Dubai, UAE — Amazon Web Services (AWS) and The UAE Cybersecurity Council (CSC) along with CrowdStrike and e& are launching the AWS/CTIB Cybersecurity Startup Accelerator Program to advance 'Made in UAE' cybersecurity innovations. This multi-year government-backed initiative sets an ambitious goal to accelerate more than 500 cybersecurity startups, providing them with exclusive access to regional capital and global tech expertise. The milestone program advances the vision set forth by the UAE Cybersecurity Technology Innovation Bureau (UAE CTIB) in May 2025, marking a significant step forward in the UAE's cybersecurity ecosystem development.

Through intensive 1:1 mentorship and personalized support, the program aims to provide startups with technology resources and guidance to develop solutions for emerging global cyber threats.

The power of four: Technology, security, policy, and innovation

Participating cybersecurity startups will leverage four essential pillars of support: AWS's global cloud computing leadership, UAE CSC's regulatory framework and government backing, CrowdStrike's cybersecurity expertise, and e& Group’s market reach and digital innovation across the region.

“The AWS/CTIB Startup Accelerator Program is a keystone of the UAE's National Cybersecurity Strategy, and a core of our unwavering commitment to advance the nation’s leadership in cybersecurity globally,” said H.E. Dr. Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, Head of Cybersecurity for the UAE Government. H.E. also added: “The program represents a critical step in strengthening the UAE’s position as a leading innovation hub while fostering the next generation of regional champions. This step came under our wise leadership and directives to strengthen our leading position on the global digital transformation map, driven by a forward-looking vision and ambitious national policies."

“This multi-party collaboration represents AWS’s commitment to building sustainable cybersecurity innovation ecosystems that combine global expertise with regional market knowledge,” added Hart Rossman, VP Security & Infrastructure, AWS. “By joining forces with the UAE Cybersecurity Council, CrowdStrike and e&, we are creating an opportunity for cybersecurity entrepreneurs to thrive, and we are proud to help establish the foundation for the UAE to become a world-leading cybersecurity innovation hub.”

“The Agentic Era demands a new level of speed, intelligence, and collaboration,” said Elias Matta, VP, META at CrowdStrike. “We’re empowering the next generation of cybersecurity startups in the UAE with the expertise, intelligence, and technology insights that define the Falcon platform. Through this accelerator, we’re helping them move faster, think bigger, and build solutions that strengthen cyber resilience across the region.”

“Cyber resilience is no longer a defensive measure; it is now a pillar of national resilience and a growth enabler for digital economies. By combining our regional infrastructure, venture ecosystem, and enterprise capabilities with AWS, the UAE Cybersecurity Council, and CrowdStrike, we’re creating the conditions for the next generation of cybersecurity startups to innovate responsibly, protect intelligently, and scale globally, all while anchoring their growth in the UAE’s trusted digital ecosystem,” said Harrison Lung, Group Chief Strategy Officer, e&.

Propelling a cyber-secure future with the latest technologies

The AWS/CTIB Startup Accelerator Program creates a comprehensive ecosystem that addresses every aspect of cybersecurity startup development, from technical architecture to market entry and funding. A rigorous selection process will evaluate innovation potential, market traction, team quality, scalability, and commitment to the UAE market entry, ensuring only the highest-potential startups are selected.

Central to the program is the use of AWS's global cloud infrastructure and its comprehensive portfolio of security services, including a set of 200-plus cloud security tools trusted by millions of customers. Participating startups will focus on developing solutions that leverage advanced machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) for threat detection, supported by AI-powered cybersecurity platforms.

The curriculum will also cover modern security architectures, including cloud-native and zero-trust frameworks, and integrate DevSecOps methodologies for secure development practices. Startups will gain expertise in next-generation endpoint protection, cloud workload security, real-time threat intelligence, and identity and access management to build robust and compliant cybersecurity solutions.

Fueling the next wave of cyber talent in a surging regional market

Supporting the UAE's National Cybersecurity Strategy, the program connects startups to an ecosystem of government, enterprise, and academic partners. This initiative strengthens the UAE's innovation landscape and reinforces its position as a leader in advanced cybersecurity technologies, within a Middle East cybersecurity market expected to reach US$31 billion by 2030.

The first global call for applications arrives in December 2025, targeting cybersecurity startups in UAE and worldwide.

About Amazon Web Services:

Since 2006, Amazon Web Services has been the world’s most comprehensive and broadly adopted cloud. AWS has been continually expanding its services to support virtually any workload, and it now has more than 240 fully featured services for compute, storage, databases, networking, analytics, machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), mobile, security, hybrid, media, and application development, deployment, and management from 120 Availability Zones within 38 geographic regions, with announced plans for 10 more Availability Zones and three more AWS Regions in Chile, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the AWS European Sovereign Cloud. Millions of customers—including the fastest-growing startups, largest enterprises, and leading government agencies—trust AWS to power their infrastructure, become more agile, and lower costs. To learn more about AWS, visit aws.amazon.com   

About UAE Cyber Security Council:

The UAE Cyber Security Council was established to enhance the UAE's cybersecurity capabilities and ensure the protection of cyberspace. The Council develops national cybersecurity strategies, coordinates cybersecurity efforts across government and private sectors, and promotes cybersecurity awareness and education throughout the UAE.

About CrowdStrike: 

CrowdStrike (NASDAQ: CRWD), a global cybersecurity leader, has redefined modern security with the world’s most advanced cloud-native platform for protecting critical areas of enterprise risk – endpoints and cloud workloads, identity and data.

Powered by the CrowdStrike Security Cloud and world-class AI, the CrowdStrike Falcon® platform leverages real-time indicators of attack, threat intelligence, evolving adversary tradecraft and enriched telemetry from across the enterprise to deliver hyper-accurate detections, automated protection and remediation, elite threat hunting and prioritized observability of vulnerabilities.

Purpose-built in the cloud with a single lightweight-agent architecture, the Falcon platform delivers rapid and scalable deployment, superior protection and performance, reduced complexity and immediate time-to-value.

CrowdStrike: We stop breaches.

About e&:

e& is a global technology group committed to advancing the digital future across markets in the Middle East, Asia, Africa and Europe. With the group's financial performance in 2023 showing a consolidated net revenue of AED 53.8 billion and a net profit of AED 10.3 billion, e& continues to maintain its position as a financial powerhouse, reflected by its strong credit rating and solid balance sheet.

Founded in Abu Dhabi over 48 years ago, e& has evolved from a telecom pioneer into a technology group. Its footprint now spans 38 countries, offering a comprehensive portfolio of innovative digital services ranging from advanced connectivity, entertainment, streaming and financial services to AI-powered solutions, cloud computing, ICT, cybersecurity and IoT platforms.

The Group is structured around five core business pillars: e& UAE, e& international, e& life, e& enterprise and e& capital, each catering to distinct customer and market needs. These pillars empower e& to lead in various sectors, from telecom and digital lifestyle to enterprise services and venture investments. The ongoing strategic investments in AI, IoT, 5G and cloud services reinforce its leadership in the global technology landscape, driving the future of smart connectivity and innovation.

Driven by innovation, sustainability and a commitment to digital empowerment, e& is set on creating a smarter, more connected future for individuals, businesses and communities.

To learn more about e&, visit eand.com.