Dubai Holding powers entrepreneurs driving sustainable growth

Dubai Holding has officially opened applications for the second edition of its Innovate For Tomorrow Impact Accelerator 2025 global initiative to promote entrepreneurship within a sustainable framework.

The flagship programme, delivered in partnership with TECOM Group PJSC’s start-up and entrepreneurship incubator, in5, challenges scale-ups from around the world to reimagine how to consume, produce and regenerate resources to drive the transition to a more circular, sustainable future. 

Entrepreneurs entering the competition will vie for a prize pool of AED850,000, with the winning scale-up securing pilot funding and a transformative proof-of-concept opportunity within Dubai Holding’s diversified portfolio.

The 2025 edition calls upon participants to address some of the most pressing circular economy issues across three sub-themes: food loss and waste, resource recovery and regeneration, and digital innovation for sustainability.

Submissions are open until November 25, inviting innovators with inclusive and tech-enabled solutions that can unlock ways to reduce environmental impact.

From the global pool of applicants, 15 scale-ups will be selected to enter a 12-week hybrid accelerator programme, gaining access to dedicated mentorship from industry leaders, masterclasses and workshops designed to sharpen business models and accelerate market entry, investor networks and ecosystem access across Dubai Holding’s diverse portfolio and world-class infrastructure and testing environments to validate and scale their solutions.

The journey will culminate in a high-profile Demo Day in 2026, where the top scale-ups will pitch to investors, partners and industry leaders.

One winner and two runners-up will be announced, with the winning innovation advancing into real-world, fully funded implementation with Dubai Holding.

Real-world impact

The first edition of the accelerator in 2024 attracted 150 submissions from 31 countries. Winners included Othalo (Norway), whose solution upcycles plastic waste into housing; The Surpluss (UAE), which redistributes excess materials across industries; and Midori Network (UAE), which converts plastic waste into construction materials. All three have since forged active partnerships with Dubai Holding, demonstrating the accelerator’s ability to catalyse scalable, real-world impact.

Huda Buhumaid, Chief Impact Officer at Dubai Holding, said: “By backing future-forward solutions that can transform industries from the ground up, Dubai Holding is catalysing change that lasts, contributing to stronger communities and a healthier planet.”

Dubai Holding is a diversified global investment company operating across 10 sectors and 34 countries. The programme reflects its philanthropic mission to empower communities and enterprises to drive sustainable development, alongside its commitment to advancing the UAE Circular Economy Policy 2031, UAE Net Zero by 2050 strategic initiative and UAE Centennial 2071 vision.

What the winners take home

Winners stand to get a AED500,000 prize in addition to securing proof of concept funded by Dubai Holding. The second and third placed scale-ups will receive AED250,000 and AED100,000, respectively.

Participation also assures, among other benefits, up to 20 dedicated mentorship hours per scale-up from industry experts. The top five scale-ups will gain one-year access to in5 incubation benefits worth AED90,000.

The event features more than 15 masterclasses and workshops on business development, market entry, finance, technical guidance and legal compliance. Participants also obtain access to 250+ discounted technology apps and platforms. In addition, Dubai Holding’s extensive ecosystem, including Real Estate, Hospitality, Asset Management, Entertainment and Community Management, offers extensive collaboration potential.