Abu Dhabi’s Hub71 Goes All-In on AI With Record Cohort

Hub71 has selected 26 startups for its latest cohort, the most AI-focused intake to date. The group has raised USD 223 million (AED 818 million). Most are at the seed stage, and most are from outside the UAE. The announcement was made on September 2, 2025, in Abu Dhabi. 

The AI push is backed by Hub71+ AI, with partners including AI71, Core42, AWS, and Google for Startups. 

What’s new in Cohort 17

Cohort 17 is the most AI-intensive yet. It focuses on practical uses in health, finance, energy and climate.

• 26 startups, USD 223m (AED 818m) raised to date
• 81% building AI-driven products
• Seed-stage heavy; 12 countries represented; 74% HQs outside the UAE 

In plain terms: Hub71 is doubling down on AI that solves real problems. HealthTech, FinTech and ClimateTech get top billing. The cohort mix reveals Abu Dhabi’s appeal to founders seeking capital, customers, and a path to scale within the UAE. 

Why AI and why now

The majority of selected startups use AI to address sector pain points. The focus maps to Abu Dhabi’s priority industries.

• AI across HealthTech, FinTech, ClimateTech
• Hub71+ AI partners include AI71, Core42, AWS, Google for Startups
• Abu Dhabi positioning as a global AI hub 

The message is simple: build from Abu Dhabi and plug into specialist AI support. The platform approach is designed to speed up pilots and partnerships and reduce the time from idea to market. It also sets the stage for cross-sector projects where AI models, data and infrastructure can be shared. 

Who made the cut: highlights

Several names stand out for the scope and funding raised.

• Harmonic Discovery: AI-designed precision therapies; USD 8.5m (AED 31.2m)
• Planys Technologies: autonomous underwater inspection; USD 7.2m (AED 26.4m)
• SunGreenH2: high-efficiency electrolysers; USD 6.6m (AED 24.2m)
• Resolv Labs: crypto investment platform; USD 12.5m (AED 46m) 

It’s a broad mix. BioTech that uses AI to design treatments. Robotics for critical infrastructure. Clean energy hardware for green hydrogen. And Web3 infrastructure is looking at regulated growth. The spread shows how Abu Dhabi wants both deep tech and applied software in one place. 

ClimateTech and Web3 tracks

Environmental tech and digital assets get dedicated attention this round.

• Six ClimateTech startups tied into Hub71+ ClimateTech
• Eight building blockchain and Web3 solutions via Hub71+ Digital Assets
• Examples include SunGreenH2 and Resolv Labs 

Climate tech refers to hardware and analytics that reduce emissions or develop new energy systems. On the Web3 side, the focus is on compliance, infrastructure and real-world assets, rather than hype. The labels matter less than the outcomes: measurable environmental impact and usable financial rails. 

What startups get in Abu Dhabi

Cohort 17 joins the Access programme, which comes with both funding support and market access in the UAE.

• Up to AED 500,000 in in-kind and cash incentives
• Up to AED 1 million follow-on support after one year for top performers
• Access to the Abu Dhabi market, talent and investor networks 

Cash aside, the real value is quicker routes to customers in the region, plus introductions to co-builders and regulators. That matters for sectors like health, energy and finance, where you need real deployments, not just demos, to prove product-market fit. 

What Hub71 says

The CEO frames the cohort as proof of founder ambition and the platform’s role as a launchpad.

• Founders are “backed by strong funding” and “pursuing growth globally”
• Decision to build from Abu Dhabi reflects ecosystem strength 

Strip the quotes and the idea stays the same: if you want to scale an AI startup, Abu Dhabi wants to be on your shortlist. The mix of incentives, sector focus and corporate access is crafted to get startups from pilot to paid deployment. 

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