UAE’s MBRIF spotlights 20 startups in latest accelerator pitch day

Abdelrahman Amr

Last updated 14-06-2026

3 min

MBRIF gathered 20 startups for its 11th Innovation Accelerator pitch day.

Bellboy won best pitch; Pharmedic best local UAE company; Palmear most impactful business.

The programme backs startups across sustainability, health, education, water, robotics and technology.

It offers mentorship, strategic guidance and partner access, not just applause and prize photos.

For winners and others, pitch day brought exposure, feedback and a timely boost.

The Mohammed bin Rashid Innovation Fund, the UAE Ministry of Finance initiative better known as MBRIF, has brought together 20 startups for the pitch day of the 11th cohort of its Innovation Accelerator programme, in another sign that the country is still putting real weight behind early-stage innovation.

At the event, founders stepped up to present their ideas to a judging panel, with three companies coming out on top. Bellboy took the award for best pitch, Pharmedic was named best local UAE company, and Palmear won for most impactful business. Short and simple on paper, yes — but anyone who has spent time around startup rooms knows these moments can be make-or-break, or at least the kind that open the right doors later on.

The accelerator is designed to back high-potential startups working across a wide spread of sectors, including sustainability, health, education, water, robotics and technology. That breadth matters. It shows the programme is not chasing only the usual buzzwords, but trying to cast the net a bit wider. Frankly, that feels like the right call in a region where the next breakthrough may just as easily come from water resilience as from software.

Beyond the pitch stage, MBRIF’s programme offers mentorship, strategic guidance and access to a broader network of partners. In startup terms, that kind of support can be worth its weight in gold. A founder may have a sharp product, but without the right advice or introductions, even the best idea can sit on the shelf gathering dust.

I’ve seen, over the years, how founders across MENA often need more than applause and prize photos. They need practical backing, honest feedback, and someone to help connect the dots. That is why programmes like this tend to stand out, even if the road ahead is never smooth. Building a company is rarely a walk in the park, and no one really gets a free ride.

For the three winners — Bellboy, Pharmedic and Palmear — the recognition gives them a timely boost. For the rest of the cohort, the pitch day was still a chance to get in front of decision-makers, sharpen their story and test how their business lands in a competitive room. In this space, that experiance alone can carry real value.

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