Hub71 welcomes record AI startups in latest cohort, boosting Abu Dhabi’s tech push

Hub71, Abu Dhabi’s global tech ecosystem, has welcomed its most AI-focused cohort to date, selecting 26 startups that together have raised more than $223m (Dhs818m), the largest funding total of any Hub71 intake.

Eighty-one percent of the new cohort are AI-driven companies addressing challenges in healthcare, finance, energy and ClimateTech, underlining Abu Dhabi’s growing role in global AI innovation. Most of the startups are seed-stage and come from 12 countries, including the US, UK, Singapore, France, Canada, Egypt and India.

The 17th cohort was chosen from more than 2,000 applications, with 74 per cent of startups headquartered outside the UAE, reinforcing Abu Dhabi’s appeal as a hub for international founders seeking capital, customers and growth opportunities.

Ahmad Ali Alwan, CEO of Hub71, said: “The startups joining Cohort 17 reflect the ambition and calibre of founders we are welcoming into our community.

“Backed by strong funding and building technologies with broad market applications, they are pursuing growth globally. Their decision to build from Abu Dhabi highlights the strength of our ecosystem and its position as a global launchpad for innovation.”

Read: Hub71’s Ahmad Ali Alwan on steering Abu Dhabi’s tech ecosystem into a global scale-up phase

New entrants to Hub71

Among the new entrants is Harmonic Discovery, a US biotech company applying AI to design precision therapies for hard-to-treat diseases such as sickle cell, which has raised $8.5m.

India’s Planys Technologies, with $7.2m in funding, develops underwater robots and smart sensors for diver-free inspection.

Six startups are focused on environmental solutions, including Singapore-based SunGreenH2, which has secured $6.6m to develop high-efficiency electrolysers for green hydrogen production. Eight companies will develop blockchain and Web3 solutions, among them UAE-based Resolv Labs, which has raised $12.5m for its crypto investment platform.

Cohort 17 startups will access Hub71’s support programme, including up to Dhs500,000 in incentives and potential follow-on support Dhs1m for top performers.

The companies will also benefit from Hub71’s network of investors, talent and corporate partners, as well as Abu Dhabi’s specialist ecosystems such as Hub71+ AI, backed by AI71, Core42, Amazon Web Services and Google for Startups.

At a glance: Access Programme

The 26 startups selected to join Hub71’s Cohort 17 include:

• Banxx is an all-in-one app that connects banking and AI, helping users plan, optimise and manage their financial life seamlessly.
• eVoost AI is a real estate intelligence engine, guiding off-plan development decisions from planning through pricing.
• Harmonic Discovery applies AI to design precision therapies for difficult-to-treat diseases, with a lead focus on Sickle Cell Disease.
• HealthStay.io provides AI-driven software that helps healthcare providers qualify, convert and manage international patients through automated workflows.
• Monit delivers AI-powered IoT solutions for industrial asset monitoring, worker safety and operational efficiency.
• Orbii is a credit intelligence platform that enables lenders to build and scale SME lending with AI underwriting, real-time disbursement and collections.
• PayTic automates compliance and payment back-office tasks such as reconciliation, dispute handling and regulatory reporting, cutting costs and improving efficiency for banks and fintechs.
• Planys advances critical infrastructure inspection using marine robotics, underwater NDT and AI analytics, offering safer, unmanned solutions that reduce downtime.
• Professional.me is a talent intelligence system using micro-LLMs tailored to each employer and professional to support smarter hiring, upskilling and workforce planning.
• Reno simplifies home renovations by combining contractor selection, project management and financing in one platform.
• Ukama enables enterprises and communities to build their own cellular networks, extending internet access to remote areas.
• Wrtn Technologies offers consumer AI companions and character chat apps, while also providing AI agents that boost business productivity.
• ZenAdmin.ai is a full-stack IT platform that equips, manages and supports global teams, handling hardware lifecycle, security and access so employees can work without disruption.
• Lypid develops patented plant-based fats that mimic animal fat for use in dairy and baked goods, but with no cholesterol and less saturated fat.
• Mitico offers cost-effective carbon capture technology that reduces industrial emissions by more than 95 per cent.
• P1 Energy provides a modular synthetic fuel system, converting renewable methanol into drop-in fuels for today’s engines without modifications.
• Sager is an AI-powered digital twin platform using drones and geospatial data to monitor assets and optimise operations in real time.
• SNAPP produces compact aquatic drones, scalable in swarms, to monitor ocean habitats with AI support.
• SolarisKit designs flat-packed solar thermal collectors made in the UAE, offering quick-install, low-maintenance clean heat for hot climates.
• Hearst operates a cryptocurrency mining service focused on sustainability and institutional-grade reliability.
• HIFI is a US-based fintech that provides programmable money infrastructure, enabling stablecoin integration for businesses and institutions to move money globally.
• MANSA builds stablecoin-powered infrastructure that allows payment providers to deliver instant global settlements.
• Merkle Science is an AI-powered blockchain analytics firm, backed by $27M in funding, helping governments, banks and crypto firms detect illicit activity and manage compliance.
• Plume is a leading RWAfi chain with over $400m in RWA TVL, more than 200 projects, and over $30m raised from top investors. It is the  number one chain for RWA holders, supporting the launch and growth of real-world asset projects.
• Predicate enables regulated rails for on-chain financial products by separating policy logic and enforcement from smart contracts.
• Resolv provides investment infrastructure that delivers crypto-sourced yields in a stablecoin format.