The event celebrated the successful completion of an intensive three-month curriculum, mentored by the very best at MITDesignX, expertly delivered through a series of workshops to the 10 innovative startups that comprised the second cohort of MDXB.

During the event, the winning team, “theion,” was presented with its award at the MDXB Demo Day. The team, represented by CFO Matthias Fengler and Co-Founder Johannes Eisele, was recognized for its groundbreaking advancements in lithium-sulfur crystal battery technology.

As part of their prize, they received AED 100,000 in equity-free funding and a Full business setup for one year at the Dubai Technology Entrepreneur Campus (Dtec), the largest technology co-working space of its kind in the MENA region.

Dr. Juma Al Matrooshi, Director General of DSO, said: “The MDXB program, and its culminating demo day, is a testament to Dubai’s status as a global hub for innovation. DSO’s involvement reflects our commitment to empowering promising entrepreneurs who seize opportunities and develop transformative, technology-driven solutions. Through Dtec, we provide startups with direct access to a thriving ecosystem of investors, mentors, and industry leaders, along with state-of-the-art facilities and tailored support designed to accelerate their growth and market success.”

For his part, Gilad Rosenzweig, Executive Director of DesignX at MIT, said: “At MITdesignX (MDX) we are excited to support a new ecosystem of entrepreneurs and startups in collaboration with Dubai Silicon Oasis and Global Growth Hub. As Dubai positions itself as a global center for innovation, I am delighted to see the second cohort of MDXB startups grow and demonstrate their remarkable talent in developing high-impact solutions for the GCC and the entire world. The entrepreneurial drive and pioneering ideas in this region are truly inspiring.

Omar Hassan, Managing Director of Global Growth Hub, said: “This is the first phase of the second cohort, and we are thrilled to be kicking off phase two, which will focus on supporting the startups with market entry. Moreover, we look forward to opening recruitment for the third cohort in summer of this year.”

Matthias Fengler, CFO of theion, expressed his gratitude, saying: “The MIT DesignX program has added significant value to theion by providing great support in the conceptual development of our venture. Through access to MIT’s expertise, the infrastructure of Dubai Silicon Oasis and the network of Global Growth Hub, we’ve been able to refine our ideas, strengthen our approach and engage with investors. With its vibrant start-up ecosystem, Dubai is the ideal gateway for us to expand into the larger gulf region.”

The second cohort’s selected startups represented Europe, the US, and the GCC. They shared a focus on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles and sustainability. Their innovative solutions span sectors such as hydrogen technology, waste management, emissions reduction, energy storage, and more.

MIT DesignX is a global leader in accelerating transformative startups, having supported over 170 companies across 15+ cities and regions worldwide. The accelerator’s expansion into Dubai highlights the city’s rising prominence as a hub for startup innovation, collaboration, and growth. Since its inception, startups supported by MIT DesignX have collectively exceeded a valuation of US$1 billion, showcasing its profound impact on the global innovation landscape.

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The programme’s rigorous curriculum, developed by MIT and successfully tested in the inaugural cohort, consists of workshops and intensive design and business classes. These sessions will take place, till May 2025, at the Dubai Technology Entrepreneur Campus (Dtec), the largest tech hub and co-working space in the MENA region wholly owned by DIEZ. Participating startups will refine their business models, supported by mentorship from local industry leaders, MIT alumni, and assisted by MIT student interns.

The culmination of the intensive accelerator programme will be marked with a Demo Day on January 30, bringing together the participating startups, investors, industry peers and stakeholders, and DSO’s community and network, to celebrate the conclusion of the second edition. The winner of the second MDXB cohort will also be awarded at the event.

Dr. Juma Al Matrooshi, Director General of DSO, said: “Hosting this cohort of startups enrolled in the MIT DesignX Dubai Accelerator is testament to the resounding success of the inaugural edition. The accelerator programme continues to attract global and local interest, with more than 400 applications received from across the globe. We are excited to welcome these 10 promising startups to help them refine their vision and achieve their ambitions. This initiative aligns with our commitment to fostering a thriving ecosystem for technology and sustainability entrepreneurs in Dubai and building a collaborative network of innovators that will develop solutions to address global challenges.”

Gilad Rosenzweig, Executive Director of DesignX at the MIT School of Architecture and Planning said: “The first cohort of MDXB showcased amazing innovations, and I am thrilled to see what the second cohort will achieve. This programme, bolstered by top MIT faculty, provides an ecosystem that fosters venture and leadership growth and encourages participants to leverage mentorship opportunities. These startups emerge to scale their innovations and make a lasting impact in the UAE and beyond.”

For his part, Omar Hassan, Managing Director at GGH, said: “The launch of the second cohort underscores the exceptional potential of this programme to shape the future of innovation and entrepreneurship. At GGH, we are proud to collaborate with DIEZ and MIT to create a platform where bold ideas converge with expert guidance. This year’s cohort reflects remarkable diversity and a strong commitment to sustainability, perfectly aligning with global priorities and the UAE’s vision for a sustainable future. We look forward to seeing these startups achieve transformative milestones.”

The selected startups for this cohort represent Europe, the US, and the GCC, with a shared focus on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles and sustainability. Their innovative solutions span sectors such as hydrogen technology, waste management, emissions reduction, and energy storage and more.

