Page 142 - MAJRA PR REPORT - FEBRUARY 2025

3/4/25, 10:44 AM Home | Emirates News Agency
The initiative’s new partners are Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence, Oraseya Capital - the

investment arm of the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority, Dubai International Financial Centre
(DIFC) Innovation Hub, Ernst & Young UAE, Middle East Venture Partners (MEVP), and in5 Incubator.

The signing ceremony was attended by Alia bint Abdulla Al Mazrouei, Minister of State for Entrepreneurship,

while Abdullah Ahmed Al Saleh, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Economy, signed the MoUs on behalf of the
initiative.

The signatories representing the new partners were Professor Eric Xing, President of Mohamed bin Zayed
University of Artificial Intelligence; Mohammed Alblooshi, CEO of DIFC Innovation Hub; Majed Al Suwaidi,

Senior Vice President of TECOM Group – Dubai Media City on behalf of in5; Anthony O’Sullivan, Managing

Partner of Ernst & Young UAE; Walid Mansour, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of MEVP; and Hassan
Waheed Al Farsi, Board Member of Oraseya Capital.

Alia Al Mazrouei emphasised the UAE’s commitment to fostering entrepreneurship and innovation, stating,

“The UAE has been proactive in launching pioneering initiatives that create a competitive environment for
entrepreneurs, enabling them to attract investments, promote their products and services, and secure

necessary funding. This also contributes to nurturing an entrepreneurial culture in our society.”

She noted that the Future100 initiative is one of the UAE’s most significant programs aimed at accelerating
growth in emerging economic sectors and enhancing opportunities for startups to expand globally. The

initiative annually recognises top 100 startups that are contributing to the competitiveness of the UAE’s future
economy.

Al Mazrouei added, "The initiative’s partners play a vital role in providing technical and legal support, as well

as offering competitive financing solutions for the 100 companies selected in each cycle. We remain
committed to forging more partnerships that will enhance the UAE’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, equipping

innovators with the necessary expertise to develop groundbreaking projects that benefit society and drive
economic and social progress in the country."

The initiative’s partners reiterated the importance of collaboration between the public, private, and academic

sectors in creating an enabling environment for startups and business innovation.
Mohammed Alblooshi, CEO of DIFC Innovation Hub, stated, "As a leading hub for innovation and

entrepreneurship, DIFC is proud to collaborate with the Ministry of Economy as an accelerator partner for the

Future100 initiative. Our partnership aligns with the UAE’s strategic vision for innovation and entrepreneurship
and will empower the next generation of innovators by providing them with the tools, resources, and expertise

needed to drive positive change and shape the future economy."

Majed Al Suwaidi, Senior Vice President of TECOM Group – Dubai Media City, speaking on behalf of in5,
emphasised the significance of the partnership in advancing the UAE’s innovation agenda, stating, "Our

strategic collaboration with the Ministry of Economy is a key step in supporting the ‘We the UAE 2031’ vision
and Dubai Economic Agenda D33. By backing the Future100 initiative, we aim to empower future innovators,

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