Digital commerce startups can apply for this new Dubai growth programme

Founders will gain mentorship, pilot opportunities and access to potential investors

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Global Call for Application to be launched on 10 August 2026 to identify high-potential startups for the inaugural incubation cohort
Global Call for Application to be launched on 10 August 2026 to identify high-potential startups for the inaugural incubation cohort
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Dubai: Digital commerce founders seeking to enter or expand in Dubai will be able to apply for a new incubation programme offering mentorship, corporate pilot opportunities and access to potential investors.

Dubai CommerCity has partnered with NQuBator to launch the programme, with applications for its first cohort opening globally on August 10.

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Selected startups will join a structured incubation programme beginning in October 2026, where they will receive support to refine their business models, test their solutions and prepare for expansion.

What selected startups will receive

The programme will provide tailored mentorship, expert advice, capability-building support and access to industry networks.

Dubai CommerCity will also help participating startups explore pilot projects with corporate partners and connect with investors and strategic partners through demo days and engagement events.

Eligible companies will receive support with business setup, regulatory guidance and market entry through Dubai CommerCity’s wider ecosystem.

Applications open to founders worldwide

Entrepreneurs and emerging startups from around the world can apply for the inaugural cohort, which will focus on opportunities and challenges across the digital commerce sector.

Promising applicants will be chosen for the October intake, with the programme designed to help founders turn early-stage concepts into commercially viable businesses.

Dubai CommerCity is a free zone dedicated to digital commerce and operates as a joint venture between the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority and Wasl Properties.

Nivetha Dayanand is Assistant Business Editor at Gulf News, where she spends her days unpacking money, markets, aviation, and the big shifts shaping life in the Gulf. Before returning to Gulf News, she launched Finance Middle East, complete with a podcast and video series. Her reporting has taken her from breaking spot news to long-form features and high-profile interviews. Nivetha has interviewed Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed Al Saud, Indian ministers Hardeep Singh Puri and N. Chandrababu Naidu, IMF’s Jihad Azour, and a long list of CEOs, regulators, and founders who are reshaping the region’s economy. An Erasmus Mundus journalism alum, Nivetha has shared classrooms and newsrooms with journalists from more than 40 countries, which probably explains her weakness for data, context, and a good follow-up question. When she is away from her keyboard (AFK), you are most likely to find her at the gym with an Eminem playlist, bingeing One Piece, or exploring games on her PS5.

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