Future 100 Initiative Celebrates Third Cohort and Welcomes New Applicants
The Ministry of Economy and Tourism and Government Development and the Future Office have honoured 100 companies for their contributions to the new economy, whilst opening applications for the next edition of the prestigious programme.
The Future 100 initiative, a distinguished collaboration between the Ministry of Economy and Tourism and the Government Development and the Future Office, has unveiled the third cohort of 100 companies selected for their outstanding achievements and transformative contributions to new economy sectors. The ceremonial recognition took place during the Investopia Bridge 2026 event in Abu Dhabi, attended by Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism and Co-Chair of Investopia.
The initiative represents a comprehensive approach to nurturing entrepreneurial excellence, offering selected companies access to an integrated ecosystem of enablers, legislation, incentives and growth support programmes. Since its inception, the programme has attracted investments totalling $100 million through its extensive partner network, benefiting more than 53 companies whilst supporting their expansion into new markets and fostering transformative partnerships.
The third cycle welcomed 1,282 applications from a total of 3,395 submissions across all editions, demonstrating the remarkable and growing confidence entrepreneurs place in the initiative. The selection process evaluates candidates across four essential pillars: creative capability, market potential, business model sustainability and scalability, and environmental, social and governance impact.
The Future 100 landscape encompasses an extraordinarily diverse range of sectors, spanning space exploration, biotechnology, sustainability and environmental solutions, health technology, renewable energy, creative industries, agri technology, education technology, cybersecurity, advanced manufacturing, food technology, financial technology, smart mobility and proptech, alongside emerging technologies including artificial intelligence, blockchain, the metaverse and the Internet of Things.
The initiative has substantially expanded its partnership ecosystem to 42 collaborating organisations, including strategic and acceleration partners from government entities, innovation funds, technology companies, financial institutions, venture capital funds and business accelerators. Key partners encompass the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development, Emirates NBD, Mohammed bin Rashid Innovation Fund, Microsoft, Careem and the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence, among numerous others.
Newly signed memoranda of understanding with Nuwa Capital Ltd, Global Ventures and Carta extend the support infrastructure further, offering specialised services in valuation, compliance, ownership management and mentorship, whilst committing substantial investment capital to participating companies. These partnerships have proven instrumental in facilitating access to investors, venture funds and specialised expertise, opening doors to new markets and networks for listed enterprises.
Registration and nominations for the forthcoming edition opened in October 2026, inviting startups and entrepreneurial ventures operating within new economy sectors to apply. The initiative continues to advance the objectives of the We the UAE 2031 vision, consolidating the nation’s position as a preeminent global hub for new economy innovation and entrepreneurship throughout the coming decade.
Source: WAM