As startup funding in the MENA region climbs to new heights, the UAE is adding new chapters to its growing success story as a leading hub for innovation and investment.
Tech founder and entrepreneur Abdumalik Mirakhmedov says the Emirates is now widely recognised as a nation deliberately shaping itself as a centre for new ventures, providing resources, funding, and talent that help startups scale quickly.
“Entrepreneurs and skilled people are coming in from all over the world, and local entrepreneurs are stepping up too,” said Mirakhmedov, Co-founder of Scalo Technologies, who established the tech venture company’s headquarters in Dubai just over two years ago.
“This is where projects really take shape and move forward. The growth is steady and carefully built, focused on long-term success. The UAE has put in place the systems, support, and infrastructure that help businesses and talent thrive over time.”
Mirakhmedov, who is Executive President of GDA, one of the world’s leading Bitcoin mining companies in terms of hashrate, sees the UAE setting a rapid pace as it leads change sweeping the MENA region.
In September alone, MENA startups attracted a record $3.5 billion in investment, a dramatic 1,105% year-on-year leap, and a Wamda report said this took funding for 2025 to $6.6 billion, surpassing most annual totals since 2021.
“The UAE has transformed dramatically in a short time,” said Mirakhmedov. “New businesses are emerging, people are turning concepts into reality, and the country is making it easier for companies to start and grow. The environment is practical, supportive, and full of opportunity.
“Nearly a thousand startups, including five unicorns, show how mature the ecosystem has become. And Careem’s $3.1 billion sale to Uber in 2020 was a major milestone, proving that big exits can happen locally.”
The UAE has since been attracting serious investment, like Microsoft’s $1.5 billion stake earlier this year in Abu Dhabi-based AI firm G42, highlighting the nation’s expanding role in artificial intelligence.
From a supportive regulatory setup and proactive government initiatives to its social and cultural strengths, the UAE is positioning itself as a global innovation centre, as highlighted by the recent launch of ‘The Emirates: The Startup Capital of the World’.
“Entrepreneurial support is tangible, with full foreign ownership, profit repatriation, and other founder-friendly incentives,” says Mirakhmedov. “But the UAE is attractive for more than business. Great schools, good healthcare, safety, and a mix of ambitious people make it a place where you can really build a life and a career.
“For entrepreneurs seeking opportunity without compromising quality of life, the UAE is where the next generation of industries and businesses is taking off.”
