UAE Startup Opportunities Beyond AI: Experts Highlight Food Security, Manufacturing, Logistics and Compliance Growth Sectors

Entrepreneurs targeting the UAE market should look beyond artificial intelligence, with panellists at the RESET & RISE – The Road Ahead for Business event in Dubai pointing to food security, manufacturing, logistics and compliance as immediate growth opportunities. Business leaders highlighted the country’s streamlined setup processes and access to regional markets as drivers that are creating openings in data centres, e‑commerce, local manufacturing, indoor farming and supply chain services.

"I think AI is a huge opportunity at the moment," said George Hojeige, Group CEO of Virtuzone, underscoring that while AI dominates the conversation, other sectors are drawing significant investor and founder attention.

Hojeige identified several specific verticals where demand is rising: "We see a lot of demand for food security, manufacturing, supply chain, transport and logistics," he said. His remarks reflected a broader panel view that recent geopolitical disruptions have exposed vulnerabilities and created new commercial needs along regional supply chains.

Sectoral priorities and concrete opportunities

• AI and data-driven services: Hojeige flagged data centres, e‑commerce and AI‑driven businesses as attracting growing interest from founders and investors looking to integrate automation and analytics across operations.
• Food security and agritech: Zubair Ul Islam, Director of Sales at Ajman Free Zone Authority, described agriculture and food production as "an underserved territory" in the UAE. He pointed to rising investment in indoor farming and locally grown produce, adding: "If I had Dh10 million to spend right now, I'd let everyone go towards AI and go towards food security."
• Manufacturing and regional sourcing: Islam said the UAE can attract more international manufacturing investment, particularly from India and China, and urged attention to tier‑two and tier‑three manufacturing hubs that already export but need support to access the UAE market.
• Logistics and transport: Panel comments linked transport and logistics with pressing supply‑chain resilience needs, suggesting startups that address warehousing, last‑mile delivery and trade facilitation may find demand.
• Compliance, tax and accounting services: Huzefa Vorajee, Founder and CEO of Evolve Accounting Group, warned that compliance has moved to the frontline of business operations after the introduction of VAT and corporate tax. "It's no longer something that you can prove as a back office function. It's something that's front and centre of your business," he said.

Speakers also stressed the practical steps founders often overlook. Hojeige cautioned that a trade licence alone is not enough: companies must manage accounting, VAT registration, payroll, HR and insurance, and he advised outsourcing these tasks so entrepreneurs can focus on growth. Sharjeel Akhtar, General Manager at A&A Associates, urged planning beyond company formation, recommending succession planning, corporate structuring and asset protection be considered from the start.

On inclusion and investment appeal, Sanaa Ouahmane, business leader and author, said women entrepreneurs are entering markets with confidence. "Women are no more asking for a seat at the table; they are building the table," she said, adding that investors back founders as much as ideas and that resilience and credibility are key.

Outlook: The panel signalled that while AI will remain a headline opportunity, pragmatic, asset‑heavy and compliance‑oriented sectors such as food security, manufacturing, logistics and professional services are where near‑term startup activity and investor appetite are likely to concentrate in the UAE. Free zones — noted for speed, flexibility and sector focus — are expected to remain primary hubs for these emerging ventures.