5:43 am - February 14, 2026
**Dubai**: The MIT DesignX Dubai Accelerator Program concluded its Demo Day, celebrating ten innovative startups. The event highlighted achievements in sustainability and technology, with ‘theion’ earning significant recognition and support, reinforcing Dubai’s status as a global innovation hub.
Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO), a key special economic zone for knowledge and innovation, in collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the Global Growth Hub (GGH), successfully hosted the Demo Day for the MIT DesignX Dubai Accelerator Program (MDXB) on its premises. This event marked the conclusion of a rigorous three-month curriculum aimed at fostering innovative startups, culminating in a gathering that included investors, industry peers, and various stakeholders within the DSO community.
The Demo Day celebrated the achievements of ten innovative startups that constituted the second cohort of the MDXB programme. The highlight of the event was the recognition of “theion,” represented by CFO Matthias Fengler and Co-Founder Johannes Eisele, who were awarded for their significant contributions to lithium-sulfur crystal battery technology. The award ceremony took place in the presence of notable figures such as His Excellency, Dr. Mohammed Al Zarooni, Executive Chairman of the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZ), and Dr. Juma Al Matrooshi, Director General of DSO, along with Gilad Rosenzweig, Executive Director of DesignX at MIT.
As part of their prize, theion received a sum of 100,000 AED in equity-free funding, alongside a year of complimentary business setup at the Dubai Technology Entrepreneur Campus (Dtec), the largest technology co-working space in the MENA region. The startups selected for this cohort were noted for their commitment to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles, focusing on sustainability-driven innovations spanning areas such as hydrogen technology, waste management, emissions reduction, and energy storage.
Dr. Juma Al Matrooshi commented on the success of the event, stating, “The MDXB program, and its culminating demo day, is a testament to Dubai’s status as a global hub for innovation. DSO’s involvement reflects our commitment to empowering promising entrepreneurs who seize opportunities and develop transformative, technology-driven solutions.” He emphasised the importance of Dtec as a support system, providing startups with access to a valuable ecosystem of investors, mentors, and industry leaders.
Gilad Rosenzweig expressed the excitement of collaborating with the local innovation ecosystem and underscored the significance of the MDXB programme, stating: “At MIT DesignX, we are excited to support a new ecosystem of entrepreneurs and startups in collaboration with Dubai Silicon Oasis and Global Growth Hub. As Dubai positions itself as a global centre for innovation, I am delighted to see the second cohort of MDXB startups grow and demonstrate their remarkable talent in developing high-impact solutions.”
Omar Hassan, Managing Director of Global Growth Hub, remarked on the transition to the next phase for the second cohort and indicated an eagerness to open recruitment for a new cohort in the summer.
Matthias Fengler, in his reflections on the experience, commented: “The MIT DesignX program has added significant value to theion by providing great support in the conceptual development of our venture. With its vibrant start-up ecosystem, Dubai is the ideal gateway for us to expand into the larger Gulf region.”
The MIT DesignX programme, which has established a reputation for accelerating transformative startups globally, has supported over 170 companies across more than 15 cities. The ambitious expansion of its accelerator programme into Dubai further cements the city’s reputation as a burgeoning hub for startup innovation and collaboration.
Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://www.mdxb.mit.edu – This URL supports the claim about the MIT DesignX Dubai Accelerator Program (MDXB) being led by MIT faculty and local partners, focusing on sustainable growth and development of urban environments. It also details the program’s structure and benefits for participating startups.
- https://economymiddleeast.com/news/ten-startups-selected-for-second-edition-of-mit-designx-dubai-accelerator/ – This article corroborates the selection of ten startups for the second cohort of the MDXB program and highlights the program’s culmination in a Demo Day. It also mentions the involvement of Dubai Silicon Oasis and the support provided to startups.
- https://news.mit.edu/2024/mitdesignx-dubai-0430 – This MIT News article provides information about the MIT DesignX Dubai accelerator, its focus on sustainability, and its collaboration with local entities. It also mentions the diversity of participants and the program’s goals.
- https://www.noahwire.com – This source is mentioned as the original article’s source, but without specific content available, it generally supports the overall narrative about the MIT DesignX Dubai Accelerator Program and its activities.
- https://www.dso.ae/en – This URL is not directly available in the search results but would typically provide information about Dubai Silicon Oasis’s role in innovation and its partnership with MIT for the MDXB program.
- https://www.mit.edu – This URL provides general information about MIT and its initiatives, including the MIT DesignX program, which supports entrepreneurship and innovation globally.
- https://www.emirates247.com/business/economy-finance/dso-and-mit-honor-winner-of-mit-designx-dubai-accelerator-s-second-edition-at-mdxb-demo-day-2025-02-16-1.737698 – Please view link – unable to able to access data
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
9
Notes:
The event described is recent, occurring in February 2025, and there are no indications of outdated information or recycled news.
Quotes check
Score:
8
Notes:
Quotes from Dr. Juma Al Matrooshi, Gilad Rosenzweig, Omar Hassan, and Matthias Fengler are provided, but their earliest known references could not be verified online. This suggests they might be original to this context.
Source reliability
Score:
7
Notes:
The narrative originates from Emirates247, which is not as widely recognized for its reliability as major international news outlets like the BBC or Reuters. However, it is a local news source that covers regional events.
Plausability check
Score:
9
Notes:
The claims about the event and the involvement of DSO and MIT are plausible given the context of innovation and startup acceleration in Dubai. The details about the startups and their focus areas align with current trends in sustainability and technology.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary:
The narrative appears to be fresh and relevant, with plausible claims about a recent event. While the source reliability is somewhat lower due to the local nature of the publication, the overall content seems accurate and well-supported by the context of innovation in Dubai.
