The Dubai Founders HQ, a flagship initiative that aims to consolidate and strengthen Dubai’s startup and small and medium enterprise (SME) ecosystem, opened its doors in October and has quickly become the intake point for founders who want workspace, introductions and real pilot opportunities without committing to long leasing cycles.
“We’re thrilled to have something like the Dubai founders HQ be in Dubai mainly because it serves as an instrumental and foundational part in Dubai’s D 33 agenda,” said Saeed Al Gergawi, Vice President of the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy. “Having them under one roof provides the support needed that startups and founders need in Dubai to scale global markets from here.”
What founders actually receive day to day
1. Workspace without long-term leases
Founders who do not yet have offices are using the 20,000 sq ft campus as their default workspace. The co-working areas include open collaboration zones, private desks, high-tech meeting rooms and pilot designed office spaces. The space can support around 350 people on campus at full capacity. Right now, 70 to 80 startups visit daily, bringing their teams for focused execution.
2. Meeting rooms booked digitally
Once vetted, onboarded founders can book fully enabled meeting rooms online, making the intake-to-use cycle fast and structured. Companies collect their access cards at reception, enabling them to start using the full facility immediately.
3. A community that delivers more than desks
The hub was intentionally designed with curated artwork from Emirati and international artists, aligning itself psychologically with founder mindsets that struggle with isolation. It is used equally for business conversations and founder-to-founder support exchanges.
The perks
1. 25% F&B from 25hours Hotel
Companies meeting investors or corporate partners on campus receive a 25% discount on F&B at the 25hours Hotel facility, lowering the cost of external stakeholder engagement. Instead of pushing for new leases, founders HQ is currently prioritising programme quality and community support before expanding footprint.
2. Free valet parking
Given Dubai’s congestion economics, free valet parking for founders and their teams saves both time and city overhead costs on high-frequency visits.
3. Corporate-backed pilots and POCs
The hub facilitates live pilot commitments through corporate anchors including DHL, Talabat and Visa.
Al Gergawi stated clearly that the anchors are not only providing mentorship but “committing pilots and proof-of-concept collaborations that allow founders a path to scale post graduation.”
A live example was seen yesterday at an Open Finance pitch event with the CBD where 60 attendees gathered and five startups pitched futures and prospective pilot partnerships.
4. 3-year unicorn blueprints via Endeavor
Alongside Endeavor, founders HQ has identified 20 to 30 high-growth potential startups. These companies now receive a structured three-year blueprint programme that includes tailored investor access, international scaling guidance, funding introductions and expansion roadmaps.
5. Strategic network leverage
Founders do not give up equity or pay fees today. They gain introductions to corporate champions, VC players, innovators, universities, banks and financial enablers in a streamlined transition model.
“We take referrals from partners VCs universities and accelerators and support budding entrepreneurs with foundational resources,” said Ahmad Alroom Acting CEO of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Establishment for Small and Medium Enterprises Development.
Founder testimony validating campus impact
A co-founder from Prop AI, Raneem noted that the campus has already changed operational capacity for companies like hers.
“We absolutely love it. We come here for business but also for moral support because being a founder is not the easiest thing,” she said. “We have met a lot of our clients here and working with the Endeavor program from this space has accelerated growth toward what we aim to become.”