Hub71, Abu Dhabi’s global technology ecosystem, has admitted 27 startups into its latest Cohort 16 across its three programmes: Access, Hub71+ ClimateTech, and Hub71+ Digital Assets.

With this addition, the total number of ventures supported by Hub71 rises to 357. The cohort spans key priority sectors, reflecting Hub71’s broader aim of fostering economic diversification through technology and innovation.

The latest group of startups has collectively secured over US$145 million (AED 532 million) in funding, with an average of US$4.9 million (AED 18 million) per company.

The selection process was highly competitive, with over 1,300 applications submitted. Of the selected companies, 63% are based in established technology hubs, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany.

Among the new participants in Hub71’s Access programme is Vivan Therapeutics, a UK-based precision medicine company developing AI-driven cancer treatments using fruit fly models. The firm has raised US$10 million (AED 36 million) in funding.

Joining the Hub71+ ClimateTech programme is Theion, a German company focused on developing sustainable sulphur-based batteries that can store up to three times more energy than conventional batteries.

Meanwhile, South Korean startup Redbrick, which has raised US$16.3 million (AED 59.8 million) for its AI and blockchain-powered cloud-based 3D creation engine, will join the Hub71+ Digital Assets programme.

A third of the selected startups are based in the UAE, further establishing the country’s reputation as an emerging global centre for entrepreneurship.

Notable domestic companies include Qashio, a spend management platform that has raised US$10 million (AED 36 million), and Switch Foods, a FoodTech firm producing locally made plant-based meats. Switch Foods has raised US$12.5 million (AED 45.9 million) and has launched Abu Dhabi’s first plant-based meat production facility.

Commenting on the latest cohort, Ahmad Ali Alwan, CEO of Hub71, said:

“The selection process is highly competitive, reflecting the exceptional calibre of startups in our ecosystem. These companies are advancing innovation across key tech sectors while strengthening Abu Dhabi’s position as a global tech hub.”

Over half of the cohort consists of Seed and Series A startups, spanning nine industries including fintech, climatetech, healthtech, edtech, and mobility and logistics.

The selected companies will benefit from access to Hub71’s network of mentors, partners, and investors, providing them with market opportunities, talent, and capital to support their commercial growth.

The 27 startups selected to join Hub71’s Cohort 16 include:

Access Program

1. Aurem is a central operating system for workplace saving and wealth providers —optimising operations and innovating products in a single configurable platform.
2. Cambio ML provides the “AI data science agent” for enterprises, aggregating and cleaning messy data from data silos.
3. Desert Farms is a science-backed D2C product using camel milk proteins to make a near-identical baby formula to breastmilk.
4. Esports XO connects gamers with tournaments and new games while helping publishers distribute games and telecoms build engaged communities.
5. Fundbot Technologies is a B2B supply chain financing solution that enables banks, buyers, and sellers to connect automating lending and payments.
6. Hotdesk is the Airbnb for Offices, with 2,000+ spaces in 73+ countries. They provide an all-in-one platform offering workspace optimization and hybrid work management software to help coworking spaces and corporates navigate the future of work.
7. Mithryl’s AI platform helps industrial companies automate processes by unifying fragmented systems into context-aware workflows that drive faster, smarter decisions.
8. Nodeshift is a decentralized, no-code AI cloud platform that enables one-click deployment of AI agents and LLMs, providing secure, private, and affordable compute without centralized control or complexity.
9. Onloop an applied AI lab, obsesses over team productivity – powering effortless goal alignment and feedback systems for managers while augmenting human capabilities through mobile-native, agentic workflows.
10. Qashio is a B2B financial management platform offering advanced expense management, customizable SaaS tools, and reward program.
11. Raintech is an operating room voice assistant that improves the quality of care and surgical outcomes by enabling clinicians to focus on patients rather than documentation and admin tasks.
12. Simpleem is Behavior-Analysis AI that predicts human actions with unmatched accuracy and provides tailored guidance on leveraging behavior to improve concrete business outcomes.
13. Skipr is a sovereign agent-centric VPN that delivers the next generation of privacy and security in the age of AI.
14. Taxo integrates with electronic health records (EHRs) to automate medical billing and coding. Its AI-powered solution reduces the time and cost of claims processing by >90%, enabling providers to focus on patient care rather than administrative tasks.
15. Vivan Therapeutics’ TuMatch software leverages a proprietary data set and AI/ML to enable rapid, personalized cancer treatment direction.
16. Watermelon Ecosystem is an all-in-one platform that connects F&B suppliers with outlets through a marketplace and procurement system.
17. xMap is a platform that uses AI to transform geospatial data, such as maps, satellite images, and GPS information, into real-time insights for businesses.

Hub71+ ClimateTech

1. Airmo delivers actionable, accurate, real-time methane insights and environmental intelligence to the energy sector, regulators, and impact investors.
2. New Path Bio uses precision fermentation to produce nutritious, health-promoting proteins from microbes, eliminating the need for animals, land, water, or climate dependence.
3. Orbillion Bio is a B2B cultivated beef company making tasty, non-GMO beef at commercial scale and cost parity by leveraging advanced computational models and strategic partners.
4. SwitchFoods is a FoodTech startup focused on innovating and producing deliciously healthy, nutritious, and sustainable plant-based meat alternatives tailored to regional tastes and cooking habits.
5. Theion is a company that develops sustainable sulfur-based batteries that are eco-friendly, cost-effective, and store up to three times more energy than traditional batteries.

Hub71+ Digital Assets

1. InvoiceMate is a Blockchain & AI powered platform bridging conventional businesses with crypto liquidity.
2. Redbrick is a cloud-based game and metaverse engine using blockchain and AI to streamline creation and distribution for all skill levels.
3. Rilla Network is a decentralized infrastructure that unlocks the hidden potential of live streaming ecosystems while delivering exponential savings.
4. Sustainable Bitcoin Protocol enables institutional investors to embed verifiable clean energy into their Bitcoin holdings—transforming Bitcoin’s distributed energy demand into a catalyst for the global energy transition.
5. 1Money is developing the world’s first payment network exclusively designed for stablecoins, and specifically engineered to be the fastest, cheapest, and most compliant.