Abu dhabi: Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development (KFED) and Hub71 hosted the inaugural MZN Hub71 Demo Day, showcasing the achievements of 17 Emirati founders who participated in the MZN Hub71 programme. The event highlighted the innovative startups developed during the three-month programme, aimed at fostering early-stage entrepreneurship in Abu Dhabi.
According to Emirates News Agency, the MZN Hub71 programme is designed to support entrepreneurs building ventures in key sectors, contributing to Abu Dhabi's economic growth and diversification. It provides an entry point for Emirati entrepreneurs, offering venture-building support, mentorship, and access to Hub71's tech ecosystem to help transform ideas into viable products.
Basma Ahmed AlBadi AlDhaheri, Head of Value Creation at Hub71, emphasized the importance of early-stage support, noting the significant achievements of the founders after three months. The Demo Day, held at MZN Hub Al Ain, featured presentations from startups in AI, HealthTech, ClimateTech, FinTech, and AgriTech to a panel of investors and stakeholders.
The top three startups received in-kind support packages valued at up to AED100,000. Limb, an AI-powered physiotherapy platform, won first place, followed by Reach LLM, an AI platform for optimising brand performance, and Hign Al Khaleej, a digital marketplace for camels.
Khalifa Fund emphasized the progress made by the founders and the potential of the next generation of Emirati entrepreneurs. Through its partnership with Hub71, KFED supports founders from the earliest stages, helping transform ideas into sustainable businesses.
Participants engaged in 21 workshops and sessions covering product development, market validation, AI strategy, and more, with insights from organizations like Department of Health - Abu Dhabi and Kraken. The Demo Day marks the beginning of the next phase for the cohort as they continue to build and scale their businesses in Abu Dhabi.