startAD Impact Report
Anchored at NYU Abu Dhabi and powered by its partner Tamkeen, startAD began its journey in September 2016 as a new model for entrepreneurship education and innovation for the region. startAD supports Abu Dhabi and the UAE’s goals of becoming a knowledge-based economy by equipping students, startups, and corporates with the necessary tools to build innovative new products that serve a global need, collaborate across organizations, and develop entrepreneurial capacity.
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!

Ibtikari supports Emirati entrepreneurs
Program is designed to support Emirati entrepreneurs to launch and scale businesses that will have local and global impact
SatSure startup wins Imkan innovation award
SatSure integrates trends derived from satellite imagery with public datasets to develop decision making insights for planning and monitoring assets.
SatSure startup wins $10,000 at startAD’s construction focused Venture Launchpad
SatSure integrates trends derived from satellite imagery with public datasets to develop decision making insights
SatSure startup wins USD 10,000 at startAD’s construction focused Venture Launchpad
Abu Dhabi - MENA Herald: SatSure, a geospatial data analytics company which leverages advances in satellites, machine learning, and big data analytics, has won the IMKAN Innovation Award worth USD 10,000 at startAD’s Venture Launchpad.
The Whole World Is Open For Business (And We In The MENA Should Be Right In The Middle Of It)
For us in the Middle East, we need to recognize that we are part of a global entrepreneurial and investing game- some would call it a race. This opportunity is much greater than the MENA alone.
Angel Rising Investor Education Symposium highlights UAE’s role in shaping the future of global economy
The Symposium welcomed CEO of China SilkRoad Investment & Development Winston Ma Wenyan; President and CEO of Ken Miller Capital in New York Ken Miller, among others
Angel Rising Investor Education Symposium to address digital silk road
The fifth edition of its Angel Rising Investor Education Symposium will take place on 23rd March, under the theme, 'Looking East: The New Digital Silk Road and the Future of the Global Technology Order'.
Opinion: How to fund the growth of the region’s entrepreneurs
"Developing an angel investor pool in the Middle East will create a more opportunities and will strengthen regional economic growth," according to Ramesh Jagannathan, Managing Director of startAD
Can AI transform the education system?
Making a case for artificial intelligence giving traditional methods of learning a refreshing makeover
StartAD Is Seeking AI And Hardware Startups For Venture Launchpad 2019
Startups leveraging new tech, here’s your opportunity. StartAD is welcoming applications for its Venture Launchpad accelerator.
Battle for tech dominance: China has appropriated the US economic playbook. Can the US reclaim it?
The US historical playbook is no secret and emphasises technology as the key driver of economic success. China appropriated it and now seems to be following it more closely than its former users