Tumar Innovation Hub, in partnership with DIFC and supported by Astana Hub and IT Park Uzbekistan, is opening new doors for Central Asian founders. This fall, the UAE will host the first-ever acceleration program tailored for startups from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, helping them localize, scale, and access opportunities across the MENA region.
The program will run from mid-September to mid-November 2025, and the application starts now.
Application is available at the link: https://tumarhub.com/acceleration1
Deadline: June 20
Deadline: June 20
This is the new initiative by Central Asian Innovation Hub to boost top startups from the region to the global market. The UAE is a key political and economic partner of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan in the Gulf region. Also, in recent years, Dubai has become a magnet for the best technology companies all over the world, and the launch of the Digital Startups Scale Up Program supports the goal to raise IT exports to 1bln USD in the upcoming years.
The acceleration program consists of a pre-selection and selection phase, a preparation phase, a program phase, Demo Day, and a post-program phase. To be considered for participation, startups have to meet the following requirements:
After the company registration process in the UAE, chosen startups will join an 8-week acceleration program prepared by the top market experts from DIFC Innovation Hub.
Key components of the program include:
The Demo Day at the end of November will host a final startup pitch where the best graduates of the program will be chosen. The top startups can receive investments and future support from the program’s partners. Also, all of the participants will get a free year of residency in Tumar Innovation Hub in the UAE.
In April, at Dubai AI Week, Astana Hub, IT Park Uzbekistan, DIFC Innovation Hub, and Al-Farabi Innovation Hub signed an MoU. Under this memorandum, Tumar Innovation Hub is launched in Dubai, starting its first acceleration program in the fall of 2025. The initiatives will provide startups from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan with access to the MENA market: access to capital, workspaces, and a mentor network. Tumar Innovation Hub is powered by Aslan Sultanov and White Hill Capital, a managing company for Tumar VC and two Innovation Hubs in MENA.
HE Essa Kazim, Governor of DIFC, and HE Madiyev Zhaslan, the Minister of Digital Development, Innovations and Aerospace Industry of the Republic of Kazakhstan, became witnesses of the ceremony.
The acceleration program consists of a pre-selection and selection phase, a preparation phase, a program phase, Demo Day, and a post-program phase. To be considered for participation, startups have to meet the following requirements:
- A mature startup with sustainable traction in the country of residence
- Preparedness to localize the company’s operations, team, and product for the UAE and MENA market
- A compelling pitch deck outlining the rationale and strategic fit for expansion into the UAE
- Availability of resources to relocate a founder or co-founder to the UAE for the full 8-week duration of the program
After the company registration process in the UAE, chosen startups will join an 8-week acceleration program prepared by the top market experts from DIFC Innovation Hub.
Key components of the program include:
- A series of curated mentoring and educational sessions
- Business development support, including introductions to potential clients, investors, and corporate partners
- Expert and regulatory guidance on market entry into the UAE
- Support in product localization and go-to-market strategy
- Access to the co-working space based on the DIFC Innovation Hub.
The Demo Day at the end of November will host a final startup pitch where the best graduates of the program will be chosen. The top startups can receive investments and future support from the program’s partners. Also, all of the participants will get a free year of residency in Tumar Innovation Hub in the UAE.
In April, at Dubai AI Week, Astana Hub, IT Park Uzbekistan, DIFC Innovation Hub, and Al-Farabi Innovation Hub signed an MoU. Under this memorandum, Tumar Innovation Hub is launched in Dubai, starting its first acceleration program in the fall of 2025. The initiatives will provide startups from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan with access to the MENA market: access to capital, workspaces, and a mentor network. Tumar Innovation Hub is powered by Aslan Sultanov and White Hill Capital, a managing company for Tumar VC and two Innovation Hubs in MENA.
HE Essa Kazim, Governor of DIFC, and HE Madiyev Zhaslan, the Minister of Digital Development, Innovations and Aerospace Industry of the Republic of Kazakhstan, became witnesses of the ceremony.