Dubai’s Mohammed Bin Rashid Establishment for Small and Medium Enterprises Development (Dubai SME), part of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), has partnered with Silicon Valley-based innovation platform Plug and Play to launch an accelerator program designed to help Emirati-owned startups scale globally.

The initiative aims to equip local entrepreneurs with mentorship, international exposure, and access to markets and investors, supporting their efforts to expand operations and attract sustainable investment. It aligns with the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, which targets doubling the emirate’s economy by 2033.

The accelerator will be operated by Plug and Play at the newly launched Dubai Founders HQ, located at the 25Hours Hotel in One Central. Established by DET in partnership with the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, the hub provides workspace, networking, and mentorship opportunities for founders.

The program will host two cohorts annually, each featuring ten Emirati startups. Participants will receive investment-readiness training, connect with government and corporate partners, and present their innovations to investors. Public sector entities including Dubai Health, Dubai Municipality, Dubai Police, Emirates Flight Catering, and the General Directorate for Identity and Foreigners Affairs will collaborate by identifying industry challenges and co-developing solutions with the startups.

Ahmad Al Room Almheiri, Acting CEO of Dubai SME, said the collaboration reflects Dubai’s ongoing efforts to advance the D33 agenda by empowering Emirati entrepreneurs and fostering an innovation-driven startup ecosystem. 

“Through world-class acceleration practices, thanks to our partnership with Plug and Play, we will be supporting individual startups as well as building the foundation for sustainable, innovation-driven growth that will establish Dubai as a top global hub for startups,” he said.

Plug and Play Founder and CEO Saeed Amidi said the initiative seeks to strengthen ties between Dubai’s growing startup ecosystem and Silicon Valley’s innovation network. 

“We are honored to partner with Dubai SME to support the growth of Emirati businesses,” he said. “Our goal is to bring cutting-edge expertise to help scale local ventures regionally and globally, while enabling key stakeholders to engage directly with promising startups that align with their strategic goals.”