Innovation

Some of our programs are open to the broader community — including our Build it Demo Day, Palmside Chat speaker series, AI Is My Co-founder workshops, and hackathons. Follow us on LinkedIn to stay tuned for upcoming opportunities.

Yes. The IEC Grant is exclusively available to MBZUAI-affiliated founders. Applications go through a review process including pre-screening and evaluation by a grant committee.

Founders in our community get access to structured programs, a grant to fund early-stage development, a mentor network of faculty and industry practitioners, and a year-round calendar of events and workshops.

The IEC primarily supports MBZUAI's community — faculty, researchers, engineers, and students — who want to build AI startups. Beyond our campus, we are also investing in the growth of UAE's broader AI startup ecosystem. We partner with investors, accelerators, and industry players across the region to create opportunities that benefit founders and the ecosystem as a whole.