Blitz Bureau
THE inaugural Founders’ Retreat, hosted by the United Arab Emirates from December 6-8, brought together more than 60 of India’s most prominent start-up founders, key UAE business leaders, investors, and policymakers to discuss new directions and opportunities in the bilateral investment partnership.
Co-organised by the UAE Embassy in Delhi, Offline, and the UAE-India CEPA Council, the event marked a significant milestone in the UAE-India partnership, showcasing the two countries’ shared commitment to fostering innovation and economic growth.
One of the primary outcomes of the Retreat was the establishment of new investment partnerships between Indian start-ups and UAE investors. These partnerships are expected to inject significant funding into India’s start-up sector, particularly in emerging fields like fintech, AI, and digital transformation. The face-to-face discussions provided a platform for Indian entrepreneurs to connect directly with key UAE investors, paving the way for future financial collaborations.
With participating retreat ventures averaging a valuation of $3.5 billion, alongside representation from founders of 13 Indian unicorn start-ups and five publicly listed companies, this firstof-its-kind platform facilitated transformative collaborations and highlighted the mutual benefits of closer investment ties between the two nations. The Retreat emphasised how the UAE complements India’s start-up success story. Estimates suggest that UAE investors have injected close to $20 billion worth of capital into the Indian economy since 2000, significantly benefiting the Indian start-up sector.
Initiatives such as the UAE-India Startup Bridge, established under the UAEIndia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), have only further strengthened this collaboration. Commenting on the occasion, Abdulnasser Alshaali, UAE Ambassador to India, said, “The Founders’ Retreat is not just a celebration of entrepreneurial excellence but a commitment to deeper collaboration. It reflects our shared vision of fostering innovation, investment, and growth that transcends borders. Uniting UAE and Indian leaders under one roof not only enables business opportunities but also creates a blueprint for global entrepreneurial success.”
