UAE Launches National Accelerator to Build Homegrown Cybersecurity Startups

The UAE has launched a national accelerator program aimed at producing a new generation of homegrown cybersecurity companies capable of building solutions for local and international markets. The initiative is led by the Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development (KFED) in partnership with the UAE Government Cybersecurity Council and was unveiled at an MZN Hub Al Ain event attended by Dr. Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, Head of Cyber Security for the UAE Government, and KFED CEO Mouza Obaid Al Nasri. The program was developed with CyberE71, the country’s flagship cybersecurity startup incubator, and forms part of the UAE Cybersecurity Technology Innovation Bureau’s (CTIB) long-term plan to foster more than 500 cybersecurity startups in the coming years.

“Cybersecurity is no longer merely a technical sector; it has become a strategic driver of the digital economy and one of the fundamental pillars of the security and sustainability of societies,” said Dr. Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, framing the accelerator as central to national digital resilience.

Program design and support

The accelerator builds on an existing memorandum of understanding between KFED and the UAE Government Cybersecurity Council and is designed to attract, develop and support startups through a comprehensive framework. The initiative promises specialized mentorship, partnership-building opportunities, and access to experts, investors and key industry stakeholders. CyberE71 will contribute access to specialized knowledge, market opportunities and partnerships intended to make participating startups competitive on global stages.

• Lead organisations: Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development (KFED); UAE Government Cybersecurity Council; CyberE71
• Supporting industry partners mentioned in prior government-backed cohorts: Amazon Web Services (AWS), CrowdStrike, and e.
• Strategic aim: Contribute to CTIB’s objective of developing over 500 cybersecurity startups nationwide

KFED CEO Mouza Obaid Al Nasri said the initiative is expected to strengthen business capabilities and competitiveness, noting it will also support economic diversification by creating new opportunities for local entrepreneurs. The announcement follows the successful completion of a first government-supported cybersecurity accelerator cohort run by the UAE Cybersecurity Council with partners including AWS, CrowdStrike and telecommunications operator e., demonstrating a pipeline of industry engagement and private-sector collaboration.

Dr. Al Kuwaiti further described the accelerator as an experiment in coordinated national partnership: “We are working to build an integrated national ecosystem that not only protects the digital space but also empowers entrepreneurs and supports startups capable of developing innovative cybersecurity solutions that originate in the UAE and expand into global markets.”

Outlook

By linking funding and enterprise development through KFED with the technical and market-facing capabilities of CyberE71 and established industry players, the accelerator is intended to fast-track fledgling cybersecurity firms from prototype to market-ready product. The CTIB target of more than 500 startups sets an ambitious benchmark; success will depend on the program’s ability to sustain mentorship, secure investor interest and open market pathways both inside the UAE and abroad. For startups, the program offers structured access to sector specialists and partners such as AWS and CrowdStrike, which could accelerate commercialization and help position Emirati cybersecurity solutions on the international stage.