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6/17/25, 1:32 PM Abu Dhabi startup ecosystem ranks 3rd in MENA for performance amid global slowdown
Ahmad Ali Alwan, CEO of Hub71, said: “Abu Dhabi’s rise in global rankings reflects the strength of our startup community and the impact of Hub71’s
ecosystem-enabling initiatives. Over the past six years, Hub71 has built a connected network of founders, investors, corporates, and global partners,
enabling sustainable startup growth, international scaling, and the evolution of Abu Dhabi’s early-stage technology landscape. This progress is driven
by Abu Dhabi’s deliberate focus on innovation and technology, alongside an increasingly agile business and regulatory environment. Hub71 and its
startups continue to benefit from a compelling Abu Dhabi value proposition, allowing them to contribute meaningfully to the emirate’s economic and
technological ambitions.”
Sectoral drivers of startup growth in Abu Dhabi: FinTech, ClimateTech, and Digital Assets are key strengths of Abu Dhabi’s innovation landscape,
supported extensively by strategic regulatory frameworks, and sector-specific infrastructure. Key developments including ADGM’s expanded
licensing frameworks, substantial venture funding, and strategic partnerships in sustainability-focused enterprises, and strategic alliances in
blockchain technology, exemplify the emirate’s deliberate and cohesive strategy for long-term economic diversification and innovation.

Why startups choose Abu Dhabi: The emirate's appeal lies in forward-thinking policies, such as streamlined regulatory procedures and targeted
government support for technology-driven sectors. Initiatives such as Khalifa Fund’s MZN HUB are pivotal in bridging local startups with international
innovation networks, further amplifying Abu Dhabi’s global entrepreneurial influence.

The GSER is widely regarded as the most comprehensive evaluation of global startup ecosystems, offering data-driven insights essential for
policymakers, ecosystem leaders, and entrepreneurs worldwide. Abu Dhabi’s consistent rise in global rankings over the past three years highlights the
strength of its strategy and the growth of its startup ecosystem, positioning the emirate as a leading global hub for innovation.

View the full report here - https://startupgenome.com/gser2025

About HUB71

Hub71 is Abu Dhabi’s global tech ecosystem that enables founders to build globally enduring homegrown tech companies in any sector by providing
access to global markets, a capital ecosystem, a global network of partners, and a vibrant community filled with highly skilled talent governed by
forward-thinking regulation.

Backed by the Government of Abu Dhabi and Mubadala Investment Company, Hub71 is growing its vibrant community of tech startups, investors,
government, and corporate partners to ensure the availability of investment, commercial activities, and incentives from the public and private sectors.
Through Hub71’s entrepreneurial infrastructure, value-add programs, enabling services and support packages, founders can build, and scale widely
adopted technologies with purpose and impact. Hub71 is on a mission to introduce new minds and technologies to Abu Dhabi, finding new ways to
build globally enduring technology companies and sustain the nation’s continuous economic development.

For more information visit www.hub71.com and follow us on @Hub71AD #Hub71.

About STARTUP GENOME

Startup Genome is the world-leading innovation ecosystem development organization, having worked with more than 180 economic and innovation
ministries and public/private agencies in over 65 countries. We work to catalyze startup success and ecosystem growth and ensure that all cities and
countries capture their fair share of the new economy. Startup Genome strategy clients grew their ecosystem values 59% faster than peers (41% vs.
25%). On average, Startup Genome clients produced $1.4 billion per year more in ecosystem value from an average starting point of $9.2 billion. Our
evidence-based ecosystem research, advisory, and scaleup programs are rooted in global experience with the world’s largest AI-curated startup
dataset and proprietary instruments developed from over a decade of primary research.

For interviews and further inquiries, please contact:
Franzis Walther
Manager, Operations and Communications, Startup Genome
franzis@startupgenome.com
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