Participants compete for cash prizes, mentorship opportunities, and direct access to investors 

Abu Dhabi, UAE: Some of the most innovative entrepreneurs from the UAE and beyond took to the stage this week at Make it in the Emirates 2026, pitching new ideas and disruptive technologies in a bid for cash prizes as well as mentorship and networking opportunities with industry leaders and investors.

 The Start-up Pitch Competition, held at the fifth and largest edition of the UAE's flagship industrial platform, welcomed start-ups operating across five priority sectors: electric mobility and batteries, autonomous systems and drones, industrial robotics, digital twins and smart manufacturing, and industrial cybersecurity.

The winners were unveiled on Wednesday: AC3D, Electrogenos Magan Ltd, and Waverity.

Entrants were assessed on innovation, scalability, sustainability, market potential, competitiveness, and national impact. The annual competition is open to start-ups at Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 3 to 9 — a NASA-developed scale used to measure how mature a technology is.

The competition supports the UAE’s drive to build scalable, market-ready industrial technologies in line with the National Strategy for Industry and Advanced Technology.

Make it in the Emirates 2026 runs until 7 May at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi, hosted by MoIAT with co-hosts Ministry of Culture, Abu Dhabi Investment Office, ADNOC Group, and L'IMAD, organised by ADNEC Group.

For more information, visit the Make it in the Emirates 2026 Start-up Pitch Competition page.