- What
- No direct investment published; corporate pilots via sprint accelerators.
- Who
- Early-stage local and international startups (sector varies by sprint).
In detail
startAD is a university-anchored accelerator in the UAE. Abu Dhabi accelerator powered by Tamkeen and anchored at NYU Abu Dhabi, running since 2016. Corporate Sprint Accelerators pair global startups with UAE industry partners for pilots; the AI for Good initiative with Google.org develops AI healthcare applications for the UAE and KSA. 428 tech startups accelerated.
- Amount
- No direct investment published — startAD connects startups to funding opportunities; corporate pilots via its Corporate Sprint Accelerators
- Terms
- No — startAD does not invest in startups
- Eligibility
- Early-stage local and international startups; sector focus varies by sprint
- Sectors
- FinTech, ConstructionTech, Sustainability, AI, Hardware, DeepTech
- Benefits
- Corporate pilots (ALEC, CCC, Oracle) · NYUAD facilities
- Status
- Active
What the source says
“You can find us on the NYUAD campus on Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi.”
“Powered by our partner Tamkeen and anchored at NYU Abu Dhabi, startAD is a new model for entrepreneurship education and innovation.”
“In 2016, Jagannathan and his team managed to successfully raise significant funds for startAD, which was built as a model for entrepreneurial education and innovation for the GCC region”
“Corporate Sprint Accelerator (CSA) is startAD’s flagship Program designed to create winning collaborations between corporates and startups.”
“Practical tools, playbooks, and local insights developed through the startAD AI for Good initiative with support from Google.org.”
“The startAD AI for Good Sandbox brought together the brightest minds across MENA to build open-source AI solutions advancing health and well-being in the UAE and Saudi Arabia.”
Closing soon on the map
No published deadline in the next 30 days · All published deadlines →
Compare accelerators & incubators in the UAE
| Cost | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| startADNo direct investment published; corporate pilots via sprint accelerators. | not published | No equity | Active |
| 500 Global UAEEquity investment of US$100,000+ through the Sanabil Accelerator by 500 Global. | US$100,000+ | Equity; Phase 1 programme fee US$35,000 | Closed |
| CatalystSeed funding as SAFE notes, pre-seed and seed. | not published | Convertible | Active |
| Disrupt.comVenture builder that co-founds AI-first ventures and funds them from its own balance sheet. | not published | Equity | Open |
| Hub71AED 250K in-kind plus AED 250K cash via SAFE note; AED 250K top-up for high performers. | AED 250K | Equity | Open |
| in5 DubaiSubsidized business licence and coworking workspace. | not published | No equity | Active |
| IntelakAED 50K equity-free grant. | AED 50K | No equity | Active |
| NQubatorIncubation and acceleration programmes; Digital Commerce Cohort. | not published | Equity | Active |
| SheraaEquity-free ERF grants from an AED 5M fund plus programmes. | not published | No equity | Active |
| DIFC Innovation Hub — Fintech AcceleratorRegulatory sandbox access and programme support for fintech startups. | not published | No equity | Closed |
| Hamdan Innovation Incubator (Hi2)Free 16-week tech incubator with mentoring and investor introductions; no cash amount. | not published | No cost to join | Closed |
| Innovate For Tomorrow (Dubai Holding)AED 500,000 to the winner plus a funded UAE pilot; runners-up AED 250,000 and AED 100,000. | AED 500,000 | No equity | Closed |
| Plug and Play Abu DhabiAccelerator programme with potential VC investment. | not published | Not published | Active |
| Presight AI AcceleratorSix-month accelerator with a $50K in-kind SAFE note; no working application link today. | $50K | SAFE | Active |
No programmes match these filters.
Highest amount in each programme’s own “What” line. Other currencies converted for sorting only (Gulf pegs; KWD, EUR, GBP approximate).
All accelerators & incubators in the UAE → · Across the Gulf →
More programmes that take no equity →
Questions founders ask
What does startAD offer?
No direct investment published; corporate pilots via sprint accelerators.
Does startAD take equity?
No equity — startAD does not invest in startups.
How do I apply?
No application form is published. Its website is the way in.
Sources
Primary source · startad.ae