An Introduction
startAD is an Abu Dhabi-based global accelerator steering seed-stage technology startups to launch, develop, and scale their ventures.
Anchored at NYU Abu Dhabi and powered by Tamkeen, an Abu Dhabi government owned company, the accelerator equips startups to pilot solutions with industry leaders, while enabling corporates to innovate with startups disrupting their core businesses.
StartAD Impact Report
We are proud of our impact to date, directly contributing to the UAE economy through new business development, job creation, and homegrown innovation.
Download our impact report to see how much of a difference we’ve made!
StartAD Spaces
startAD Central
An open, collaborative, and multifunctional space
STARTAD alumni
Meet the team
Designers and builders of startup ecosystems
Jeremy Shorter
Program Specialist: Startup program trainer with 5+ years of experience in accelerating entrepreneurs
Danielle Laurence
Administrative Assistant: Experienced professional with a background in recruiting, finance, research, and project administration
Anteneh Zeleke
Administrative Coordinator: Student programming & community engagement professional with 4+ years of experience
Georgia O’Hagan
Operations Manager: Experienced professional with a background in outreach events, educational programming, administrative operations and reporting
Abdelrazak Al-Sharif
Innovation Engineer & Venture Analyst: Hands-on innovation expert supporting special projects and managing startAD’s prototyping lab
Nihal Shaikh
Marketing and Communications Manager: Seasoned communications strategist with 10+ years of experience in building brands and communities
Hana Barakat
Assistant Director: Experienced startup acceleration expert with a special focus on research commercialization
Robyn Brazzil
Director: Experienced in designing and executing over 50 innovation and entrepreneurship programs
Ramesh Jagannathan
Managing Director and NYUAD Vice Provost for Innovation: Entrepreneurial technologist with 30+ years of Corporate Innovation experiencePartners
