The future of cross-border collaboration between two economic powerhouses was on vibrant display in New Delhi on November 25, 2025. The UAE-India Startup Series, hosted by the India-UAE CEPA Council, showcased a curated selection of India’s most innovative startups, signaling a powerful new chapter in a bilateral relationship already boasting over $100 billion in annual trade.
The Grand Prize: A “Soft-Landing” into the UAE Market
The ultimate reward for five standout winners was a coveted UAE “soft-landing package.” This comprehensive support system, facilitated through Hub71, Abu Dhabi’s global tech ecosystem, is designed to de-risk and accelerate market entry. The package includes:
- Incubation Support: Office space and operational backbone in the heart of the UAE.
- Expert Mentorship: Guidance on navigating local regulations, business culture, and consumer behavior.
- Licensing Assistance: Cutting through bureaucratic red tape to establish a legal entity swiftly.
- Investor Access: Direct introductions to the UAE’s deep-pocketed family offices, sovereign wealth funds, and venture capital firms.
This prize is a golden ticket, transforming the daunting challenge of international expansion into a structured, supported launch.
Spotlight on the Innovators: A Glimpse into India’s Startup Vanguard
The diversity and depth of the presenting startups underscored the maturity of the Indian ecosystem. The highlights included:
- StepOut (AI-Powered Football Analytics): CEO Sayak Ghosh presented a platform that delivers unparalleled data accuracy for player performance and scouting. This directly aligns with the UAE’s and the broader Gulf region’s massive investments in sports, from league ownership to hosting global events, offering a technological edge to clubs and federations.
- Ease My AI (Automation & Digital Transformation): Co-founded by Gagan Randhava, this startup targets the UAE’s strategic push towards a fully digital government and smart cities. Their solutions in workflow automation and AI-driven process optimization are perfectly timed to support the UAE’s vision for a hyper-efficient, tech-first public and private sector.
- SBNRI (Wealth-Tech for NRIs): Founder Abhishek Agarwal tapped into a core demographic of the UAE—the vast Indian diaspora. SBNRI simplifies multi-currency investments and financial management for Non-Resident Indians, a proposition that reportedly secured immediate interest from UAE-based banks looking to serve this affluent and financially active community.
The exhibits further highlighted this cross-sectoral strength, showcasing innovations in electric mobility, space surveillance, green construction, and healthcare—all sectors that are top priorities for the UAE’s own national development agenda.
The Strategic Backdrop: CEPA and a Shared Vision for the Future
This startup series is a direct outcome of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between India and the UAE. The council’s director, Ahmed Aljneibi, perfectly captured the spirit, noting that the initiative “enables market access and tech exchange, empowering Indian founders for UAE expansion.”
The synergy is undeniable. The UAE seeks to rapidly diversify its economy beyond oil by importing and integrating cutting-edge technology. India, driven by the Atmanirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India) mission, is producing a surplus of world-class tech innovation that is ready for global scaling. This collaboration is a perfect match, already credited with tripling Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) from the UAE into India.
The Ripple Effect: Unlocking Billion-Dollar Opportunities
The implications of this deepening tech partnership are profound. It moves beyond traditional trade in commodities to trade in intellectual property and scalable business models. This collaboration has the potential to:
- Create Joint Ventures: Foster strategic partnerships between Indian tech prowess and Emirati market knowledge and capital.
- Drive Co-Innovation: Solve regional challenges in logistics, water security, and energy with joint R&D efforts.
- Unlock Over $1 Billion in Value: As the ecosystems merge, the flow of capital, talent, and technology could easily unlock over a billion dollars in joint venture value and investments.
Conclusion: The Gulf Gateway is Officially Open
For Indian founders, the message from the UAE-India Startup Series is unequivocal: the gateway to the Gulf is not just open; it is actively inviting you in. The path to one of the world’s most dynamic and affluent regions is now being paved with structured support, strategic alignment, and a shared ambition for a tech-driven future.
