The UAE-India CEPA Council (UICC), in partnership with the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in India, has officially launched the UAE-India CEPA Start-up Series at a prominent event in New Delhi, marking a significant step toward deepening cross-border innovation and entrepreneurial collaboration between the two nations.

This initiative is a direct outcome of the UAE-India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), fulfilling a core commitment to foster innovation-led partnerships and support the internationalisation of Indian start-ups by connecting them with the UAE’s dynamic business ecosystem.

During the event, UAE Ambassador to India, Dr. Abdulnasser Alshaali, emphasized the centrality of start-ups to the UAE-India economic corridor, highlighting the UAE’s strategic focus on entrepreneurship and cross-border innovation.

He noted that the Start-up Series is designed to link India’s brightest entrepreneurial minds with the UAE’s world-class infrastructure, supporting their scale-up journeys while enriching the bilateral innovation landscape.

The launch comes at a time of robust economic momentum between the UAE and India. In the fiscal year 2023-24, bilateral trade reached USD 83.64 billion, reflecting a nearly 15% year-on-year increase since the CEPA’s implementation. India’s non-oil exports to the UAE surged by over 20%, while UAE foreign direct investment (FDI) into India tripled from USD 1.03 billion in FY 2021-22 to USD 3.35 billion in FY 2022-23, making the UAE India’s fourth-largest investor. Since 2000, UAE-based investors have injected an estimated USD 20 billion into the Indian economy, fuelling innovation and growth.

The launch event also featured the signing of several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) between the UICC and leading academic and entrepreneurial institutions, including PRIME Meghalaya under the Meghalaya Basin Management Agency, IDEATE Lab at O.P. Jindal Global University, and Jamia Hamdard. These partnerships are expected to further strengthen the collaborative framework supporting Indian start-ups’ global expansion.

Ahmed Aljneibi, Director of the UICC, presented the strategic vision for the Start-up Series, outlining a roadmap that culminates in a high-profile pitch event in New Delhi. Here, five outstanding start-ups will be selected to receive an exclusive UAE soft-landing package, which includes incubation support, business licensing, customised mentorship, and direct access to leading investors, innovation hubs, and free zone networks across the Emirates. The application window for start-ups is now open via the official microsite and will remain so until July 31, 2025.

The event drew over 100 participants from the start-up, investment, policy, and media sectors, and was marked by the unveiling of the official Start-up Series microsite and a promotional trailer calling for applications from high-potential Indian ventures. The initiative is widely seen as a catalyst for strengthening the UAE-India innovation corridor and positioning both countries as leaders in the global start-up ecosystem.

Based On ANI Report