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The one where eChai brought international founders together at the Startup Social, Dubai
Meanwhile, across eChai
Aahan Bhojani & Ashmin Varma
Founded 2021, Silkhaus is a tech-enabled short-term / flexible rental platform giving asset owners management infrastructure to monetize units (targeting 20-40% higher yields). Raised $7.75M seed (2022, Nord...
Siddiq Farid & Musfique Ahmed
Founded 2018, SmartCrowd pioneered DFSA-regulated real-estate crowdfunding in the UAE, enabling fractional property investment from ~AED 500. Raised $600K seed (2018, Shorooq/500 Startups) and a $3M bridge (...
Sirish Kumar & Khalil Alami
Founded 2014, Telr is a Dubai online payment-gateway provider — APIs and tools for businesses to accept and manage payments via web, mobile and social, with offices in the UAE, Singapore, India and Saudi Ara...
Arjun Mohan
Founded 2018, Tenderd is a construction / heavy-equipment rental marketplace and AI fleet-management platform (TenderdTrack turns machines into IoT-connected assets tracking productivity and emissions). Rais...
** AI-powered corporate-cards and spend-management fintech. Raised a $48M Series A in August 2025 led by Peak XV Partners — one of the largest early-stage fintech rounds in MENA. A leading Dubai B2B fintech/...
Nimit Solanki (CTO) & Mark Reed (COO) (est. 2025)
Dubai-HQ'd AI-native hospitality-tech platform specializing in extended-stay bookings (30–365 nights) with AI-driven dynamic pricing and demand aggregation, promising ~32%+ discounts on underutilized hotel/h...
Imran, Zeeshan & Haider Ali Khan
Formerly EMPG (Emerging Markets Property Group, est. 2015), the group behind property portal Bayut and classifieds marketplace dubizzle. Became the Arab world's first homegrown unicorn after the 2020 EMPG–OL...
Michael Lahyani
Founded 2007 (evolved from Al Bab World print classifieds), Property Finder is the Middle East's first proptech unicorn — the leading property portal across MENA. Hit $1B+ unicorn status with General Atlanti...
Feras Jalbout
Founded 2021 (Y Combinator S21), baraka is a DIFC/DFSA-regulated wealthtech app for GCC retail investors to buy US stocks, bonds, options and gold from $1. Closed a $20M Series A in Nov 2022 led by Valar Ven...
Craig Moore
Founded 2014, Beehive is MENA's first regulated P2P/crowdfunding lending marketplace connecting SMEs seeking finance with investors; has facilitated $100M+ in loans. Now an e& enterprise (Etisalat group) com...
Comfi is a Dubai B2B embedded-finance / BNPL platform for business purchases. Raised a large $65M pre-Series A (equity + debt) in 2026, led by Iliad Partners with Yango Ventures and Raw Ventures, plus credit...
Michele Grosso
Founded 2015, Democrance is a Dubai B2B insurtech: white-label, plug-and-play SaaS that digitises insurance sales/distribution for emerging-market and underserved segments. Backed by Global Ventures and Wa'e...
Jon Edward Santillan & Walfrido Perez
Founded 2019, Denarii Cash is a Dubai cross-border money-transfer / remittance app targeting UAE-Philippines and other South/Southeast Asia corridors. Acquired by Dubai's Careem in July 2022 to power Careem ...
Michael Hunter & Arran Summerhill
Founded 2020, Holo is billed as the Middle East's first fully digital mortgage platform — users compare 500+ products from 20 UAE lenders free (Holo is paid by banks). Raised a seven-figure seed (2023, Wathe...
Kevin Kilty
Founded 2019, Hubpay is a Dubai cross-border wallet / remittance and multi-currency business-account fintech serving MENAP corridors (strong UAE-Pakistan/South Asia flows). First UAE startup licensed for dig...
Dubai-HQ'd (DIFC) and one of the Gulf's most established VCs, founded 2012, ~$820M AUM. In 2025 closed a $370M dual raise — a $120M early-stage Fund IV (pre-seed to Series A) plus a $250M Growth Fund (Series B to pre-IPO), backing founde...
Dubai-based seed/early-stage VC founded 2010 by Aramex founder Fadi Ghandour; the investing arm of the influential Wamda media/community platform. Invests at Seed and Series A across MENA, Turkey and Sub-Saharan Africa via Wamda Capital ...
Dubai-based (DIFC) VC founded 2018 investing in globally scalable emerging-market tech across MENA and Africa. Seed/Series A checks of ~$1–3M, thematic funds spanning fintech (Fund I), digital health (Fund II) and supply-chain/agritech/d...
Dubai-HQ'd, one of the region's oldest and largest VCs (founded 2010) with offices in Beirut, Bahrain and Riyadh and 260M+ AUM. Invests seed through Series B ($300K–$5M) across fintech, SaaS, healthtech and logistics; launched a $150M Fu...
Dubai-based 'Champions Of The Underdog' seed firm; raised a $54M debut fund in 2024 for pre-seed/seed across the GCC, Egypt and Pakistan, writing $500K–$2M with a fintech/B2B-software lean. Early backer of Huspy, Supy, MoneyHash and Sirdab.
