EGA’s Ramp-Up Accelerates UAE’s Startup Scene with Innovative Triumphs

Editorial Team

Last updated 16-11-2025

3 min

Emirates Global Aluminium’s Ramp-Up programme concludes, celebrating HyveGeo, The AM Lab, and Magmec.

Launched in 2022, the initiative provides founders with mentorship rather than just quick boosts.

Senior officials view entrepreneurship as a key pillar for the UAE's future economy.

Finalists received mentorship from EGA executives and industry experts on strategy and sustainability.

The Ramp-Up initiative is strengthening the UAE's entrepreneurial landscape through innovation and mentorship.

Emirates Global Aluminium has wrapped up the latest season of its Ramp-Up programme, with HyveGeo, The AM Lab, and Magmec taking home top honours. The initiative, launched back in 2022 with support from the UAE Ministry of Economy and Tourism, keeps gathering momentum as a platform for early-stage founders who want more than just a quick boost — they’re looking for real guidance from people who’ve been around the block.

I’ve met plenty of founders through Arageek who say programmes like this help them cut through the noise. Some tell me the early weeks can feel like a bit of a faff, but once they find their rhythm, the mentorship becomes spot on. That said, this season drew hundreds of applications across everything from digital innovation to logistics, sustainability, human capital and safety, which shows how broad the UAE’s startup scene has become.

Senior officials made it clear they see entrepreneurship as a pillar of the country’s future economy. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, the Minister of Economy and Tourism, spoke about the UAE’s focus on innovation and how partnerships like Ramp-Up strengthen the wider ecosystem. And believe it or not, this isn’t just talk; EGA is openly hoping some of these startups will eventually become part of its supply chain — a smart move, I reckon, if they want to anchor more value locally.

The season ended with a pitch day attended by H.E. Dr Abdulrahman Hassan Al Muaini and EGA CEO Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, who highlighted the company’s commitment to home-grown innovation. He also congratulated the winners, noting the long-term goal of boosting local procurement.

Out of a highly competitive pool, ten finalists were shortlisted: EquaTalent, Huntr, HyveGeo Limited, Magmec, Mindme, Navatech, Re-skill, syd Life AI, The AM Lab, and Third Body Dynamics. They each received personalised mentorship from EGA executives along with experts from Microsoft and Sandooq Al Watan, with guidance on funding, strategy, and sustainability — the sort of hands-on advice that can make or break an early-stage business.

Medea Nocentini, co-founder of C3, spoke about the organisation’s ongoing partnership with EGA and how each season brings founders who turn challenges into opportunities. From what I’ve seen in the region, that’s exactly the energy many startups need, even if progress can feel painfully slow sometimes… well, I mean, that’s part of the game.

With C3 helping deliver the programme and EGA pushing hard on innovation, the Ramp-Up initiative continues to shape a more resilient entrepreneurial landscape in the UAE. And for the startups who made it through this season, the real work starts now — which is, frankly, where things get really interesting, or definately messy, depending on the day.

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