Abu Dhabi: Ten climate tech start-ups presented pioneering circular economy solutions at the showcase event for the latest cycle of the Launchpad, hosted by UAE Independent Climate Change Accelerators (UICCA), in partnership with the Ministry of Economy.
According to Emirates News Agency, the UICCA Launchpad is designed to fast-track the growth of climate tech start-ups by providing access to funding, market opportunities, mentorship, and policy guidance. Each cycle targets a critical area of climate action, with this edition dedicated to advancing circular economy solutions that eliminate or repurpose waste across key sectors such as food, water, energy, and infrastructure.
The ten participating companies were selected from over 150 global applicants based on the potential of their climate technologies. These include solutions in decentralised composting, textile upcycling, critical minerals recovery, industrial reuse, food waste management, and circular desalination.
The showcase marked the culmination of an intensive three-month accelerator, during which the participants received expert mentorship, training, and stakeholder engagement opportunities tailored to scaling in the UAE.
H.H. Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, President and CEO of UICCA, emphasized the importance of rethinking economic design to not only reduce waste but also regenerate systems and create lasting value. She highlighted the role of the UICCA Launchpad in supporting innovators who are turning this vision into reality, transforming industries, and laying the groundwork for a future where sustainability and growth coexist.
Maria Hanif Alqassim, Assistant Undersecretary for Policies and Economic Studies Sector at the Ministry of Economy, expressed pride in the Ministry's partnership with the UICCA Circular Economy Launchpad Programme. She underscored the initiative's alignment with values of cross-sector collaboration, scalable innovation support, and sustainable economic model advancement.
The Circular Economy Cycle cohort included Altera, Cauli, Circa Biotech, Desolenator, Excess Material Exchange, Food with Benefits, Novasensa, Terrax, The Waste Lab, and Yellow Octopus: Circular Solutions. These companies delivered live presentations to an audience of investors, policy stakeholders, and sustainability leaders from across the UAE.
The UICCA Launchpad will continue with upcoming cycles focused on carbon solutions and climate adaptation, further contributing to the UAE's vision of becoming a global hub for climate innovation.