MBRIF's Innovation Accelerator Program Welcomes 21 New Startups For Its 11th Cohort
The MBRIF, i.e. Mohammed Bin Rashid Innovation Fund, an initiative established by the UAE's Ministry of Finance, has supported nearly 200 innovative businesses since its launch in 2018.
The Mohammed Bin Rashid Innovation Fund (MBRIF), an initiative launched by the UAE's Ministry of Finance, has announced the 21 participants that will join the 11th cohort of its flagship Innovation Accelerator Program.
Launched in 2018, the MBRIF Innovation Accelerator Program provides promising innovative businesses with the tools, expertise, and connections necessary to scale operations and contribute to the UAE's transition toward a diversified, knowledge-based economy.
Participating startups will receive comprehensive support, including access to public and private sector networks, customized mentorship, specialized training, and opportunities to connect with investors and strategic partners. It also aims to accelerate growth, strengthen commercial readiness, and enable founders to expand their impact locally and globally.
Over the course of the past ten cohorts, the MBRIF Innovation Accelerator Program has supported nearly 200 innovative businesses, facilitating access to over AED1 billion (approximately US$272 million) in funding from external sources and contributing to the creation of more than 1,000 jobs nationwide, supporting the country's goals around economic diversification, global competitiveness, and long-term development.
In a statement, Fatima Yousif Alnaqbi, the Acting Assistant Undersecretary for Support Services Sector at the UAE Ministry of Finance and its representative at MBRIF, said, “We are pleased to welcome the 11th cohort to the MBRIF Innovation Accelerator Program, an initiative that reflects our commitment to empowering high-potential, ambitious companies that are developing real-world solutions to pressing challenges, thereby supporting national development priorities. Through this program, we provide founders with a supportive ecosystem that helps scaling their businesses locally and internationally, while reinforcing the UAE’s position as a global hub for innovation. The diversity of innovative businesses selected for the new cohort highlights the maturity of the UAE’s innovation ecosystem and the growing interest from both local and international entrepreneurs seeking to build and scale from the country.”
The startups joining the MBRIF program this year represents a cross-section of emerging technologies addressing challenges in healthcare, cybersecurity, sustainability, and enterprise automation.
The selected companies include healthtech startups BioTwin, which creates artificial intelligence (AI)-driven virtual models of patients to detect diseases before symptoms appear and customize treatment plans, and Pharmedic, a platform that uses genomic analysis and AI to prevent adverse medication reactions. Other healthtech startups include Toothpick, which consolidates purchasing, financial services, and administrative tasks for medical clinics into one system, as well as Neulink, a solution that digitizes pharmacy operations and compliance.
The cohort also includes startups working across proptech and deeptech infrastructure. Disrupt-X applies AI and connected device technology to monitor and manage physical assets and facilities, while Synergy Quantum is developing next-generation, quantum-secure encryption systems designed to protect sensitive infrastructure from emerging computing threats.
Additionally, several startups focus on improving operations across hospitality, contech, and venue management. Bellboy delivers AI-driven guest messaging and communication tools for hotels and hospitality providers, while SLZ develops digital twin and augmented reality solutions for construction and manufacturing. Also in this segment is Qode Limited, a platform that supports the day-to-day operations of sports venues, entertainment centers, and recreational spaces.
The cohort also includes startups building solutions aimed at business operations, customer engagement, and workforce innovation. CapQuest helps early-stage companies and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) manage shareholder records and cap tables, Defy provides AI-powered tools to help blockchain-based businesses meet regulatory requirements and protect their systems, and AkelTech uses intelligent vending machines to serve freshly prepared food on demand. Actualize uses AI to handle customer inquiries and conversations across multiple platforms, while Professional.me replaces traditional CVs with digital profiles that showcase candidates' skills interactively.
Robotics is also represented in the cohort, with ROBOX, which designs robotic activations for marketing events and brand experiences, while Digitech Oasis builds autonomous robots and AI systems designed to support large-scale enterprise operations.
Rounding out the intake are startups working in agritech, including Palmear, which uses AI and acoustic analysis to detect pest infestations in date palms at an early stage, Terra Grow applies AI to enable soil-free farming systems, and ReflowX operates a marketplace for trading surplus equipment from the energy sector.
In the education space, the cohort welcomes Smartail, which automates exam grading and student assessment. Meanwhile, in the aerospace and space innovation sector, UAE-based Third Body Dynamics develops compact, AI-enabled satellites for rapid deployment.
Pictured in the lead image is a photo of the 11th cohort of the MBRIF Innovation Accelerator Program. Image courtesy MBRIF.
