IFZA Scale360 Demo Day Supports AI Startups Entering UAE Market

IFZA, one of the world’s fastest-growing Free Zone communities, has successfully completed the first edition of its Scale360 accelerator program with a Demo Day held in Dubai. The program graduated 14 international startups focused on AI and sustainability, many of which have already launched pilot projects, begun market entry, and started relocating operations to the UAE.

From 136 applications worldwide, Scale360 selected startups from 11 countries including Singapore, India, Egypt, Canada, the UK, the US, France, Germany, Slovakia, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. During Demo Day, 11 startups presented their solutions to investors, corporates, and government stakeholders, showcasing innovations in enterprise automation, industrial AI, retail analytics, identity verification, climate platforms, and energy technologies.

The accelerator is already showing strong commercial results. Eight startups are in the process of obtaining UAE business licenses, two companies are moving their global headquarters to Dubai, and IFZA has launched three pilot projects with corporate partners focused on innovation and sustainable technologies.

Jochen Knecht, CEO of IFZA, said the program is designed to remove barriers for founders by offering licensing support, pilot opportunities, and direct access to investors and corporate partners. He added that this hands-on approach supports the UAE’s wider innovation goals and helps startups scale from Dubai into the region.

Throughout the program, startups completed 33 commercial introductions with UAE corporates and government entities, held 49 investor meetings with 11 investment firms, and received over 50 hours of structured mentorship covering sales, legal support, fundraising, and technical strategy.

Several companies achieved major milestones during the cohort. Synteza AI gained global exposure after participating in Dubai Police’s Innovation Sprint at GITEX. Interloom was named among the top 10 global winners of the Zurich Insurance Innovation Challenge and plans to expand its presence in Dubai. Egypt-based Tayar partnered with Talabat and entered discussions with major delivery platforms, while Nettle AI joined Microsoft’s GrowthX Accelerator in Abu Dhabi. Power Dime was also selected for Dubai’s Companies Creating Change Program.

Sinéad O’Keeffe, Head of Scale360, said the program proved that Dubai offers the right environment for global startups to build and scale quickly. She noted that the momentum aligns closely with national priorities such as the UAE National AI Strategy 2031 and the Net Zero by 2050 commitment.

The Demo Day was attended by representatives from ENOC, Dubai Municipality, Abu Dhabi Ports Group, and Abu Dhabi Customs, along with investors including BECO Capital, AngelSpark, and 100VP. Developed in partnership with Plug and Play, the Scale360 program combines global accelerator expertise with deep UAE market access, supporting startups with mentorship, business setup, corporate partnerships, and investor connections.