Dubai-based (DFSA-regulated, DIFC) VC founded 2020; raised $75M+ toward a $100M debut fund investing seed to Series B across MENA, Turkey and Pakistan in SaaS, fintech, proptech, healthtech and D2C. Portfolio includes Eyewa, Homzmart and...
Dubai's leading enterprise incubator, launched 2013 by TECOM Group. Non-equity model supporting startups with subsidised business setup, mentorship, investor access, coworking, prototyping labs, 3D printers and fashion/maker labs across ...
The region's first FinTech accelerator, launched 2017 by DIFC with Accenture. A 12-week programme for early- and growth-stage FinTech, InsurTech, RegTech and Islamic FinTech startups, giving access to financial-institution partners (Emir...
Dubai chapter of the global FinTech accelerator, launched 2018 in partnership with DIFC, Visa and Mashreq Bank. An intense 3-month seed/pre-seed programme for FinTech, financial-services and IT startups across AI, distributed-ledger and ...
Silicon Valley innovation platform (present in 60+ locations) running Dubai accelerators from 2025 with the Dubai Department of Economy & Tourism and Chamber of Digital Economy. A flagship 3-month programme for post-revenue startups in t...
Leading MENA seed accelerator and early-stage VC that has funded 1,000+ startups across the region. UAE programs (anchored in Abu Dhabi) include the climate-focused Catalyst accelerator and a Women's Health/Femtech accelerator with Organ...
Global VC and accelerator investing across MENA since 2012, with 300+ regionally headquartered portfolio companies. Runs the Sanabil Accelerator (Saudi) and the Creators Ventures Accelerator — a 10-week hybrid Dubai programme turning cre...
MENA's largest tech coworking and startup hub, 10,000+ sq m across two locations inside the Dubai Silicon Oasis free zone. Home to 1,000+ startups from 75–90 countries, with one-stop company setup, flexible coworking and scale-up support...
Founder-led coworking hub, business-expansion platform and startup academy, founded 2014 by Namshi co-founders Louis Lebbos and Muhammed Mekki as Google for Entrepreneurs' regional partner. Runs 24/7 coworking with 100+ startups, a train...
Flexible coworking and private-office hub in JLT combining desks, micro-offices, meeting/event spaces and studios geared toward sports, fitness and wellness professionals (with a gym and recording studios). Holds an exclusive partnership...
Flexible workspace membership platform (80,000+ members) giving on-demand access to cafes, hotels and coworking venues across Dubai and the UAE. Aimed at remote workers, freelancers and small teams who want mobility and short-term access...
Global coworking brand with premium Dubai locations offering hot desks, dedicated desks, private offices and meeting rooms on month-to-month terms and day passes. Popular with freelancers, entrepreneurs, startups and corporate teams need...
Members' club and coworking space offering fully furnished, flexible offices and shared workspace for individuals and teams, from freelancers to consultants. Blends work, wellness and social amenities in a design-led setting popular with...
Middle East chapter of global TiE, inaugurated 2003 under Dubai's TECOM; a not-for-profit powerhouse for MENA entrepreneurship. Runs 100+ events a year plus sub-programs TiE Angels (early-stage investing), TiE Women, TiE Uni and structur...
TiE Dubai's annual flagship — billed as one of the world's largest entrepreneur conferences, ~3,000+ attendees over two days of entrepreneurship, industry trends and investment.
Powered by Google for Startups; 5,000+ member Dubai chapter. Monthly fireside chats with local founders, innovators and investors, plus founder meetups and mixers. Global format across 98+ countries.
Largest association of Indian businessmen and professionals in Dubai, founded 2003 under Dubai Chambers. A key diaspora networking and policy-advocacy platform bridging Indian and Emirati business communities.
UAE chapter of the IIT Bombay alumni network; part of the dense IIT/IIM/BITS alumni fabric that feeds Dubai's Indian founder and investor diaspora. (Pan-IIM UAE and BITS Pilani Dubai alumni networks run parallel.)
Huda Beauty
** The icon of Dubai's founder scene. Iraqi-American makeup artist and blogger who founded Huda Beauty in Dubai in 2013 (starting with false eyelashes via Sephora), building it into a billion-dollar global c...
Kayali
** Co-founder of Huda Beauty and founder/CEO of fragrance brand Kayali ("my imagination"), launched with sister Huda in 2018. In 2024–25 Kayali was carved out from Huda Beauty as an independent company, with...
PRYPCO
** Emirati founder/CEO of proptech platform PRYPCO (founded 2022) and MD of Sales & Development at DAMAC (daughter of DAMAC founder Hussain Sajwani). PRYPCO fractionalizes/tokenizes Dubai real estate (invest...
Souqalmal / Yabi
** Mauritius-born, Dubai-based fintech founder. Founded Souqalmal.com in 2012, the leading financial-comparison/insurance platform in UAE & KSA (majority-acquired by SHUAA Capital in 2022). Since pivoted to ...
