More than 2,875 Emirati women obtained new business licences in Abu Dhabi during the first half of 2025, underscoring their growing role in the national economy and the emirate’s efforts to foster female entrepreneurship.

Dubai-based fintech Bluerails has launched an on-chain treasury platform at the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) to help businesses, family offices and HNWIs earn returns on unused funds while enabling instant global payments.

Expand North Star will celebrate its 10th edition from 12 - 15 October 2025 at Dubai Harbour. Organised by Dubai World Trade Centre and hosted by the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, it is the world’s largest gathering for startups and investors.

Presight has kicked off its first AI-Startup Accelerator Bootcamp in Abu Dhabi, uniting 10 startups from around the world for a three-day intensive programme.

The Entrepreneurship World Cup 2025 has kicked off, attracting more than 10,000 projects from entrepreneurs in 169 countries. The competition spans 16 sectors including healthcare, education, ICT, agriculture and manufacturing.

iACCEL Gulf Business Incubator (iACCEL GBI) has signed an MoU with the Toronto Business Development Centre (TBDC) to create a cross-border framework supporting high-potential startups in expanding between the UAE and Canada.

Saudi Arabia has launched a new platform spotlighting innovation in the events industry. Event Tech Tank is designed as a launchpad for startups, connecting entrepreneurs with investors and venture capital funds to turn promising ideas into viable projects.

French AI startup Mistral is reportedly in advanced discussions with investors, including Abu Dhabi’s MGX, to raise $1bn at a $10bn valuation. The funding would nearly double Mistral’s worth from last year.

Sharjah Startup Studio (S3), the flagship programme by the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa), has opened applications for its next cohort. The four-month cycle will begin in October 2025, with 20 startups selected from across the UAE.