DUBAI, 4th September, 2026 (WAM) — DIFC Innovation Hub has partnered with The Foundation Hub in Slemani to strengthen links between Dubai and Kurdistan’s emerging start-up ecosystem.
The partnership creates a pathway for founders in Kurdistan to access mentorship, capital and international market opportunities through DIFC Innovation Hub, while supporting longer-term access for UAE and DIFC ecosystem participants to opportunities in Kurdistan.
The agreement was signed by Safeen Ghafour, Senior Advisor to the Deputy Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region and CEO of The Foundation Hub, and Mohammad Alblooshi, CEO of DIFC Innovation Hub, in the presence of Qubad Talabani, Deputy Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government, and Arif Amiri, CEO of DIFC Authority.
The collaboration will prioritise FinTech and artificial intelligence while remaining open to high-potential innovations across other sectors.
Programme activations will begin with two workshops in Kurdistan to identify promising start-ups. Selected founders will receive mentorship from industry experts and corporate leaders, access to venture capital funds and institutional investors, and exposure through DIFC platforms including the Dubai FinTech Summit, Dubai AI Festival and DIFC Innovation Hub Investor Day.
Arif Amiri said, “The Global South represents some of the world’s most dynamic and high-potential innovation markets. Our partnership with The Foundation Hub creates a practical, high-impact bridge between Dubai and Kurdistan.”
Qubad Talabani said the agreement would connect Kurdistan’s start-ups with Dubai and provide entrepreneurs with new opportunities to develop their businesses and compete regionally and internationally.
The broader ambition is to establish a two-way Dubai-Slemani Innovation Corridor, enabling investors, enterprise partners and scale-ups from the UAE and DIFC ecosystem to explore opportunities in Kurdistan’s growing technology market.
Source: Emirates News Agency