Striving for success – The top 50+ startups in the UAE
With the emergence of new ventures every year, the UAE’s business sector is continuously booming. From small e-commerce websites to high-tech giants, startups in the UAE aim high for success and to provide a positive contribution to the country’s economy. Want to know more about these businesses? Here’s a lowdown of all the successful risk-takers and the faster-growing ventures in the UAE.
LIST OF THE BEST STARTUPS IN THE UAE
ARABIA STARZPLAY
If we call Arabia STARZPLAY the Netflix of MENA, it wouldn’t be wrong. This is one of the top video streaming services in the UAE that offer users thousands of blockbuster movies, shows, documentaries and dedicated Arabic content in the region.
Recently, a consortium led by UAE investment group ADQ and E-vision has agreed to get a controlling stake in Arabia STARZPLAY.
- Founder(s): Maaz Sheikh
- Year Founded: 2015 – 2016
BOXIT
Next on our list of startups in the UAE is Boxit – a self-storage company in Dubai and the UAE. Boxit employs a team of experts that can pack and pick items right from your doorstep and deliver them back to you when you need them.
- Founder(s): Premlal Pullisserry, Abraham Thomas, Joby Mathew
- Year Founded: 2016
BITOASIS
BitOasis is a cryptocurrency platform in the UAE that allows you to buy, sell and trade cryptocurrencies like XRP, Ether and bitcoin.
- Founder(s): Ola Doudin, Daniel Robenek
- Year Founded: 2015
BAYUT
A part of Dubizzle Group, formerly known as Emerging Markets Property Group (EMPG), Bayut is a real estate website in the UAE comprising listings for residential and commercial properties.
Bayut also has an app and an editorial arm called “MyBayut”. The key features on Bayut’s portal include TruCheck™ and Search 2.0.
- Founder(s): Zeeshan Ali Khan, Imran Ali Khan
- Year Founded: 2008
BAYZAT
Bayzat is an all-in-one HR and employee benefits platform that allows companies to automate payroll, HR and insurance-related processes.
- Founder(s): Talal Bayaa, Brian Habibi
- Year Founded: 2012
CAREEM
85Also on our list of startups in the UAE is Careem – the most well-reputed on-demand car service in the UAE. The company was acquired by the global automotive giant “Uber” for around $3.1 billion in 2019.
- Founder(s): Mudassir Sheikha, Magnus Olsson, Abdullah Elyas
- Year Founded: 2012
CHEFXCHANGE
ChefXChange is an online marketplace to hire chefs for private gatherings or events.
- Founder(s): Karl Naim, Marc Washington
- Year Founded: 2015
DESIGNER-24
Designer-24 is a startup company that offers designer dresses, bags and accessories for rent. You can place an order through their online website or brick-and-mortar store.
- Founder(s): Sara Alemzadeh, Ranya Khalil
- Year Founded: 2014
DUBIZZLE
Established in 2005, dubizzle is one of the most popular classifieds platforms to buy or sell anything in the UAE. You can find cars, properties, jobs, furniture, home appliances, and much more at dubizzle.
Aside from their website, dubizzle’s car blog is pretty useful for those who want to get the latest information about the field of automation in the country.
- Founder(s): J.C. Butler, Sim Whatley
- Year Founded: 2005
ENGLEASE
Founded in 2019, Englease is a Dubai-based startup in the UAE that offers online English learning classes for students.
- Founder(s): Omar Chihane
- Year Founded: 2019
ENERWHERE
Enerwhere is another one of the popular startups in the UAE that offers solar hybrid systems and microgrids.
- Founder(s): Daniel Zywietz, David Philipp
- Year Founded: 2012
ENHANCE FITNESS
Enhance Fitness is a company with the objective to add greater flexibility to the fitness industry in the UAE. The company offers people access to on-demand training anywhere, anytime!
- Founder(s): Tarek Mounir
- Year Founded: 2018
FINYAL MEDIA
Finyal Media is a Dubai-based podcasting network that curates immersive and interesting content for young Arabs living across the MENA region.
- Founder(s): Leila Hamadeh, Majid Al Qassimi, Mishari Alonaizy
- Year Founded: 2019
GRUBTECH
GrubTech is a Dubai startup that offers management solutions for cloud kitchens. Their purpose-built platform comes with a food aggregator, POS and other integrations that help streamline the delivery of online orders.
- Founder(s): Mohamed Al Fayed, Mohamed Hamedi, Omar Rifai
- Year Founded: 2019
GETBEE
Getbee is a tech startup that provides live video software, allowing companies to have one-on-one interactions with clients.
- Founder(s): Thea C. Myhrvold
- Year Founded: 2017
GEEKS
Established in 2014, Geeks is a platform that offers tech repair and IT support services in the UAE.
- Founder(s): Mousa Yassin, Fathi Al Sharif, Ala Majaj
- Year Founded: 2014
HALA
Hala is a UAE-based startup that offers an affordable and progressive taxi service in Dubai. You can download their app to get around the city. Hala taxis are also available via Careem.
