Interview: Inside Abu Dhabi’s fast-track formula for deep-tech startups
marekkijevsky – stock.adobe.com
With its integrated model for research, innovation, and commercialisation, VentureOne’s CEO says the incubator is helping turn the UAE’s bold tech ambitions into globally competitive companies.
Abu Dhabi is accelerating its aim to become a global hub for deep technology, and at the centre of this effort is VentureOne, a government-backed venture builder turning cutting-edge research into market-ready startups.
In just 18 months, it has launched four deep-tech companies, a pace that underscores how the UAE’s coordinated approach to innovation is reshaping the journey from laboratory breakthroughs to commercial success.
That pace is no coincidence. VentureOne sits within the Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC), alongside Aspire, which identifies real-world challenges, and the Technology Innovation Institute (TII), which develops the technology to solve them. VentureOne then takes those breakthroughs and turns them into commercial ventures.
“Our pace comes from having a fully integrated innovation ecosystem under ATRC,” says Reda Nidhakou, CEO of VentureOne. “This pipeline minimises fragmentation and accelerates the journey from lab to market. Early internal funding gives each startup room to validate its technology and hire as needed, ensuring both speed and quality.”
The approach reflects a broader national ambition to make the UAE not only a consumer of global technology but also a creator of it. By linking research, innovation and commercialisation under one umbrella, Abu Dhabi has built a model designed to deliver homegrown, high-impact startups at scale.
Unlike traditional incubators, VentureOne doesn’t chase trends, it focuses on solving critical challenges. “We don’t choose sectors, we choose problems,” says Nidhakou. That has led to ventures in AI, autonomous robotics, post-quantum cyber security and climate technology – fields that often require heavy R&D and long-term vision but deliver transformational value once commercialised.
The process starts with Aspire, which collaborates with government entities, industry leaders and end-users to select problems worth solving. TII’s researchers then develop prototypes or proofs of concept, and VentureOne steps in to evaluate scalability, pilot with clients and design viable business models.
“This demand-led, data-driven model replaces speculation with validation,” Nidhakou says. “It dramatically increases our chances of delivering measurable, real-world impact.”
“Early internal funding gives each startup room to validate its technology and hire as needed, ensuring both speed and quality”
Reda Nidhakou, VentureOne
A major differentiator in Abu Dhabi’s model is talent. VentureOne has successfully attracted researchers and engineers from global tech giants such as Google, DeepMind, Meta, and Microsoft. According to Nidhakou, this is about more than competitive salaries or quality of life: “At ATRC, people get to build something valuable from start to finish. They work on high-impact challenges and see their innovations deployed. That sense of purpose is deeply motivating.”
Supporting this ecosystem is the UAE’s agile regulatory framework and unified innovation agenda. Government-backed funding reduces early-stage risk, while clear pathways to licensing and market entry make it easier for startups to grow.
“The government wants to export deep tech,” Nidhakou says. “They create an environment where technologies can be developed, validated and scaled rapidly.”
Of course, turning research into viable products is not without challenges. The toughest part, Nidhakou admits, is bridging the “last mile” between technical readiness and market deployment. Many prototypes fail because they aren’t designed for integration or compliance. VentureOne tackles this by embedding engineering and advisory teams alongside clients to co-develop scalable, market-ready solutions.
The results are already visible. Four startups have launched across multiple sectors, each addressing real-world problems with advanced technology and strategic market validation, and more are set to follow over the next year.
“We’re seeing great traction locally and internationally,” says Nidhakou. “VentureOne is helping position the UAE as a global hub for bold, high-impact deep-tech ventures. Our goal now is to keep the momentum and build a strong ecosystem of successful, homegrown companies.”
