Startups in the UAE: Top 11 Success Stories for Entrepreneurs

The UAE is a global leader in business projects and startups. Each year, the developments and ideas of local entrepreneurs top the charts, and companies continue to grow steadily. Success is facilitated by a favorable economic environment, advantageous geographical location, and significant support from the government, which aims to foster business development in the region.

If you are looking to invest abroad or start your own business, you need to know about the best startups in the UAE in recent years, which have become examples of real success.

GrubTech

GrubTech is a company founded in 2019 that utilizes SaaS solutions for digital optimization of restaurant businesses and kitchens. Its integrated POS system simplifies restaurant sales for owners. The development brought owners $18.4 million, or 67.5 million dirhams.

SaaS (Software as a Service) is a software delivery model where applications are provided as a service over the internet. Clients can access the programs through a web browser without downloading or installing them locally. Digital kitchen transformation refers to the process of implementing digital technologies and innovations to optimize and improve operations in food preparation and restaurant businesses.

POS (Point of Sale) system is another software and hardware used by retail businesses to process customer transactions. It includes devices for order input, order calculation, and receipt generation.

Data analytics significantly streamline all marketing processes within the restaurant business. GrubTech allows the use of convenient analytics tools that help understand and optimize operations based on collected data.

Rain

Rain is a fast-growing Middle Eastern cryptocurrency exchange. The company is based in Bahrain, but its Abu Dhabi branch obtained a license in 2023 to provide brokerage services as well as services for storing digital assets in the United Arab Emirates. Institutional clients and some retail clients of cryptocurrency exchanges in the UAE now have the ability to buy, sell, and store virtual assets. Additionally, the cryptocurrency exchange offers clients the opportunity to open bank accounts in the UAE and fund them using local payment systems.

Rain raised $110 million from investors in its latest funding round. According to experts' estimates, the company's final valuation reached $500 million.

MyEatPal

MyEatPal is a UAE-based startup in the food technology sector, which also gains momentum in the UAE annually. The project aims to develop and distribute healthy food among local residents. On the website, users can customize their individual diet, include preferred and disliked products, and create a daily menu with necessary nutrients and micronutrients.

MyEatPal's mission is to make conscious and personalized menus available to everyone. In the service, users can not only choose food and ingredients but also order them from nearby restaurants to avoid cooking and delivery concerns. MyEatPal adapts to users' individual preferences: allergies, intolerances, health requirements, and dietary compliance. The full functionality is available in the iOS and Android apps.

RemotePass

RemotePass is a company similar to GrubTech in its working principle. Business owners can remotely manage all processes, teams, hire employees, and oversee them. Anyone interested can visit the official website, register an account, and start their own business on the platform to begin using the built-in tools. The creators do not disclose the amounts received from investors.

RemotePass coordinates business processes by automatically compiling documentation for specific countries, complying with local labor laws, and providing necessary legal protection. The personal account stores templates for actions and payments that you can use when starting work.

Bayut

Bayut is a service that gathers listings for buying/renting real estate in the UAE. Founded in 2008, the company now offers the leading app in the region, allowing users to find interesting properties.

Bayut is an extensive database of active real estate properties in the country. Using the app, you can find apartments, villas, offices, townhouses, and shops for sale or rent. The service is very user-friendly, with filtering options such as price, location, area, etc. Users can call the property's phone number, share it on social media, send the property card as messages, and other functions.

Getbee

Getbee is a platform for online sales and video communication for entrepreneurs. With the service, business owners can place purchases in real-time on their online store or website. It allows interacting with customers remotely as effectively as if they were in a physical store. It is ideal for consultations, for example, on expensive and limited-range products.

Getbee is used by major global companies and brands such as Lacoste, Swarovski, Facette, Acampora, Thinx, Watermelon, Secom, MENA Speakers, and others. In 2021, the startup managed to attract $1.8 million from investors.

Zenda - a mobile banking and online payment service specializing in school fee payments. Parents can conveniently pay school fees, split payments, and store all information in one app. Schools, in turn, can register on Zenda and accept all payments through their personal account.

The project was created in collaboration with leading financial and technological partners, including Mastercard and Microsoft. All communications are fully encrypted and protected according to cybersecurity standards.

Englease - a convenient and modern platform for learning English, specifically designed for residents of Eastern countries. The service has gathered leading platforms and language learning programs, receiving over $3.4 million from investors for this idea.

99Starz - a platform for gamers and computer game enthusiasts that allows earning through NFT technologies. The project has been warmly received by investors and continues to be actively funded to this day.

Finyal Media - an online platform that brings together a multitude of podcasts from around the world on various topics. The service was created to support and develop youth from Arab countries. While the project is specific and operates in a narrow sphere, it has gathered almost $500,000 from investors.

Koala Picks - another project in the food industry, specializing in healthy snacks for children and offering products without gluten and dairy. The project's mission is to provide healthy and safe food to children who often fall victim to advertising, junk food, and unhealthy eating.

Conclusion: Advantages of startups in the UAE

The Emirates actively participate in investing in national and global projects. The authorities support innovation by providing funding programs, grants, and investments for the development of local entrepreneurship.

If you want to implement your own business idea in Dubai - the capital of entrepreneurship, contact The Level Consulting. We will assist with company registration, document processing, and account opening. Your business will comply with legislation, obtain all necessary licenses, and be ready to start its first transaction.