February 23, 2026
Methodology About Newsletter
WE THE UAE 2031
The Vanderbilt Terminal for the UAE's National Transformation
INDEPENDENT GLOBAL INTELLIGENCE FOR THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
UAE GDP: AED 2.03T ▲ 5.7% | Non-Oil GDP Share: 84.3% ▼ -5.2pp | FDI Inflows: $45.6B ▲ 48.7% | GDP Growth: 4.0% ▲ -0.3pp vs 2023 | Inflation: 1.7% ▼ +0.0pp vs 2023 | Female Participation: 55.1% ▲ +0.6pp vs 2023 | Population: 11.0M ▲ 4.8% | Emiratisation Rate: 12.5% ▲ 2.1pp | Global Competitiveness: #7 ▲ 3 places | Clean Energy Capacity: 7.2 GW ▲ 18.4% | ADX Index: 9,842 ▲ 4.7% | DFM Index: 4,621 ▲ 6.2% | UAE GDP: AED 2.03T ▲ 5.7% | Non-Oil GDP Share: 84.3% ▼ -5.2pp | FDI Inflows: $45.6B ▲ 48.7% | GDP Growth: 4.0% ▲ -0.3pp vs 2023 | Inflation: 1.7% ▼ +0.0pp vs 2023 | Female Participation: 55.1% ▲ +0.6pp vs 2023 | Population: 11.0M ▲ 4.8% | Emiratisation Rate: 12.5% ▲ 2.1pp | Global Competitiveness: #7 ▲ 3 places | Clean Energy Capacity: 7.2 GW ▲ 18.4% | ADX Index: 9,842 ▲ 4.7% | DFM Index: 4,621 ▲ 6.2% |

Definition

Hub71 is Abu Dhabi’s global technology ecosystem, established to attract, nurture, and scale technology startups and venture capital activity. It functions as both a physical campus (located in Abu Dhabi Global Market on Al Maryah Island) and a programmatic platform offering subsidised housing, office space, health insurance, and direct access to capital from anchor investors. Hub71 is not a traditional incubator or accelerator — it is a full-stack ecosystem designed to reduce the cost and friction of building technology companies in Abu Dhabi.

UAE Context

Hub71 was launched in 2019 and is backed by Mubadala Investment Company, Abu Dhabi’s strategic sovereign wealth fund. Its anchor investors include Mubadala, SoftBank Vision Fund, Microsoft (through its M12 venture fund), and ADQ. The ecosystem offers three tiers of incentive packages — Hub71 Incentive Programme, Hub71+, and Hub71+ Digital Assets — tailored to startups at different stages and in different sectors. Key focus verticals include fintech, healthtech, climate tech, artificial intelligence, and Web3. Hub71 has attracted startups from more than 30 countries and facilitated significant venture funding rounds.

Key Data

As of 2025, Hub71 hosts more than 400 startups from over 40 countries. Portfolio companies have collectively raised more than USD 5 billion in funding. The ecosystem has expanded beyond its original campus to include virtual membership and satellite programmes. Notable Hub71 alumni and residents include regional fintech leaders, AI companies, and climate technology firms.

Vision 2031 Significance

Hub71 is central to Abu Dhabi’s strategy to build a knowledge-based economy anchored by technology entrepreneurship and venture capital. By concentrating startups, investors, corporate partners, and government support in a single ecosystem, it creates network effects that strengthen the UAE’s position as a global technology hub and supports the diversification objectives of Vision 2031.

  • Mubadala Investment Company — Hub71’s primary sovereign wealth fund backer.
  • Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) — The financial free zone hosting Hub71’s campus.
  • Venture Capital — The funding model that Hub71 facilitates for its startup community.
  • Digital Economy — The broader economic strategy Hub71 contributes to.