The UAE-India CEPA Council (UICC), in partnership with the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in India, launched the UAE-India CEPA Start-up Series at a high-level event hosted on Tuesday.
The initiative delivers on a key commitment under the UAE-India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) to promote innovation-led collaboration and support the internationalisation of Indian start-ups.
The launch event also featured the signing of several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) between the UICC and prominent academic and entrepreneurial institutions, including PRIME Meghalaya under the Meghalaya Basin Management Agency (M.B.M.A.), IDEATE Lab @ O.P. Jindal Global University, and Jamia Hamdard.
In his address, UAE Ambassador to India Abdulnasser Alshaali said, "Start-ups are central to the UAE-India economic corridor. Through this Series, the UAE-India CEPA Council seeks to connect India's brightest entrepreneurial minds with the UAE's world-class ecosystem, supporting their scale-up journeys while enriching our bilateral innovation landscape,"
He outlined how the initiative will culminate in a high-profile pitch event in New Delhi, where five exceptional start-ups will be selected to receive an exclusive UAE soft-landing package--including incubation support, business licensing, tailored mentorship, and direct access to leading investors, innovation hubs, and free zone networks across the Emirates.
Since 2000, UAE-based investors have channelled an estimated $20 billion into the Indian economy, fueling innovation, accelerating growth, and cementing the UAE's position as a key strategic partner.
The launch comes amid a period of strong economic momentum between the UAE and India. In FY 2023-24, bilateral trade reached USD 83.64 billion, marking a nearly 15 per cent year-on-year increase since the CEPA came into effect. India's non-oil exports to the UAE surged by over 20 per cent, while UAE foreign direct investment (FDI) into India tripled, rising 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.
The event concluded with a presentation by Ahmed Aljneibi, Director of the UICC, who unveiled the bold vision and strategic framework of the Start-up Series.
Attendees witnessed the unveiling of the official Start-up Series microsite and the premiere of a promotional trailer calling for applications from high-potential Indian ventures.