Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) and the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, through Dubai Founders HQ, have forged a multi-year partnership with early-stage venture capital firm Antler to launch a flagship founder residency program to support venture-backed startups from Dubai.
The collaboration represents a major milestone in Dubai Founders HQ’s mission to systematically support and scale the next generation of entrepreneurs.
Over the course of the partnership, more than 600 founders are expected to be upskilled, contributing to a strong pipeline of newly launched and funded startups emerging from the emirate.
Established in October 2025 as a joint initiative of DET and the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, Dubai Founders HQ serves as the city’s central platform connecting founders with investors, corporates, and ecosystem enablers.
It operates as a flagship initiative under the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33, which seeks to double the size of Dubai’s economy by 2033.
The platform is designed to fast-track the development of high-growth startups, support scale-ups, and foster globally competitive companies, including the next generation of unicorns. At the core of the new partnership is Antler’s globally recognized Residency Program, which will be delivered from Dubai Founders HQ.
The program supports founders from the earliest stage of their journey, helping them refine ideas, identify co-founders, build minimum viable products (MVPs), and access pre-seed investment.
Participants will also benefit from Antler’s Academy, an entrepreneurial education platform offering training from a global network of investors, mentors, and technology partners. Together, these initiatives provide a structured pathway from concept to funded startup, addressing one of the key challenges in early-stage ecosystems: converting talent into investable companies.
Embedding global venture expertise
As part of the agreement, Antler has established its UAE headquarters within the Dubai Founders HQ campus. By embedding its investment and program teams locally, Antler aims to strengthen investor engagement and align venture creation more closely with capital deployment.
HE Hadi Badri CEO DEDC
“Partnering with Antler allows us to translate ambition into execution, supporting founders from the earliest stages of ideation and reinforcing Dubai’s role as a launchpad for global startups under the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33.”
Saeed Al Gergawi, Vice Chairman of Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, stated that, “This partnership combines global venture expertise with the comprehensive support model of Dubai Founders HQ. It equips founders with specialized knowledge, practical experience, and strong investor connections, enabling sustainable growth and reinforcing Dubai’s standing as a global hub for startups.”
Magnus Grimeland, Founder and CEO of Antler, noted that, “As the world’s most active early-stage AI investor, we see Dubai as a key launchpad for the next wave of innovation. This partnership creates a structured pathway for exceptional founders to build and scale companies from Dubai, contributing to the future of the digital economy.”
The partnership directly supports the objectives of the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33, including the ambition to scale 30 unicorns from Dubai.
Applications for the Residency Program are now open, inviting entrepreneurs from the UAE and around the world to build and scale their companies from Dubai.
