Dubai SME Launches Founders of Tomorrow to Build Direct Pathway from Universities to Scalable Emirati Businesses

The Mohammed Bin Rashid Establishment for Small and Medium Enterprises Development (Dubai SME), part of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, has launched Founders of Tomorrow, a national programme that connects Emirati university talent with operational challenges from government, semi‑government and corporate entities to accelerate the creation of market‑ready, scalable businesses. Developed in partnership with INJAZ UAE and launched at Dubai Founders HQ, the initiative embeds entrepreneurship within real institutional needs and creates a direct pipeline from academia to enterprise in alignment with the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33.

"The initiative strengthens Dubai’s position as a global hub for entrepreneurship and innovation by creating a practical pathway from education to enterprise and reinforcing sustained government support for Emirati entrepreneurs," said Ahmad Al Room Almheiri, Acting CEO of Dubai SME.

Programme structure and delivery

Founders of Tomorrow will bring Emirati students and early‑stage university startups together in multidisciplinary teams to tackle priority sector challenges. INJAZ UAE will deliver challenge‑based learning alongside structured mentoring and hands‑on guidance to help teams develop market‑ready solutions. "Founders of Tomorrow converts youth potential into tangible economic impact by equipping students to develop market‑ready solutions aligned with Dubai’s long‑term economic ambitions," said Razan Bashiti, Chief Executive Officer of INJAZ UAE.

The most promising concepts emerging from the programme are slated to enter the Dubai SME ecosystem, where they will receive incubation, funding facilitation, market access and support for government procurement. The model explicitly links educational outputs to commercial pathways, aiming to reduce friction between university innovation and scalable Emirati businesses.

Partners, priorities and targets

• Programme partners for the inaugural cohort include American Hospital Dubai, du, Dubai Air Navigation Services, Dubai Police and Emirates Flight Catering.
• Founders of Tomorrow marks the first phase of a long‑term strategic partnership between Dubai SME and INJAZ UAE.
• The initiative aligns with the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33, which seeks to double the emirate’s economy by 2033.
• Dubai SME’s wider targets, reinforced by the programme, include facilitating 27,000 new Emirati businesses and enabling 8,000 SMEs to grow by 2033.

Outlook

By embedding entrepreneurship within real operational needs from public and private institutions, Dubai SME and INJAZ UAE aim to accelerate the transition of student ideas into investible ventures. The early involvement of partners such as American Hospital Dubai and Emirates Flight Catering signals sectoral diversity in the challenge briefs, from healthcare and aviation services to telecommunications and public safety.

If Founders of Tomorrow successfully channels university talent into the Dubai SME pipeline, the programme could become a replicable model for producing Emirati founders who are positionable for incubation, procurement opportunities and funding facilitation — contributing directly to the D33 ambition and Dubai SME’s numerical targets for Emirati business creation and SME growth by 2033.