Vince Molinari welcomes Basma Albadi Aldhaheri, the Head of Value Creation at Hub71, at the Hub71 Impact Event 2025 in Abu Dhabi. Their conversation explores the pivotal role of Hub71 in fostering innovation and supporting startups in the region.
Vince begins by highlighting the momentum at the event and the insightful discussions taking place. He expresses his excitement about interviewing Basma, who oversees the unlocking of value within Abu Dhabi’s ecosystem. Basma outlines her responsibilities, which focus on four main pillars: access to market, access to capital, access to government, and access to talent. Each pillar is essential for enabling startups to thrive and innovate.
Basma emphasizes Abu Dhabi’s reputation as the “capital of capital,” explaining how Hub71 connects global investors with local startups. She discusses the ongoing fundraising roadshow at the event, which aims to attract vital capital for emerging businesses. This initiative showcases the strategic advantages of Abu Dhabi, particularly in the realm of innovation and investment.
The conversation shifts to the Hub71 plus AI program, which Basma describes as a significant expansion of their efforts to support startups in artificial intelligence. She reveals that the program has onboarded 24 partners, including key players like the Advanced Technology Research Council and Beko Capital. These partnerships provide startups with essential resources, such as compute power and financial backing.
As they delve deeper, Basma shares insights into the rapidly growing life sciences sector in Abu Dhabi, which is projected to reach over 400 billion dirhams. She highlights the collaborative efforts between regulators and innovators that position Abu Dhabi as a health innovation hub, creating a supportive environment for health tech startups.
Vince concludes the segment by expressing his enthusiasm for the energy and innovation emerging from Hub71 and the broader Abu Dhabi ecosystem. He also looks forward to the upcoming Abu Dhabi Finance Week 2025, scheduled for December 8th through 11th, promising more insights and developments from the UAE.