Dubai, UAE: Emirates NBD, a leading banking group in the Middle East, North Africa and Türkiye (MENAT) region, hosted the NDTI Founders Summit 2026, celebrating the next generation of Emirati FinTech and digital entrepreneurs and the graduation of Cohorts 4 and 5 of its National Digital Talent Incubator (NDTI).

The summit brought together Emirati founders, senior leaders from Emirates NBD, Dubai Government officials, investors and global technology partners to highlight emerging ventures and strengthen collaboration across the UAE’s rapidly expanding innovation ecosystem.

Launched to accelerate the development of Emirati digital entrepreneurs, NDTI is a flagship initiative designed to support founders building technology-driven ventures across financial services, AI and digital commerce. The programme provides structured mentorship, industry access and strategic guidance from Emirates NBD leaders and ecosystem partners. The programme also receives valuable support from longstanding strategic partner Dubai International Financial Centre driven by a shared vision to advance the Dubai FinTech landscape by fostering entrepreneurship in the FinTech and digital innovation space.

The NDTI Founders Summit 2026 celebrates the two-year milestone for the programme with 22 founders across five cohorts. Participants within each cohort, engage with senior executives and specialists across the bank’s strategy, technology and venture development teams, enabling them to refine business models, explore real-world industry applications and build connections with investors and corporate partners.

Ahmed Al Qassim, Group Head of Wholesale Banking at Emirates NBD, said: “The NDTI Founders Summit 2026 represents a significant milestone in Emirates NBD’s commitment to supporting the UAE’s dynamic, innovation-driven digital economy. Through the NDTI, we are investing in the next generation of Emirati entrepreneurs who will help shape the future of financial services and the broader digital economy. The ventures emerging from this programme demonstrate the strength of the UAE’s innovation ecosystem and the value of collaboration between startups, financial institutions and global technology partners.”

The UAE has rapidly emerged as a leading hub for FinTech and digital innovation, supported by progressive regulation, strong capital flows and a growing pipeline of entrepreneurial talent. According to industry estimates, FinTech investment in the UAE continues to grow steadily as the country strengthens its position as a regional centre for technology and financial services innovation. In a 2025 FinTech report by Emirates NBD and PwC, FinTech startups in the UAE attracted around USD 265 million in 2024 – approximately one-third of total startup funding in the country. The local FinTech market is expected to grow from USD 3.16 billion in 2024 to USD 5.71 billion by 2029, powered by widespread consumer adoption, investor confidence and strong partnerships across public and private sectors.

The NDTI Founders Summit 2026 featured founder showcases and ecosystem discussions with several partners. The event also provided founders with exposure to investors, corporate partners and industry leaders across the UAE’s technology and financial services sectors.

Hoor Al Katheeri, CEO and Founder of HAAY and an alumna of the NDTI programme, commented: “Being part of the NDTI program has been transformative for our journey as founders. The mentorship, industry insights and access to the
Emirates NBD ecosystem have been invaluable in helping us develop and grow our venture.”

Through initiatives such as the NDTI, Emirates NBD continues to play a leading role in supporting entrepreneurship, developing national talent and strengthening the UAE’s position as a global hub for innovation, FinTech and digital entrepreneurship.

About Emirates NBD:
Emirates NBD (DFM: Emirates NBD) is a leading banking group in the MENAT (Middle East, North Africa and Türkiye) region with a presence in 13 countries, serving over 10 million active customers. As at 31st March 2026, total assets were AED 1.2 trillion, (equivalent to approx. USD 327 billion). The Group has operations in the UAE, Egypt, India, Türkiye, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Singapore, the United Kingdom, Austria, Germany, Russia and Bahrain and representative offices in China and Indonesia with a total of 790 branches and 4,536 ATMs / SDMs. Emirates NBD is the leading financial services brand in the UAE with a Brand value of USD 4.54 billion.  

Emirates NBD Group serves its customers (individuals, businesses, governments, and institutions) and helps them realise their financial objectives through a range of banking products and services including retail banking, corporate and institutional banking, Islamic banking, investment banking, private banking, asset management, global markets and treasury, and brokerage operations. The Group is a key participant in the global digital banking industry with 97% of all financial transactions and requests conducted outside of its branches. The Group also operates Liv, the lifestyle digital bank by Emirates NBD, with close to half a million users, it continues to be the fastest-growing bank in the region.

Emirates NBD demonstrates leadership in sustainability by becoming the first bank globally to publish an IFRS S1 and S2-aligned report along with assurance of financed emissions and through the landmark issuance of the world’s first Sustainability-Linked Financing Sukuk by Emirates Islamic of USD 500 million fully aligned with ICMA guidelines. Emirates NBD continues to engage and support communities through its pioneering exchanger volunteer programme which completed 10 years in 2025 with over 160,000 hours contributed to social causes for over 1.1 million beneficiaries.    

For further information on Emirates NBD, please contact:
Ibrahim Sowaidan
Senior Vice President
Head - Group Corporate Affairs
Emirates NBD
Telephone: +971 4 609 4113 / +971 50 6538937
e-mail: ibrahims@emiratesnbd.com

Burson
Dubai, UAE
Tel: 971-4-4507600;
Email: emiratesnbd@bursonglobal.com