NYUAD Entrepreneurship School

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

ABOUT NYUAD ENTREPRENEURSHIP SCHOOL

The NYUAD Entrepreneurship School, launched in 2023 by startAD—the innovation and entrepreneurship hub anchored at NYUAD — is dedicated to fostering entrepreneurial thinking and innovation across the NYUAD community by offering transformative learning experiences, mentorship, and exposure. We empower diverse changemakers to lead with ethical leadership and entrepreneurial purpose to build sustainable ventures.

With a diversified offering, the School aims to support
a founder’s journey at every stage

WHY YOU SHOULD REGISTER YOUR INTEREST?

GAIN ENTREPRENEURIAL SKILLS

CONNECT WITH MENTORS & EXPERTS

DEVELOP KEY ENTREPRENEURIAL COMPETENCIES

BE PART OF A VIBRANT COMMUNITY

ACCESS RESOURCES & TOOLS

TURN YOUR IDEAS INTO REALITY

Discovery Program

Who is it for? Open for anyone in the NYUAD Community
(Students, staff, faculty, alumni, researchers)

The workshops are designed to be flexible and accessible; participants are welcome to pick and choose the sessions that interest them — there’s no requirement to attend them all.

EXPLORE ENTREPRENEURSHIP

BUILD CRITICAL SKILLS

DISCOVER YOUR FOUNDER POTENTIAL

Through workshops, team-building, and real-world exercises, this beginner-friendly track helps you take your first steps toward launching ideas that matter.

Calendar

Discovery Program

Discovery Program

Aug 28, 2025

Launch of AY25-26 edition

Sep 1 & 16, 2025

Campus Tabling

Meet us on campus, grab a donut, and learn how you can kickstart your entrepreneurial journey.

Location: NYUAD Campus

Timing: Sep 1 5:00PM – 6:00PM Sep 16 11:30AM – 3:30PM

Sep 23, 2025

Information Session

Discover what you’ll gain from the Entrepreneurship School — skills, mentorship, community, and the chance to bring your ideas to life.

Location: startAD Central

Timing: 12:00PM – 3:00PM

Sep 30, 2025

Workshop 1 – Understanding the Entrepreneurial Journey

Learn what it really means to be an entrepreneur and the stages every founder goes through.

Location: startAD Central

Timing: 5:00PM – 7:30PM

Oct 04, 2025

Workshop 2 – AI for first time founders and Basic Prototyping

Discover how AI tools and simple prototypes can help turn ideas into testable solutions.

Location: A6 Building – Al Warsha

Timing: 5:00PM – 7:00PM

Oct 07, 2025

Workshop 3 – Design Thinking/Ideation Lab

A hands-on workshop where creativity meets structure — brainstorm, ideate, and refine bold ideas.

Location: startAD Central

Timing: 5:00PM – 7:30PM

Oct 21, 2025

Workshop 4 – Intro Lean Startup methodology

Find out how to build smarter, not harder — learn the method behind today’s most successful startups.

Location: startAD Central

Timing: 5:00PM – 7:30PM

Oct 25, 2024

Team Hunt

Looking for a co-founder or collaborator? This is your chance to connect and form teams.

Location: startAD Central

Timing: 12:00PM – 2:00PM

Nov 01, 2025

Customer Discovery Field Trip

Take your ideas into the real world — talk to potential customers and test assumptions firsthand.

Location: Meet at A6 Building – Al Warsha

Timing: 11:00AM – 2:00PM

Nov 04, 2025

Legal AMA

Got questions about IP, contracts, or company formation? Our legal experts have the answers.

Location: startAD Central

Timing: 5:00PM – 7:00PM

Nov 11, 2025

Business Model Canvas

Learn how to map out your startup’s building blocks — from value propositions to revenue streams.

Location: startAD Central

Timing: 5:00PM – 7:00PM

NYUAD Entrepreneurship School Incubator (Spring 2026)

Who it’s for: Current NYUAD students who already have an early-stage venture and want to take it to the next level.

Already have a startup idea? The Student Startup Incubator is where NYUAD student founders build and grow real ventures, through personalized coaching and expert-led sessions. This track guides you from prototyping to pitching.

Applications will launch soon and will include an application and interview process.

Eligibility criteria for Track 2:

Technology-based venture

A team of at least 2 members

Must have developed an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) or a prototype

At least one core member must be an NYUAD student

Startup should be beyond the ideation stage and ready to validate their product or service

Coming Soon: Founders Toolkit

Participants will also get access to the Founders Toolkit — a resource pack filled with guides, templates, and tools to support your journey from idea to launch.

Gallery

Shoes

Lars Kolind

Mona Ataya

Founder of Mumz World

Neil Hammond

Senior Operations Manager, NYUAD Student Life

Mohamed Amine Berlabi

Founder & CEO, Cypherleak

Tina Kamel

Program Coordinator, startAD

Adnan Dekedek

Program Lead

startAD at NYUAD

Latest News & Events

View All

News

Unlocking the biotech revolution

The UAE could be on the verge of a healthcare revolution – if we foster the right environment for biotech innovation.

May 21, 2025
3 Mins Read

Arab International Women’s Forum Sign-banner news

News

startAD and Arab International Women’s Forum Sign Multi-year MoU to Support Emirati Women

Strategic partnership between startAD and AIWF to drive forward the new ‘Impact Hub for Emirati Women Achievers,’ empowering Emirati women in expanding their businesses

November 1, 2024
4 Mins Read

News

AI Opportunity Initiative for MENA to Make Benefits of AI More Accessible and Inclusive for Everyone

We believe in the importances of making AI accessible to everyone. Doing that means not just developing AI powered products, but also ensuring everyone has the skills needed to thrive in an AI-first world, while supporting the critical work conducted by academics & researchers.