Dubai Founders HQ To Boost Emirate’s Startup and SME Ecosystem

Dubai has launched Dubai Founders HQ, a new platform designed to support the success of the city’s startup and small business community. The initiative is designed to make it easier for entrepreneurs to launch, grow and scale their ventures from Dubai, creating opportunities for Indian startups.

The joint initiative by the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) and Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy (DCDE) combines a physical startup campus with an online platform that gives founders access to mentors, investors, accelerators and government services. 

Dubai Founders HQ was launched by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, as part of the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33). The initiative will support the D33 goal of scaling 30 unicorns from Dubai and supporting the growth of 400 SMEs by 2033.

Dubai Founders HQ is based at the 25hours Hotel Dubai One Central at Dubai World Trade Centre. It blends physical and digital infrastructure to give startups both a place to connect and the tools they need to scale.

Entrepreneurs can access business set-up guidance, sector-specific acceleration programmes, expert mentorship and investor connections, all through one platform.

More than 25 public and private sector partners have already joined the initiative, spanning venture capital, financial services, government entities, telecommunications, and innovation hubs. Officials said this collaboration shows Dubai’s commitment to building a founder-first ecosystem. 

The platform will also serve as a gateway for international startups entering the Dubai market, offering them business setup support and links to key players across the ecosystem. Partnerships with global organisations such as Endeavor and Plug and Play will bring tailored programmes and mentorship to help startups grow from idea to market success.

Notably, Dubai’s startup ecosystem is already valued at over $51 Bn, with more than 2,000 funding rounds and over 90 incubators and accelerators active across the city. 

The launch of Dubai Founders HQ builds on initiatives such as the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy’s ‘Business in Dubai’ platform, which aims to make Dubai the easiest place in the world to start and scale a business.

Driving Dubai’s Digital Economy And Global Startup Ecosystem

The initiative was featured prominently at Expand North Star 2025 in Dubai during October, one of the world’s biggest events for startups and investors, which is hosted by Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy and organised by Dubai World Trade Centre.

This year, the event’s 10th anniversary edition drew an unprecedented 2,000 startups, 1,200 investors, and 40 unicorns from over 100 countries. Founders, policymakers, and venture capital firms discussed cross-border partnerships and emerging opportunities in artificial intelligence (AI), fintech, and sustainability-focussed innovation.

Indian startups were among the most visible participants at this year’s Expand North Star, with around 300 startups from various sectors, including AI, climate tech, and retail technology, showcasing their solutions. The chamber expects many of these early interactions to translate into new entities established within Dubai before the end of the year.

For now, Dubai Founders HQ stands as a practical example of how Dubai’s institutions are turning policy into execution, transforming the process of entering a new market into a guided, efficient, and investor-ready experience for founders worldwide.