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
Adnan Dekedek
Program Coordinator: Entrepreneur and engineer with demonstrated experience in the startup ecosystem
Sabira Huda
Program Coordinator: An environmental engineer turned entrepreneur with hands-on experience on building sustainability focused startups
Tina Kamel
Administrative Assistant: Professional with a background in health sciences with expertise in organization and a passion for project management
Koel Banerjee
Sr. Marketing & Communications Specialist: Growth marketer and engineer with 10+ years experience in building successful technology businesses.
Danielle Laurence
Administrative Coordinator: Experienced professional with a background in recruiting, finance, research, and project administration
Jeremy Shorter
Program Lead: Startup program trainer with 5+ years of experience in accelerating entrepreneurs
Georgia O’Hagan
Operations Manager: Experienced professional with a background in outreach events, educational programming, administrative operations and reporting
Abdelrazak Al-Sharif
Assistant Director: Innovation expert leading strategic 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
Associate Director: Experienced startup acceleration expert with a special focus on research commercialization
Ramesh Jagannathan
Managing Director and NYUAD Vice Provost for Innovation: Entrepreneurial technologist with 30+ years of Corporate Innovation experiencePartners
