Page 81 - INVESTOPIA ENGLISH PR REPORT FEBRUARY - MARCH 2025

innovative environment that shapes future economic sectors.” Her Excellency explained that
the initiative achieved an 11% increase in the total number of applications received during
2024 compared to 2023, and the majority of these applications were in financial technology,
sustainability, and creative industries.

Her Excellency added: "The initiative contributes to opening new horizons for entrepreneurs
and owners of small and medium enterprises to expand their ideas and projects in the sectors
of the new and sustainable economy and allows them to communicate effectively with a wide
network of investment funds and global investors, and to view the latest practices and trends
related to financing mechanisms for small and medium enterprises." Her Excellency pointed
out the importance of the vital role of the initiative's partners in selecting start-ups wishing to
join the initiative.

Her Excellency Ohood bint Khalfan Al Roumi, Minister of State for Government
Development and the Future, said: "The UAE adopts an integrated approach to shaping the
future, based on enhancing the flexibility and readiness of various sectors, their proactivity in
innovating solutions to challenges, adapting to unexpected changes, and reshaping sectors to
keep pace with emerging and future trends." She added: "The Future100 initiative embodies a
company from the future, the leadership’s directions and visions, by stimulating and
encouraging the development of future sectors, and enhancing the UAE’s position as an
attractive destination and a stimulating environment for the prosperity and development of
start-ups in various future sectors.”

She pointed out that, since its launch in 2023, the initiative has contributed to supporting the
country’s directions by attracting start-ups across sectors, including space, cybersecurity,
sustainability, financial technology, smart mobility, and others. She stressed the continuation
of work to enhance the initiative’s momentum and build on its achievements, to be an
important element in achieving the directions of the “We the Emirates 2031” vision, and a
driving force to enhance the country’s efforts to develop a knowledge-based economy that is
ready for the future, and an incubator and catalyst for the development of economic sectors
and emerging industries. The Minister of State for Government Development and the Future
congratulated the start-ups that were selected for the list of 100 for the year 2024, wishing
them success in forming a qualitative addition to the future economy in the UAE and
expressing her thanks to the initiative’s 38 partners from the private sector pioneers in the
UAE and the world, for their pivotal role in the success of the initiative.

Partnerships and Incentives

The 2025 edition of the Future100 companies initiative continues to strengthen its
partnerships with government entities, innovation funds, technology companies, financial and
banking institutions, business accelerators and incubators, and venture capital funds, as the
number of partners of the initiative reached 38 partners, most notably the strategic partner,
the National Fund for Social Responsibility Majra, and the partners of the business
accelerator Department of Economic Development in Abu Dhabi, the Dubai Future District
Fund, Emirates NBD, the Mohammed bin Rashid Innovation Fund, Investopia, Microsoft,
MEVP, Careem, EY, Eurasia Capital, In5, Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial
Intelligence, FTI Consulting, and the Dubai International Financial Center Innovation Hub.