- Founder(s): Karim Davis Dib, Walid Daniel Dib, Harsh Ajmera
- Year Founded: 2018
HYPERSPACE
HyperSpace is a relatively newer startup that aims to take entertainment to the future. It builds hyper-realistic, digital parks featuring “experience zones” where visitors can discover fantastical backgrounds and mint their own NFTs without the hassle of understanding the blockchain.
- Founder(s): Desi Gonzalez
- Year Founded: 2020
INSYDO
Insydo is a startup which was established in 2014 to share lifestyle content about the UAE. Through their platform, you can learn about experiences, places, attractions and events in Dubai and beyond.
- Founder(s): Tanaz Dizadji
- Year Founded: 2015
INSTASHOP
InstaShop started as an on-demand, online grocery app in Dubai but now it has expanded its range of services. Besides regular groceries, you can buy pet supplies, medicines and meats from InstaShop.
- Founder(s): John Tsioris, Ioanna Angelidaki
- Year Founded: 2015
MELLTOO
Melltoo is an online platform where users can buy and sell their second-hand items.
- Founder(s): Morrad Irsane, Sharene Lee
- Year Founded: 2014
KOALA PICKS
Koala Picks is a company founded to offer healthy, dairy and gluten-free snacks for children.
- Founder(s): Ahmed Mobasher, Aya Assaf, Omnia Abdelhalim
- Year Founded: 2019
KEEPFACE
Keepface is a Dubai-based startup in the UAE that deals in influencer marketing. It connects brands with influencers.
- Founder(s): Elsad Yusifli, Emin Vali, Vagif Abbasov
- Year Founded: 2016
LOADME
Loadme is an online marketplace for on-demand truck transportation in Dubai/UAE.
- Founder(s): Sebastian Stefan, Sebastian Morar, Claudia Pacurar
- Year Founded: 2014
LAIMOON
Founded in 2011, Laimoon is one of the best job sites in the UAE.
- Founder(s): Ihsan and Zaid Jawad, Abed Bibi, Husain Makiya
- Year Founded: 2011
MERIT INCENTIVES
Merit Incentives is a tool for brands to engage with their employees remotely and reward them for their efforts.
- Founder(s): Julie Leblan
- Year Founded: 2016
MENA COMMERCE
MENA Commerce is a big data startup in Dubai which focuses on retail intelligence.
- Founder(s): Moustafa Mahmoud, Ahmed Hassan
- Year Founded: 2013
MUMZWORLD
MumzWorld is a popular online retailer of kids’ merchandise in Dubai. The company has a stock of over 120,000 products from onesies to regular items by leading brands. You can also consider this store to buy school supplies online in Dubai.
- Founder(s): Mona Ataya, Leena Khalil
- Year Founded: 2011
MYBOX
MyBox is a popular on-demand household service that offers laundry, shoe repair, tailoring and dry cleaning service.
- Founder(s): Bader Al Kalooti, Fahad Al Kalooti
- Year Founded: 2013
MOVESOUQ.COM
As the name suggests, MoveSouq.com is a moving and packing company in the UAE.
- Founder(s): Bana Shomali, Wim Torfs
- Year Founded: 2013
NOON
Noon is a homegrown e-commerce platform to buy the latest fashion, electronics, beauty, home and baby products in the UAE. This is one of the largest shopping sites in the UAE.
- Founder(s): Mohamed Alabbar
- Year Founded: 2016
ODIGGO
Odiggo is an auto-tech startup that takes the hassle out of car maintenance and repair. They offer “on-demand car services” in Dubai.
- Founder(s): Ahmed Nasser, Ahmed Omar
- Year Founded: 2019
OFFICEROCK.COM
OfficeRock.com is an online retailer to buy office and school supplies, furniture and household products.
- Founder(s): Christopher Queitsch, Rami Al Saleh
- Year Founded: 2011
OPONTIA
Dubbed the “next-generation e-commerce group”, Opontia offers support for entrepreneurs in scaling up their businesses.
- Founder(s): Manfred Meyer, Philip Johnston
- Year Founded: 2021
OGRAM
Ogram is a staffing marketplace. They have an app that allows you to search for and work part-time jobs.
- Founder(s): Karim Kouatly, Shafiq Khartabil
- Year Founded: 2016
PURE BORN
PureBorn is a startup responsible for creating baby care products. PureBorn offers hypoallergenic, sustainable and ultra-soft nappies and wipes.
- Founder(s): Hannah Curran
- Year Founded: 2016
RESERVEOUT
ReserveOut is an online marketplace to help diners reserve a table in restaurants and find dining deals and promotions.
- Founder(s): Khalil Shadid
- Year Founded: 2011
RASEED
Raseed is a UAE-based Fintech startup that enables people to level their earnings by investing in the US stock market in a simpler way.
