Dubai Holding, a diversified global investment company operating across 10 sectors and 34 countries, has officially opened applications for the second edition of its global Innovate For Tomorrow Impact Accelerator 2025. The flagship programme, delivered in partnership with TECOM Group PJSC’s start-up and entrepreneurship incubator, in5, is calling on bold scale-ups from around the world to reimagine how we consume, produce and regenerate resources to drive the transition to a more circular, sustainable future. Entrepreneurs will compete for a prize pool of AED 850,000, with the winning scale-up securing pilot funding and a transformative proof-of-concept opportunity within Dubai Holding’s diversified portfolio.
The 2025 edition challenges scale-ups to tackle 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 25 November 2025, inviting innovators with inclusive, tech-enabled and regenerative solutions that can unlock new value and reduce environmental pressure.
From the global pool of applicants, 15 scale-ups will be selected to enter a 12-week hybrid accelerator, 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.
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, Group 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. Building on the UAE’s vision for a more circular and sustainable future, the Innovate For Tomorrow Impact Accelerator enables scale-ups to unlock their full potential in an environment purpose-built for change, progress and impact.”
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