Startale Group Anchors in Abu Dhabi Following Selection for Hub71+ Digital Assets Program

Startale Group, a blockchain infrastructure firm, has announced it will anchor operations in Abu Dhabi’s Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) after being selected for Hub71’s 18th Hub71+ Digital Assets cohort. Selected from a pool of more than 2,400 applicants and one of 27 companies joining the cohort, Startale’s move follows a $63 million Series A round and positions the company to scale blockchain infrastructure and stablecoin projects across the Middle East in 2026. The Hub71 program — backed by Mubadala Investment Co. and the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development — is reported to have more than $2 billion of capital committed to Web3 and blockchain startups.

Direct quote

“Hub71 and Abu Dhabi Global Market provide the regulatory clarity and global reach we need to scale Startale’s ecosystem responsibly,” said Sota Watanabe, CEO of Startale Group. “Abu Dhabi is becoming a key hub for digital assets, and joining this cohort positions us to expand across Eastern and Western markets.”

Context and details

The Hub71+ Digital Assets program will formally anchor Startale within ADGM, a jurisdiction the company cited for providing “regulatory clarity” and institutional connections. Hub71’s specialist ecosystem links startups to regulators, institutional partners and capital providers, a network Startale aims to leverage as it deploys staff in Abu Dhabi.

• Funding and focus: Startale closed a $63 million Series A round that the firm says will accelerate blockchain and stablecoin infrastructure in regulated markets.
• Product slate: Startale is advancing several projects, including Soneium (developed with Sony Block Solutions Labs), Strium, and stablecoin initiatives JPYSC (in collaboration with SBI Group) and USDSC, as well as its consumer-facing Startale App.
• Program scale: The cohort intake is the 18th for Hub71, with Startale among 27 selected companies chosen from over 2,400 applicants for the specialist digital assets track.
• Support ecosystem: Hub71’s program is supported by Mubadala Investment Co. and the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development and ties participants to ADGM’s regulatory framework.

Hub71’s startup journey lead, Divya Claudia Nair, commented on Startale’s admission: “We are pleased to welcome Startale Group into Hub71’s Cohort 18. Their focus on digital asset infrastructure reflects the strength of our specialist ecosystems and the caliber of founders choosing Abu Dhabi as a launchpad for global growth.”

Outlook

Startale plans to deploy personnel in Abu Dhabi and work with regulators, investors and partners as it expands across the Middle East and beyond. The move comes amid broader regulatory activity in ADGM — including recent steps to add stablecoins like USDT to lists of accepted fiat-referenced tokens — underscoring the market infrastructure Startale aims to build on. With Hub71’s capital commitments and ADGM’s regulatory framework, Startale’s entry into Abu Dhabi is positioned to support the company’s roadmap for blockchain infrastructure, application development and stablecoin innovation in 2026.