# ADIO Innovation Programme

- **Type:** grant
- **Status:** evergreen
- **City:** Abu Dhabi
- **Equity:** None stated (incentives)
- **Cost:** No application fee published
- **Duration:** Bespoke
- **Apply:** https://www.investwithabudhabi.com/en/contact
- **Page:** https://www.dxbstart.com/programs/adio-innovation-programme

ADIO’s Innovation Programme sits under Abu Dhabi’s Ghadan / Invest in Abu Dhabi stack: an AED 2 billion-class incentive pool for companies that will put highly skilled payroll and high-tech capex in the emirate. What you get is negotiated — payroll rebates, capex support, space, fee relief — not a fixed cheque on a form. The public “apply” path is a contact / investment enquiry, not a cohort portal. It is evergreen and aimed at companies that can show substance in Abu Dhabi, not a pre-seed from another time zone looking for a stamp.

## Desk take

This is an economic-development conversation, not a YC application. If you cannot describe headcount, capex, and why Abu Dhabi (not “MENA”), do not fill the form. Founders at idea stage should look at Hub71 or in5 first.

## Eligibility

Abu Dhabi Investment Office incentive packages for innovation-driven companies setting up or expanding in Abu Dhabi.
- Targets high-growth sectors: agritech, financial services, ICT, health services & biopharma, tourism
- Open to international and UAE companies committing to a real Abu Dhabi presence (HQ, R&D, operations)
- No fixed product list — support is structured case-by-case on economic impact and alignment with Abu Dhabi priorities
- Entry route is direct engagement with the ADIO team ("Talk to ADIO"), who match the project to the right programme

## Questions

### Is this a grant I can apply to this week?

There is no public weekly intake. You enquire, they qualify you, then they structure support.

### Can a two-person remote team get this?

Unlikely. ADIO is buying jobs and capex in Abu Dhabi.


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Source: DXBStart — the working index of the UAE startup ecosystem. Canonical page: https://www.dxbstart.com/programs/adio-innovation-programme
More machine-readable resources: https://www.dxbstart.com/llms.txt
Startups can request a listing at https://www.dxbstart.com/submit — free, editorially reviewed.