Dubai Holding has opened applications for the second Innovate For Tomorrow Impact Accelerator, a 12-week programme focused on circular-economy solutions. It’s run with in5 and carries an AED 850,000 prize pool, plus a funded proof-of-concept for the winner. Submissions close on 25 November 2025.
What’s new for 2025
- Three focus areas: food loss and waste; resource recovery and regeneration; digital innovation for sustainability.
- Prize pool totals AED 850,000.
- Winner gets pilot funding inside Dubai Holding’s portfolio.
The 2025 brief leans into practical circular-economy fixes that can scale inside a large operating environment. The top innovation will not just collect a cheque; it moves into a proof-of-concept within Dubai Holding’s ecosystem, which spans multiple sectors across the UAE.
Timelines and format
- Applications are open until 25 November 2025.
- 15 scale-ups join a 12-week hybrid accelerator.
- Demo Day happens in 2026; one winner and two runners-up are named.
Selected teams enter a structured 12-week programme with masterclasses, mentorship and access to testing environments across Dubai Holding’s portfolio. The journey ends with a 2026 Demo Day in front of investors and industry stakeholders.
What you actually get
- Winner: AED 500,000 plus a funded proof-of-concept; runners-up: AED 250,000 and AED 100,000.
- Up to 20 mentorship hours per scale-up.
- in5 benefits worth AED 90,000 for the top five.
- 15+ workshops and access to 250+ discounted software tools.
- Ecosystem access across real estate, hospitality, entertainment and more.
This isn’t a pitch-and-pray scheme. The prize structure pushes the top teams into execution, with funded validation. Mentorship comes from industry leaders, while in5 adds a year of incubation benefits for the top five. Workshops cover go-to-market, finance and legal, with discounted tooling to keep burn low.
Who should apply
- Functional prototype or MVP and early customer validation.
- Stage: pre-seed to pre-Series A.
- At least one full-time founder on the programme.
- Clear intent to scale in the UAE.
The bar sits where it should for a scale-up track: teams already shipping or piloting, with enough traction to benefit from enterprise-grade pilots. The local scaling requirement keeps outcomes relevant to the UAE market.
Who won this in 2024?
- Othalo (Norway): upcycles plastic waste into housing materials; now piloting an education hub made from recycled plastic at The Green Planet Dubai.
- The Surpluss (UAE): redistributes excess materials; now a Dubai Holding partner.
- Midori Network (UAE): distributed recycling labs turning waste into construction materials; set to integrate with Dubai Holding.
The first cohort drew 150 submissions from 31 countries and produced live partnerships across housing materials, B2B resource exchanges and urban recycling. That’s a healthy conversion from stage time to field time.
UAE context: why this matters
If you operate in sustainability or green tech here, pilots and infrastructure access are gold. Dubai Holding’s portfolio covers real estate, hospitality, entertainment and more, which gives founders genuine testbeds.
What is Innovate For Tomorrow 2025?
A Dubai Holding accelerator focused on circular-economy solutions, delivered with in5, offering cash prizes and a funded pilot for the winner.
How much funding is on the table?
AED 850,000 in total; AED 500,000 for the winner, AED 250,000 and AED 100,000 for runners-up. The winner also gets a funded proof-of-concept.
Who can apply?
Scale-ups with a functional prototype or MVP, early validation and funding between pre-seed and pre-Series A. One full-time founder must commit, with clear intent to scale in the UAE.
When do applications close?
25 November 2025.
What happened after the 2024 edition?
Othalo is piloting recycled-plastic building components at The Green Planet Dubai; The Surpluss became a partner; Midori Network is being integrated.
