Five Indian Startups Achieve UAE Soft Landing Under CEPA 2025

Post by : Raina Nasser

Five Indian startups have successfully secured a fully funded bridge into the United Arab Emirates after triumphing at the UAE-India CEPA Council’s Start-Up Series, marking a pivotal advancement for Indian entrepreneurship on the international front. This announcement came after a two-day grand finale held in New Delhi on November 24 and 25, highlighting India's expanding innovation ecosystem and presenting a gateway for startups aiming for global outreach.

The competition attracted over 10,000 applicants from various regions of India, showcasing the nation’s rich entrepreneurial talent pool. From these entries, 20 finalists were chosen to present their solutions in multiple sectors such as artificial intelligence, fintech, sustainability, health technology, manufacturing, agriculture, space, and next-gen mobility. Expert judges included the UAE Ambassador to India Abdulnasser Alshaali, Hub71 CEO Ahmad Ali Alwan, V3 Ventures Co-Founder Arjun Vaidya, Offline Founder Utsav Somani, and other specialists from the CEPA Council alongside representatives from DP World, Emirates NBD, and First Abu Dhabi Bank.

The five victorious startups embody some of India's most innovative early-stage developments. Bioreform, based in Hyderabad and chosen by RAKEZ, focuses on sustainable alternatives to single-use plastics through a proprietary biopolymer blend that is biodegradable and compostable. Data Sutram, selected by Emirates NBD, is a Kolkata-based platform that processes over 250 data sources to provide real-time fraud prevention and personalized customer insights. DP World selected Hubballi’s DocketRun, an industrial safety platform that uses edge AI and vision analytics to identify and avert potential hazards before they happen. Endimension, an AI radiology startup from Mumbai chosen by Hub71, supports more than 800 facilities, enhancing the speed and accuracy of imaging analyses. Lastly, Gurugram’s fintech platform SBNRI, selected by First Abu Dhabi Bank, provides non-resident Indians with a cohesive digital ecosystem for global banking and investments.

All five winners will benefit from a comprehensive soft landing package in the UAE, including incubation support, business setup assistance, trade license facilitation, and regulatory advice. Hub71 plans to integrate these startups into its new Immersion Programme, which offers virtual onboarding, in-person workshops in Abu Dhabi, mentorship, and access to the growing tech ecosystem in the emirate.

UAE Ambassador to India, Abdulnasser Alshaali, commended the program, noting the astounding innovation observed within India’s startup sectors and the robust response as indicative of deepening economic and interpersonal connections between the UAE and India. CEPA Council Director Ahmed Aljneibi emphasized this initiative as a pioneering effort to facilitate Indian startups' transition to a fully sponsored UAE setting within a remarkably short timeframe, asserting the council’s dedication to aiding companies in scaling globally.

Hub71 CEO Ahmad Ali Alwan remarked on the growing interest from Indian entrepreneurs in leveraging the UAE as a global growth center, highlighting Endimension’s remarkable use of AI in radiology. RAKEZ Group CEO Ramy Jallad praised Bioreform’s forward-thinking and sustainable practices, aligning with the UAE’s objectives to minimize single-use plastics. DP World’s Hemant Kumar Ruia celebrated the scalable industrial safety solutions offered by DocketRun, while First Abu Dhabi Bank’s India CEO, Nimesh Karwanyun, pointed out SBNRI’s regional prowess and its readiness for global expansion.

Initiated in January 2024 during Vibrant Gujarat by UAE Minister for Foreign Trade Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi and India’s Commerce and Union Minister Piyush Goyal, the Start-Up Series highlights the UAE-India CEPA Council’s dynamic and innovation-centric strategy towards strengthening bilateral relations. With their prospective soft landing in the UAE, these five startups are poised to tap into the rapidly evolving technology landscape of the Gulf region, ready to propel their operations across the Middle East—a new chapter in international growth and collaboration.

This remarkable achievement not only fortifies India-UAE commercial ties but also positions Indian startups as significant players in the global innovation arena, unlocking avenues for international collaboration, market expansion, and access to top-tier resources in the UAE.