- Founder(s): Abdel Sallam Qatshan
- Year Founded: 2020
REMOTEPASS
RemotePass is an Abu Dhabi-based startup in the UAE that enables businesses to hire, manage and pay their global teams.
- Founder(s): Karim Nadi, Kamal Reggad
- Year Founded: 2020
SELLANYCAR.COM
Sellanycar.com is an online dealer for used cars. The company auctions off cars to traders, wholesalers and part dealers and takes around a 5% to 7% cut upon every sale.
- Founder(s): Saygin Yalcin
- Year Founded: 2013
SOUQALMAL.COM
Souqalmal.com is a startup in the UAE that allows customers to compare financial products like loans, credit cards and insurance from banks or financial companies.
- Founder(s): Ambareen Musa
- Year Founded: 2012
SHORTPOINT
ShortPoint is a SAAS (software as a service) web design platform that can be integrated with the existing CMS (Content Management System) for added features and functionality.
- Founder(s): Sami Al Sayyed, Anas Nakawa, Serhiy Shekhovtsov, Ala Albatayneh
- Year Founded: 2015
THE LUXURY CLOSET
The Luxury Closet is a startup company created to sell pre-owned designer labels in the UAE. They have an online website as well as a brick-and-mortar store.
- Founder(s): Kunal Kapoor
- Year Founded: 2011
THE LIST
The List Dubai is an e-commerce store for luxury fashion. The platform connects retailers and customers, ensuring an easy, hassle-free selling and purchasing of goods.
- Founder(s): Andreas Skorski
- Year Founded: 2016
TASKSPOTTING
TaskSpotting is a tech startup that allows people to earn cash by reviewing shops, products and services.
- Founder(s): Karim Aly, Dirk Stevens
- Year Founded: 2014
URBANBUZ
This is an AI-powered user data experience platform which allows B2C businesses to offer personalised services for customers.
- Founder(s): Mustafa Sadek, Salam Saadeh
- Year Founded: 2013
VORTEX BIOTECH
Vortex Biotech offers economical, patented and high-tech solutions to disinfect air and surfaces.
- Founder(s): Mattia Nuti
- Year Founded: 2021
VOTEK
Votek is a startup company that specialises in Arabic voice recognition technology.
- Founder(s): Lojain Jibawi, Sawsan Saeed
- Year Founded: 2014
YOUGOTAGIFT.COM
Yougotagift.com is a popular startup in the UAE that deals in electronic greeting cards and gifts.
- Founder(s): Husain Makiya, Abed Bibi
- Year Founded: 2013
YZ BUYER
YZ Buyer is an online shopping site in the UAE that offers a diverse range of products, ranging from clothing to footwear.
- Founder(s): Ralitza Ivanova, Vineet Chadha
- Year Founded: 2017
YALLA COMPARE
Formerly known as Compareit4me, Yalla Compare is a Dubai-based financial comparison website. This allows customers to find the best rates on loans, credit cards, insurance and mortgages from a variety of financial institutions and banks.
- Founder(s): Jon Richards, Samer Chehab
- Year Founded: 2011
99STARZ
99Starz is a UAE startup targeted towards gamers who want to play and earn off blockchain video games.
- Founder(s): Luca Lamberti
- Year Founded: 2021
FAQs ABOUT TOP STARTUPS IN THE UAE & MORE
WHICH INDUSTRIES SHOULD I CHOOSE TO BUILD A STARTUP IN THE UAE?
You can consider setting up a business in the construction, e-commerce, tourism, real estate and healthcare sectors as these industries are rapidly growing in the UAE.
IS DUBAI GOOD FOR STARTUPS?
Definitely! Dubai is the business hub of the MENA region. It offers amazing opportunities for those starting out on their entrepreneurial journey:
- Dubai has a unique startup ecosystem in the form of Area 2071. Supervised by Dubai Future Foundation, Area 2071 helps talents from all across the world to start and expand their business operations in the UAE. Members of this group get easy access to a compendium of entrepreneurs, investors and strategic partners. Area 2071 also charges a “subsidised” licencing fee from startups. The fee is up to AED 1,000 for an annual commercial licence.
- That being said, Dubai also offers a long-term business visa for foreigners to set up their entrepreneurial ventures in the city.
HOW CAN I OBTAIN FUNDING FOR MY STARTUP IN DUBAI?
Wondering, how to start a startup in Dubai with funding? You can select from various financing options, such as:
- Opt for local funding
- Sign up for outreach programmes
- Get in touch with venture capitalists
- Consult institutional investors
- Search for business incubators
- Capital from angel investors
That brings an end to our guide on the list of the top startups in the UAE. If you’re planning to start a business, you should conduct thorough market research to turn your idea into the next success story!
If you get stuck somewhere along the way, check out our guide on starting a business in Dubai. Planning to launch a business through social media? Make sure to apply for an e-trader licence in Dubai.
