Abu Dhabi’s Angel Rising Symposium Urges Rapid Scale-Up in ClimateTech Investment

The latest edition of the Angel Rising Investor Symposium wrapped up in Abu Dhabi with a clear message: if the Global South is going to weather the climate crisis, investment in ClimateTech needs to scale far faster than it currently is. The gathering, hosted by startAD and VentureSouq at Abu Dhabi Global Market, brought together more than 150 investors, policymakers and innovators — a mix that, from what I’ve seen over the years at Arageek, usually means the conversations are lively and the ambitions even bigger.

Now in its ninth year, the event has become something of a fixture for anyone tracking early‑stage tech investment in the region. This time the focus was on climate resilience, a topic that feels especially urgent across MENA. One speaker after another underscored that urgency, starting with H.E. Shaikha Mohamed Al Mazrouei from the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi. She emphasised how adaptation is not just an environmental issue but also a social and economic one, pointing to the emirate’s Climate Change Adaptation Plan that stretches all the way to 2050. Yet, as she put it, the region still receives only a “very small” slice of global climate-tech funding. Most of that goes into mitigation, leaving adaptation solutions scrambling for capital. I reckon she’s spot on — without investment, even the smartest ideas struggle to get off the ground.

There was no shortage of heavyweight voices in the room: policymakers, corporate leaders from TAQA Group and Hub71, ClimateTech founders, and even experts in areas like marine biodiversity and AI-driven energy optimisation. Listening to the range of perspectives, I was reminded of a startup roundtable I once joined, where someone joked that getting climate investment right can feel like “trying to herd cats.” That said, the mood at Angel Rising felt more coordinated than chaotic, as if the region is finally pushing past the talking stage.

Nihal Shaikh from startAD highlighted a stark projection — communities in the Global South could face GDP losses of up to 64 percent by the century’s end if climate impacts continue unchecked. She noted that Angel Rising has spent a decade trying to demystify ClimateTech investment and steer more capital into early-stage solutions. On the flip side, Sonia Weymuller of VentureSouq pointed out that progress depends just as much on policy as it does on venture capital, saying the event showed how collaborative thinking is gaining ground in the region.

The sessions dug into the nitty-gritty: technologies for water and energy resilience, blended finance to de-risk early-stage ventures, policy frameworks for climate adaptation, and how AI is shaping everything from carbon accounting to predictive modelling. I’m not a fan of jargon-heavy climate panels, but these discussions felt more practical than preachy, even tackling thorny issues like early-stage capital gaps — always a bit of a faff for founders.

After the formal programme, investors and entrepreneurs mingled in the way they do at these events, tossing around ideas for co-investments and pilot projects that could be tested across MENA. If even half of those conversations lead to something tangible, the impact could be meaningful.

Since it began in 2015, Angel Rising has brought together more than 900 investors and speakers from organisations like the Gates Foundation and J.P. Morgan. The symposium now sits at the intersection of investor education and ClimateTech acceleration, bolstered by initiatives such as the Conscious Investor Fellowship. And believe it or not, its influence stretches far beyond those conference rooms in Abu Dhabi, especially now as global attention shifts towards COP30.

With the UAE’s growing appetite for climate innovation, the momentum around Angel Rising feels timely — almost as if the region is stepping into a clearer leadership role. One attendee put it simply during a coffee break: “If we don’t lead, who will?” A bit dramatic, maybe, but definately reflective of the energy on the ground.

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