Dubai Founders HQ: These are the perks startups can access after signing up

Dubai: Dubai’s founder community has gained a new operating base that removes many of the logistical frictions associated with early-stage company building.

The Dubai Founders HQ, a flagship initiative that aims to consolidate and strengthen Dubai’s startup and small and medium enterprise (SME) ecosystem, opened its doors in October and has quickly become the intake point for founders who want workspace, introductions and real pilot opportunities without committing to long leasing cycles.

“We're thrilled to have something like the Dubai founders HQ be in Dubai mainly because it serves as an instrumental and foundational part in Dubai's D 33 agenda,” said Saeed Al Gergawi, Vice President of the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy. “Having them under one roof provides the support needed that startups and founders need in Dubai to scale global markets from here.”

What founders actually receive day to day

1. Workspace without long-term leases

Founders who do not yet have offices are using the 20,000 sq ft campus as their default workspace. The co-working areas include open collaboration zones, private desks, high-tech meeting rooms and pilot designed office spaces. The space can support around 350 people on campus at full capacity. Right now, 70 to 80 startups visit daily, bringing their teams for focused execution.

2. Meeting rooms booked digitally

Once vetted, onboarded founders can book fully enabled meeting rooms online, making the intake-to-use cycle fast and structured. Companies collect their access cards at reception, enabling them to start using the full facility immediately.

3. A community that delivers more than desks

The hub was intentionally designed with curated artwork from Emirati and international artists, aligning itself psychologically with founder mindsets that struggle with isolation. It is used equally for business conversations and founder-to-founder support exchanges.

The perks

1. Corporate-backed pilots and POCs

The hub facilitates live pilot commitments through corporate anchors including DHL, Talabat and Visa.

Al Gergawi stated clearly that the anchors are not only providing mentorship but “committing pilots and proof-of-concept collaborations that allow founders a path to scale post graduation.”

A live example was seen yesterday at an Open Finance pitch event with the CBD where 60 attendees gathered and five startups pitched futures and prospective pilot partnerships.

2. 3-year unicorn blueprints via Endeavor

Alongside Endeavor, founders HQ has identified 20 to 30 high-growth potential startups. These companies now receive a structured three-year blueprint programme that includes tailored investor access, international scaling guidance, funding introductions and expansion roadmaps.

3. Strategic network leverage

Founders do not give up equity or pay fees today. They gain introductions to corporate champions, VC players, innovators, universities, banks and financial enablers in a streamlined transition model.

“We take referrals from partners VCs universities and accelerators and support budding entrepreneurs with foundational resources,” said Ahmad Alroom Acting CEO of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Establishment for Small and Medium Enterprises Development.

4. 25% F&B from 25hours Hotel

Companies meeting investors or corporate partners on campus receive a 25% discount on F&B at the 25hours Hotel facility, lowering the cost of external stakeholder engagement. Instead of pushing for new leases, founders HQ is currently prioritising programme quality and community support before expanding footprint.

5. Free valet parking

Given Dubai’s congestion economics, free valet parking for founders and their teams saves both time and city overhead costs on high-frequency visits.

Founder testimony validating campus impact

A co-founder from Prop AI, Raneem noted that the campus has already changed operational capacity for companies like hers.

“We absolutely love it. We come here for business but also for moral support because being a founder is not the easiest thing,” she said. “We have met a lot of our clients here and working with the Endeavor program from this space has accelerated growth toward what we aim to become.”

Another founder, Natalie Dobrynina of MIFTA.ai, said “Dubai founders HQ fit our criteria at the exact time we were looking for space and we love the community we work out of daily.”

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai, launched Dubai Founders HQ.

A joint initiative by the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) and the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, Dubai Founders HQ is the first-of-its-kind ‘phygital’ platform, combining a dynamic physical campus with a comprehensive digital ecosystem. The initiative brings together founders, investors, corporates and enablers under one roof to foster collaboration, innovation and business growth.

More than 25 leading public and private sector partners, spanning venture capital, financial services, government entities, telecommunications, and innovation hubs, have already joined the platform, reinforcing its role as a central platform within Dubai’s innovation ecosystem.