• CEPA Council shortlists 20 top Indian start-ups from over 10,000 applicants
• Five winners to receive UAE expansion support, mentorship, and setup assistance
• Initiative strengthens India-UAE innovation and investment ties

The UAE-India CEPA Council has unveiled the Top 20 start-ups from its flagship initiative,  the UAE–India Start-Up Series, launched to connect India’s growing entrepreneurial ecosystem with the UAE’s innovation and investment hubs.

The programme, which attracted more than 10,000 applications nationwide since its launch in June, is now India’s largest cross-border start-up initiative. Led by Ahmed Aljneibi, Director of the UAE–India CEPA Council, the programme partners with 14 Indian universities, incubators, and industry bodies to promote collaboration between Indian founders and UAE investors.

Supported by leading corporates such as Emirates NBD, DP World, FAB, RAKEZ, and Bisleri, the initiative aims to help Indian start-ups expand globally, with the UAE serving as a launchpad for international growth. The final pitch event will take place on November 25 in New Delhi, where five winners will be selected to receive tailored support, including mentorship, trade licences, incubation, and regulatory guidance for their UAE market entry.

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The shortlisted start-ups represent cutting-edge innovation across agriculture, fintech, robotics, clean energy, and space tech, including ventures like 4CLIMATE, Data Sutram, and GOAT Robotics. The Council also plans to release an Investment Dossier featuring the Top 100 start-ups from the series to attract UAE investors and stakeholders.

Highlighting India’s innovation strength, Aljneibi said the programme “builds bridges between India’s ingenuity and the UAE’s global opportunities”, reinforcing the CEPA’s vision of deeper trade, innovation, and entrepreneurship ties.