subsidised FZ-LLC setup with coworking, green rooms, recording studios, editing suites and production equipment, investor access and sponsored showcasing at Dubai Lynx, CABSAT and GITEX; no equity taken.

IntakeDubaiEvergreen

in5 Tech

Subsidised Dubai Development Authority FZ-LLC setup with coworking, smart labs and private offices, investor access and sponsored GITEX showcasing; membership-based, no equity taken.

IntakeDubaiEvergreen

Khalifa Fund SME Funding Products

Interest-free loans from AED 500,000 (Microfinance) up to AED 3M (Expansion, manufacturing) or AED 2M (Agri Tech), covering 80–90% of project cost with grace periods up to 24 months.

GrantAbu DhabiEvergreen

Meydan Free Zone Business Licence

Passport-only, fully remote Dubai licence from AED 12,500 with flexi-desk included — or the Fawri instant licence issued in under 60 minutes from AED 15,000.

LicenseDubaiEvergreen

SHAMS Business Licence (Sharjah Media City)

Low-cost, fully online Sharjah media/creative licence with 100% ownership, no physical presence required and up to 12 visas on a shared-desk facility.

LicenseSharjahEvergreen

The Catalyst Accelerator Program

Funding via SAFE note paid in 2–3 KPI-linked tranches, plus mentorship, a 3-month accelerator schedule and pilot opportunities with UAE market access through Masdar City and bp.

IntakeAbu DhabiEvergreen

UAE Golden Visa — Entrepreneur

5-year renewable, self-sponsored UAE Golden residency (no local sponsor needed) for founders of innovative projects auditor-certified at AED 500,000+; family sponsorship included.

VisaUAE-wideEvergreen

UAE Golden Visa — Investor (Public Investments)

10-year renewable, self-sponsored Golden residency for investors with AED 2M+ in a UAE company, frozen deposit or property — or AED 250,000+ in annual UAE tax contributions.

VisaUAE-wideEvergreen

UAE Green Visa — Freelancer / Self-Employed

5-year renewable, self-sponsored Green residency for freelancers with a MOHRE permit, a bachelor's degree and AED 360,000+ annual self-employment income over the past two years.

VisaUAE-wideEvergreen

UAE Virtual Work Residence Permit (Dubai)

1-year renewable, self-sponsored Dubai residence for remote workers employed outside the UAE earning USD 3,500+/month — no local sponsor needed, family sponsorship allowed.

VisaDubaiEvergreen

DIFC FinTech Hive Accelerator

Non-equity accelerator: proof-of-concept access to partner banks and insurers, DFSA regulatory guidance, mentorship and an investor demo day inside DIFC.

IntakeDubaiClosed

Dubai Founders HQ Accelerator (Plug and Play)

Equity- and fee-free 3-month accelerator: government/corporate market access, PoC opportunities, investor-readiness training and a Downtown Dubai campus; completers may be considered for investment.

IntakeDubaiClosed

Dubai Future Accelerators

Direct co-creation with Dubai government entities and large enterprises on live city challenges — a rare route to a public-sector pilot and a Dubai reference customer.

ChallengeDubaiClosed

Flat6Labs Ignite (Abu Dhabi)

$150k–$250k seed investment plus a 4-month programme with office space, mentorship and ADQ portfolio access; select graduates eligible for $200k–$500k follow-on funding.

IntakeAbu DhabiClosed

FutureTech World Cup — Dubai AI Festival 2026

Live pitch before investors at Dubai AI Festival (26–27 Oct 2026); 2025 winner rewards included a Dubai AI Licence, $25,000 AWS credits and $20,000 Trescon credits.

ChallengeDubaiClosed

Intelak Hub 2026 Incubator & Accelerator

12-week programme with Emirates Group and DET mentorship; AED 20,000 licensing grant per Incubator startup and AED 50,000 grant per Accelerator startup, plus an investor demo day.

IntakeDubaiClosed

Investors & Ecosystem — who funds UAE startups →Send a program update →

About UAE programs on DXBStart

What does DXBStart list as a program?

A real apply path a founder can use: an intake, grant, license, visa, sandbox, or challenge. Operator homepages and formation shops are not programs.

Why are closed programs still listed?

Most intakes and challenges are seasonal. The page is the permanent record — when it reopens we update the dates, not the URL.

Do you apply on my behalf?

No. The apply button goes to the operator. If you want a read on which programs fit, write the desk from the program page.