DUBAI: Dubai Holding has announced the selection of 15 scale-ups from more than 1,400 submissions representing 93 countries to participate in the second edition of its global impact accelerator, “Innovate For Tomorrow”.

The flagship programme, delivered in partnership with TECOM Group PJSC’s start-up and entrepreneurship incubator, in5, and in collaboration with BOLT, invited innovators from around the world to reimagine how resources are consumed, produced and regenerated to support the transition towards a more circular and sustainable future.

The accelerator focuses on advancing circular economy innovation across Dubai Holding’s key business areas through three sub-themes: food loss and waste, resource recovery and regeneration, and digital innovation for sustainability.

The programme received submissions from several countries, including the UAE, India, the United Kingdom and South Africa. Applications underwent a rigorous evaluation process based on the relevance of the problem addressed, impact potential, innovation and differentiation, customer and market validation, scalability and suitability for the UAE market.

The selected scale-ups are competing for a total prize pool and pilot funding worth AED850,000. The winning scale-up will secure pilot funding and an opportunity to implement a proof-of-concept project within Dubai Holding’s diversified portfolio.

The selected companies participated in a 12-week hybrid accelerator programme held from January to April 2026, which included dedicated mentorship sessions, masterclasses and specialised workshops supervised by industry experts and representatives from Dubai Holding. The programme aimed to strengthen business models, accelerate market entry and provide access to investor networks.

The list of selected scale-ups includes companies from the UAE, Norway, India, Spain, Switzerland, Denmark, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom operating in the fields of environmental technology, recycling, sustainability and digital innovation.

Dubai Holding said the programme reflects its commitment to supporting sustainable development and advancing the UAE Circular Economy Policy 2031, the UAE Net Zero by 2050 strategic initiative and the UAE Centennial 2071 vision.

The programme is scheduled to conclude in June 2026 with a Demo Day event, during which the top five scale-ups will present their solutions before investors, partners and industry leaders.