Dubai Founders HQ explained: what it offers startups and how to use it
Launched in October 2025, Dubai Founders HQ brings Dubai's startup support into one place. What it is, who it is for and what to prepare.
Dubai Founders HQ is a hub for startups and SMEs launched in October 2025 by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai. It is a joint venture between Dubai Economy and Tourism and the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy.
What it offers
- Around 20,000 sq ft of space at One Central in Dubai
- A learning platform and sector-specific content
- Events and access to Dubai's network of investors, banks and venture capital firms
- A soft landing for international founders moving or redomiciling to Dubai
- Programmes with partners, including a partnership with Antler announced in 2026
Cost and eligibility
At launch, eligible startups could join with no fee, and the organisers said a modest membership fee may come later. Around 500 startups and 1,500 members joined within roughly 50 days.
Why it exists
It supports Dubai's D33 economic agenda, which aims to double the size of the economy and create 30 unicorns by 2033.
Make the most of it
Investors and partners will ask the same three questions: who is your customer, is there real demand, and does the product work? Arrive with a validated customer profile and a working MVP rather than a slide deck, and every conversation goes further.