Falcons of Majlis: Redefining the startup ecosystem in the UAE

Falcons of Majlis, a UAE-based format conceptualised and produced by NKN Media, is positioning access — not valuation — as the central currency for startup growth in the Emirates. The series, which concentrates on startups solving UAE-specific challenges, follows a four-stage process that culminates in a “Ticket to Majlis”: a selective gateway into private investor rooms where family offices, private investors and strategic business leaders — the Falcons — engage in closed-door conversations focused on conviction and long-term alignment. The project is led at NKN Media by Abdul Majid Khan, Group CEO and MD, and will be hosted by Chitrangada Singh with broadcast across India Today Group channels, including India Today and Aaj Tak, and on a major OTT platform.

“In today’s startup ecosystem, there is a lot of focus on visibility, but very little on intent. Falcons of Majlis is about shifting that focus to asking whether a founder is truly ready to build something meaningful, not just raise capital,” said Suniel Shetty, who serves as a mentor and Majlis authority on the series.

How the Majlis format works

• Curated founder stories: selected founders present narratives about purpose and intent rather than headline valuations.
• Rigorous scrutiny: a council of VC analysts, legal experts and industry leaders evaluate credibility and readiness.
• Ticket to Majlis: a symbolic and strategic pass awarded to a few founders deemed ready for investor engagement.
• Closed-door Majlis: private meetings with the Falcons — no public pitches, no on-stage negotiations; focus on trust, conviction and partnership potential.

Shetty, known as an actor, entrepreneur, investor and mentor, underscores that his role is to assess readiness rather than broker deals. “The ‘Ticket to Majlis’ is not a reward, it’s a responsibility. It represents trust, and the belief that a founder deserves to be in rooms where real decisions are made,” he said. His track record includes investments in consumer brands such as Beardo and Fittr, reflecting a preference for hands-on brand-building and long-term growth.

Abdul Majid Khan framed the format as a response to a structural gap in how founders meet investors. “The UAE has capital and ambition, but there’s been a gap in giving founders structured access to the right investors,” Khan said. He noted NKN Media’s background — over 24 years of experience across global markets and partnerships built across more than 10 countries — as informing the platform’s combination of storytelling, distribution and investor matchmaking. “This is not just a funding platform, it’s where ideas meet mentorship and capital meets character,” he added. “In most formats you see a presentation, but in a Majlis, you understand the person.”

Context and outlook

Season one’s UAE-first mandate aims to align participating startups with local economic priorities, regulatory realities and sectoral needs. Outcomes from Majlis interactions are intentionally varied: some founders may secure immediate investments, others may form strategic partnerships, gain mentorship-led growth or receive deferred decisions. The format mirrors deal-making practices in the region — private, deliberative and relationship-driven — and seeks to formalise those dynamics into a repeatable ecosystem pathway.

With broadcast reach via India Today and Aaj Tak and streaming on a prominent OTT service, Falcons of Majlis combines media scale with curated investor access, positioning itself as an alternative route for founders who prioritise long-term alignment over short-term valuation gains.