Mumzworld
** Co-founded Mumzworld in Dubai in 2011 (with Leena Khalil), the region's leading mother-baby-child e-commerce platform (250,000+ products, delivery to 20+ countries); acquired by Tamer Group in 2021 in one...
Luxury Promise
** Former lawyer, founder/CEO of Luxury Promise (2016), a Dubai-based pre-loved luxury marketplace using AI to price and authenticate resale designer goods. Raised an ~$11M round led by VC firm Beringea (202...
The Dubai International Financial Centre and its Innovation Hub: an English common-law financial free zone and the leading fintech, wealthtech and regtech cluster for the region, home to the Dubai AI Campus and 1,000-plus innovation companies.
10 companies 4 investors 4 coworking
Strong in Proptech, Fintech
An integrated technology park purpose-built for tech, hardware and deeptech, home to Dtec, the largest coworking space in the Middle East. The landing pad for early-stage and bootstrapped tech founders wanting cheap licensing and community.
3 companies 1 investor 3 coworking
Strong in Edtech, Deeptech
The central mixed-use business district around the Dubai Canal: not a free zone but the mainland-company and scale-up heartland, dense with growth-stage fintech, proptech and ecommerce teams wanting a prestige address close to clients.
2 companies 1 coworking
Strong in Proptech, Foodtech
Answers about the Dubai startup scene
What does the startup ecosystem in Dubai look like?
It is a state-architected, arrival-friendly ecosystem built on purpose-built free zones with 100 percent foreign ownership and zero personal income tax. Its signature verticals are web3 and crypto (a global hub), proptech and real-estate (Property Finder, tokenized real-estate), fintech in DIFC, and the trade, logistics, travel and foodtech pillars (Careem, Talabat, Kitopi). The vertical pages and Founder Circuit above map who is building what.
Why do founders relocate to Dubai?
The free-zone model: 100 percent foreign ownership, zero personal income tax, fast licensing and visas, and a location between India, MENA, Africa and the West. Founders pick a free zone whose license and community fit their sector (DIFC for finance, DMCC for crypto and trade, Dubai Internet City for tech), then plug into the ecosystem. It is one reason Dubai carries the largest Indian founder base of any city on these pages.
Where do founders network in Dubai?
At meetups, mixers and dinners more than at conferences. eChai runs free, open founder meetups in Dubai, with an India to UAE flavour, recurring at Shunya Ekai Technologies in Dubai Production City. Beyond eChai there is a thick layer of communities, from TiE Dubai to Startup Grind, all listed in the communities section below. The simplest first step is to show up to an upcoming event.
Is Dubai a good place for crypto and web3 startups?
Yes, it is one of the strongest crypto hubs globally. Bybit and Deribit moved their global headquarters to Dubai, Binance and OKX run large regional operations, and the DMCC Crypto Centre and Crypto Tower host hundreds of native web3, tokenization and blockchain-infrastructure firms under VARA regulation. See the crypto and web3 vertical page above for the filterable list.
Who are the Indian founders in Dubai?
A large share of Dubai's startups are Indian or South-Asian founded, across fintech, logistics, proptech, travel and more, from Alaan and Fuze to Silkhaus, iMile and Musafir. The Diaspora tab above maps that cluster company by company, and lists the India-linked networks (TiE Dubai, IBPC Dubai and the IIT, IIM and BITS alumni chapters) that eChai connects into.
Who are the active VCs and investors in Dubai?
Dubai's core funds include BECO Capital, Wamda, Global Ventures, MEVP, VentureSouq and Antler MENAP, alongside sovereign and family-office capital. An India to MENA corridor connects funds like Peak XV, 100Unicorns and Alpha Wave. The investors section above lists firms by type, including the India-linked ones.
What are the main free zones and incubators in Dubai?
DIFC (finance and innovation), DMCC (crypto and trade), Dubai Internet City (tech) and Dubai Silicon Oasis (hardware and deeptech, home to Dtec, the region's largest coworking space) anchor the map, alongside in5 and the Dubai Future Foundation. The incubators and coworking section above lists them by type, and the neighbourhoods above cut the city by free zone.
How do I find a co-founder in Dubai?
Go where founders already gather. Free-zone hubs like Dtec and in5 run community programs, but most pairings start informally at meetups and mixers. Come to a few eChai Dubai events, meet people building adjacent things, and the conversations tend to find their own way to co-founder fit.
How do I join the startup community in Dubai as an Indian founder?
eChai is free and open, and the Dubai chapter is built around the India to UAE bridge. Pick an upcoming event above, RSVP and walk in, no application or fee. It is one of the most natural on-ramps for an Indian founder landing in Dubai to meet both diaspora founders and the wider ecosystem.
What are the best startup events in Dubai?
The upcoming events block above is live: RSVP to the next eChai Dubai meetup. Beyond eChai, Dubai runs GITEX Global and Expand North Star at Expo City, TiEcon Dubai, Token2049, STEP Conference and Seamless Middle East, listed in the communities section.
New to the Dubai startup scene? Start here.
eChai runs free, open founder meetups in Dubai, and connects the India to UAE founder bridge. No membership, no fee, just show up. RSVP to the next one and meet the people building here.
See upcoming Dubai events