These include – Protium Technologies, a specialist in sustainable hydrogen technologies, focusing on hydrogen detection, water treatment, and bio-hydrogen solutions; Kanz, an AI-powered aggregator that simplifies and personalizes financing applications; PeykBot, a designer and operator of autonomous, AI-powered robots for last-mile parcel and food delivery; Bilqis GreenTech, a waste management solutions provider aiming to improve waste recycling and reduce environmental impact; Travel Indigenous, a platform providing eco-friendly, indigenous-led travel experiences across the UAE and Oman; Circa Biotech, converts organic waste into resources like insect protein, bio-diesel, and organic fertilizer; Net0, provides AI-driven carbon accounting software that helps organizations measure, reduce, and report their carbon emissions; EcoConnect, empowering businesses to secure ethically, procure sustainably and manage supplier management with ease; Theion, a developer of sustainable lithium-sulfur batteries for various applications, including mobility and energy storage.; and The Hung Bag, a multifunctional bag designed to be hung on doors for receiving and organizing deliveries.

MIT Design is a global leader in accelerating transformative startups. They have supported over 170 companies across more than 15 cities and regions worldwide. The accelerator programme’s foray into Dubai reflects the city’s growing role as a leading hub for startups to innovate, collaborate, and thrive. Since its inception, MIT DesignX has supported startups that collectively achieved a valuation exceeding US$1 billion.

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The awards are the Global Free Zone of the Year for SMEs, the Middle East Free Zone of the Year for SMEs, ranked fifth in the Top 10 Global Free Zones of the Year 2023, and an honourable mention for Catalysing R&D.

The award, which is the most prestigious accolade a free zone can earn, serves as a testament to DSO’s exceptional performance throughout 2022/23 and its efforts to support and enable the success of its business community.

Dr. Juma Al Matrooshi, Director-General of Dubai Silicon Oasis, said, “We are delighted to be recognised in fDi’s Global Free Zones of the Year awards for 2023 as a global leader in fostering knowledge and innovation at Dubai Silicon Oasis. This notable acknowledgement speaks volumes of our consistent efforts to build a thriving ecosystem for startups, SMEs, and multinational companies. Our ongoing commitment is reflected in our world-class excellence, operational efficiency, robust infrastructure, and support for sustainability and accelerated growth of our stakeholders.”

Chris Knight, Managing Director of fDi Intelligence, stated, “I congratulate Dubai Silicon Oasis on its entry into this year’s global leader board as a Top five ranked Free Zone. An achievement fuelled by its unrivalled SME strategy, the free zone is dedicated to fostering knowledge and innovation across the industries of the future, resulting in a doubling of its number of SME clients last year.”

Notably, UAE free zones claimed six spots on fDi’s Top 10 Global Free Zones of the Year 2023. Over 60 free zones from across the world were assessed against a set of multidisciplinary criteria. The awards were judged by both the Financial Times’ specialist editorial team and a panel of independent judges for each region.

The team scored each nomination in categories including strategy, infrastructure development, and promotion of sustainability and ESG projects.

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Dr Aman Puri was welcomed by Dr Juma Al Matrooshi, Director General of DSO, in the presence of Siddhartha Baraily, Consul, Head of Chancery and Ghanim Al Falasi, Senior Vice President of Technology and Entrepreneurship at DSO. The delegation included six Indian start-ups with a focus on travel and tourism, presenting their ideas to be incubated at DSO.

Dr Aman Puri said: “The Government of India and the UAE are committed to working together to foster innovation between the two countries and contribute towards a sustainable world. India has emerged as an innovation hub with the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem with 42 Indian start-ups joining the Unicorn Club in 2021. The UAE is a global hub for expats and global businesses, which provides immense business opportunities for Indian talent. Innovation hub at India Pavilion, Expo 2020 Dubai has featured over 190 Indian start-ups. Elevate pitching series and interactions with prestigious organizations such as Dubai Silicon Oasis, Dubai Technology Entrepreneur Campus, TiE Dubai among others, provided excellent opportunities for the Indian innovators to interact with investors, global counterparts for further networking and partnership.”

Dr Juma Al Matrooshi said: “UAE and India share deeply rooted bilateral relations and have been key trading partners for centuries. In the last few weeks of 2021, both nations concluded negotiations for a bilateral trade agreement that aims to boost non-oil trade to at least $100 billion over the next five years. In contribution to this ambitious plan, we aim to be a key enabler and incubator for start-ups and entrepreneurs, from all over the world, looking to expand into the region. Providing world-class facilities to streamline business set-up and operations, DSO is home to more than 1,000 companies from more than 75 countries.”

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The agreement was signed by Dr. Juma Al Matrooshi, Deputy CEO of Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO), and Dr. Fatih Mehmet Gul, CEO of Fakeeh University Hospital (FUH), at the university hospital’s building in DSO, in the presence of officials from both entities.

Under the agreement, DSO and FUH will work together to enhance smart health offerings, as well as medical and preventive services to more than 1,000 startups and entrepreneurs in Dtec. They will also collaborate to support the health of the startups’ operations and the wellbeing of their employees, in line with one of the six pillars of the Sandbox program. The program was launched by DSO in October 2021 and is the first of its kind in the MENA region, running for 12 months supporting technology startups and assisting them to achieve growth and raise funding in their early stages.

The agreement outlines that employee of Dtec-based companies will receive medical examination services and a health card, as well as exclusive healthcare benefits and priority in medical services at FUH. Furthermore, they will have access to remote medical consultations.

Fakeeh University Hospital will also organize several virtual awareness sessions, educational seminars and first aid training sessions, in addition to approved medical and surgical services, radiology and laboratory examinations, round the clock emergency services, and several diagnostic procedures such as endoscopy, CT scan and other programs.

Dtec entrepreneurs will benefit from exclusive opportunities to test innovative healthcare solutions in cooperation with FUH, in addition to benefiting from its laboratories and research centers, workshops and mentoring sessions which are organized for entrepreneurs and researchers.

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