Dubai Holding has officially opened registrations for the second edition of the global challenge “Innovate for Tomorrow,” set for 2025.
This pioneering initiative, organized in collaboration with the startup incubation hub in5 from Tecom Group, invites rapidly growing startups from around the globe to help devise new strategies for resource consumption, production, and renewal, supporting the transition to a sustainable circular economy.
The winners of this challenge will share a total cash prize of 850,000 AED, alongside initial funding to bring their pilot projects to fruition and a unique opportunity to demonstrate the viability of their innovative concepts through the diverse portfolio of Dubai Holding.
The 2025 edition of “Innovate for Tomorrow” aims to inspire rapidly growing startups to create transformative solutions for pressing challenges linked to the circular economy. The focus will be on three main areas: reducing food loss and waste, recycling and renewing resources, and digital innovation for sustainability. Dubai Holding will accept entries for this challenge until November 25, 2025, urging innovators with comprehensive technology-based solutions aimed at enhancing resource sustainability to contribute towards added value and environmental impact reduction.
From all participants in this challenge worldwide, 15 rapidly growing startups will be selected to engage in a diverse 12-week program designed to amplify project impact.
Through this program, the selected winners will receive guidance from top industry leaders, in addition to specialized training sessions and workshops aimed at optimizing their business models and easing their entry into more global markets. Additionally, winners will gain access to investor networks and the extensive infrastructure and testing environments of Dubai Holding, allowing them to validate and scale their solutions.
The challenge will conclude with a dedicated day in 2026 for showcasing initial projects, where the top-performing startups will present their innovations to an elite audience of investors, partners, and industry leaders.
After the announcement of the top-ranked company, along with the second and third places, the first-place winner will receive full support and comprehensive funding from Dubai Holding to implement its project in reality.
It is notable that the inaugural edition of the “Innovate for Tomorrow” challenge for 2024 attracted 150 applications from 31 countries, with winners including Authalon from Norway, which recycles plastic waste into construction materials, and The Surplus from the UAE, which redistributes excess materials across various sectors.
Following their participation, these three companies have successfully formed pivotal partnerships with Dubai Holding, reinforcing the groundbreaking role of this challenge in enhancing the impact and scalability of projects.
On this occasion, Huda Bouhamid, CEO of Marketing and Sustainability at Dubai Holding, stated, “At Dubai Holding, we are consistently committed to supporting innovative solutions that drive transformative change across sectors, enhancing their ability to create lasting positive impact and foster community connections for a sustainable future. Aligning with the UAE’s ambitious vision for a sustainable future based on a circular economy, the ‘Innovate for Tomorrow’ challenge presents rapidly growing startups with an opportunity to maximize their potential within an ideal environment that promotes innovation, progress, and significant positive impact.”
The “Innovate for Tomorrow” challenge reflects Dubai Holding’s humanitarian mission of empowering communities and companies to contribute to sustainable development. It simultaneously underscores its steadfast commitment to implementing the National Circular Economy Strategy 2031, the UAE’s strategic initiative for achieving climate neutrality by 2050, and the UAE Centennial Vision 2071.
The challenge, organized in conjunction with the in5 business incubator and designed in collaboration with implementation partner Bolt, leverages industry expert knowledge, specialized training, and market entry opportunities to help entrepreneurs develop and enhance their solutions for large-scale implementation.
Established in 2013, in5 has supported over 1,000 startups across technology, media, design, and sciences, collectively attracting funding of over 7.8 billion AED.
Speaking on behalf of in5, Majid Al Suwaidi, Senior Vice President of Tecom Group, commented, “We are excited to collaborate as Dubai’s leading startup incubation hub with the second edition of the ‘Innovate for Tomorrow’ challenge initiated by Dubai Holding. This partnership reflects our ambitious vision to support entrepreneurs and innovators by providing them with the necessary tools and resources for sustainable growth. We reaffirm our commitment to enabling startups to turn their innovative ideas into impactful projects that contribute to a sustainable future, aligning with Dubai’s economic agenda D33.”
The “Innovate for Tomorrow” challenge is open to quickly growing startups from around the world, provided they have a usable prototype or a minimum viable product and have obtained customer validation for their product/service and pre-seed or initial funding prior to the first funding round.
At least one company must fully commit to a diverse 12-week training program and demonstrate genuine intent to scale its operations in the UAE.
Key Benefits of the “Innovate for Tomorrow” Challenge
– The winner receives funding from Dubai Holding to validate their project and a cash prize of 500,000 AED, while the second and third place winners earn 250,000 AED and 100,000 AED, respectively.
– A select group of industry experts will provide up to 20 hours of mentorship for each participating rapidly growing company in this challenge.
– The top five rapidly growing startups will benefit from in5’s services for a year, valued at 90,000 AED.
– More than 15 specialized training sessions and workshops will be held on business development, market entry, financing, technical mentorship, and regulatory compliance.
– Access to over 250 discounted applications and technological platforms will be granted.
– Opportunities for collaboration with various sectors within the Dubai Holding portfolio will be provided, including Dubai Holding Real Estate, Dubai Holding Hospitality, Dubai Holding Asset Management, Dubai Holding Entertainment, and Dubai Holding Community Management.