{"id":66395,"date":"2025-09-18T16:58:22","date_gmt":"2025-09-18T12:58:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.dubaicityguide.com\/site\/?p=66395"},"modified":"2025-09-18T16:58:22","modified_gmt":"2025-09-18T12:58:22","slug":"dubai-joins-forces-with-plug-and-play-to-launch-new-accelerator-connecting-startups-with-corporate-innovation-applications-now-open","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.dubaicityguide.com\/site\/dubai-joins-forces-with-plug-and-play-to-launch-new-accelerator-connecting-startups-with-corporate-innovation-applications-now-open\/","title":{"rendered":"Dubai Joins Forces With Plug And Play To Launch New Accelerator Connecting Startups With Corporate Innovation\u2013 Applications Now Open"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) and the <a href=\"https:\/\/dubaiverse.io\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Dubai<\/a> Chamber of Digital Economy have partnered with global innovation leader Plug and Play to launch a flagship three-month accelerator programme. Now open for applications, the programme is designed for ambitious post-revenue startups ready to scale. This pioneering collaboration embeds high-potential startups directly into Dubai\u2019s thriving corporate innovation ecosystem, offering a unique opportunity to connect with leading corporate organisations and unlock growth across the region.<\/p>\n<p>The programme\u2019s inaugural cohort will focus on Trade &amp; Logistics, Connectivity &amp; Digital Solutions, and Fintech. These key sectors are at the heart of Dubai\u2019s drive for economic diversification and digital transformation,and are advancing the goals of the ambitious Dubai Economic Agenda, D33, which aims to double the city\u2019s economy by 2033.<\/p>\n<p>The accelerator brings together some of the most promising post-revenue startups and leading corporates, including DHL, du and Visa, enabling strategic partnerships that drive innovation and commercial success. Entrepreneurs will be able to gain direct access to corporate innovation leaders, mentorship, investor exposure, training, and market entry through the accelerator. The selected startups will also receive dedicated support to enter and scale in Dubai\u2019s corporate innovation environment, ensuring a seamless experience for founders.<\/p>\n<p>For the participating corporates, the accelerator offers early access to emerging technologies, opportunities to co-create solutions with high-potential startups, and play a role in shaping Dubai\u2019s future-ready economy<strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The key benefits offered by the accelerator, powered by Plug and Play&#8217;s renowned methodology, include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Direct engagement with global innovation leaders within DHL,du and Visa, unlocking doors to strategic partnerships, pilots and major expansion opportunities.<\/li>\n<li>Expert guidance from a diverse network of local and international mentors in product development, marketing, finance and sales.<\/li>\n<li>Access to investor networks, fundraising education and tailored one-to-one support to facilitate capital raising.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>His Excellency Hadi Badri, CEO of the Dubai Economic Development Corporation (DEDC)<\/strong>, the economic development arm of the <strong>Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET),<\/strong> commented: \u201cThe launch of this new accelerator, in partnership with Plug and Play, is a testament to visionary leadership and marks a new chapter in Dubai\u2019s innovation journey. We are calling on bold, innovative founders to apply now, as this programme is designed to connect entrepreneurs directly with leading corporates, expert mentors, and investors \u2013all within one collaborative environment. It is an unrivalled opportunity to innovate, grow and succeed in Dubai<strong>.<\/strong> Through the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33, we are building the foundations for sustainable, innovation-driven growth, and empowering startups to turn ambitious ideas into global success stories.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Saeed Al Gergawi, Vice President of Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy<\/strong>, stated: \u201cThis accelerator reflects Dubai\u2019s determination to lead the next wave of economic transformation by connecting innovative entrepreneurs with real commercial opportunities. Our goal is to ensure that promising startups are empowered to create lasting impact in sectors vital to the emirate\u2019s future growth. By linking global talent with leading corporates, the programme strengthens Dubai\u2019s role as a bridge between ideas and markets, positioning the city as a magnet for digital economy investment.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Saeed Amidi, Founder and CEO of Plug and Play<\/strong>, shared: \u201cWe are proud to partner with the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism and the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, connecting leading corporations with innovative technologies. With this new partnership, we are building a world-class programme where entrepreneurs gain commercial access, mentorship, and investment opportunities to scale, while corporates benefit from direct access to cutting-edge startups that address their strategic priorities. This dual focus reinforces Dubai\u2019s position as a global hub where startups and enterprises co-create the future of innovation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>By leveraging Plug and Play\u2019s proven approach \u2013 focused on hands-on mentorship, rapid piloting, and real-world market validation \u2013 participants will gain an edge in scaling their solutions and accessing new markets.<\/p>\n<p>A cornerstone of the D33 Agenda, the accelerator aims to contribute to Dubai\u2019s bold ambitions of creating 30 unicorns and transitioning 400 SMEs into large businesses by 2033, further reinforcing Dubai\u2019s position as a global innovation leader and a hub for business, investment and global talent.<\/p>\n<p>Applications for the accelerator are now open, inviting ambitious startups from across the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uaetoday.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">UAE<\/a> and around the world to join the programme and become part of Dubai\u2019s dynamic innovation ecosystem. To learn more and apply, visit:<a href=\"https:\/\/www.plugandplaytechcenter.com\/innovation-services\/challenge-offerings\/dubai-the-accelerator-program\">https:\/\/www.plugandplaytechcenter.com\/innovation-services\/challenge-offerings\/dubai-the-accelerator-program<\/a><strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) and the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy have partnered with global innovation leader Plug and Play to launch a flagship three-month accelerator programme. Now open for applications, the programme is designed for ambitious post-revenue startups ready to scale. This pioneering collaboration embeds high-potential startups directly into Dubai\u2019s [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":66397,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-66395","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.dubaicityguide.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66395","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.dubaicityguide.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.dubaicityguide.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.dubaicityguide.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.dubaicityguide.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=66395"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blog.dubaicityguide.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66395\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":66398,"href":"https:\/\/blog.dubaicityguide.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66395\/revisions\/66398"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.dubaicityguide.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/66397"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.dubaicityguide.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=66395"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.dubaicityguide.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=66395"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.dubaicityguide.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=66395"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}