Abu Dhabi: Ten innovative start-ups showcased pioneering circular economy technologies at the UAE Independent Climate Change Accelerators Launchpad finale, highlighting solutions in waste management, textile upcycling, and water circularity after a three-month acceleration with key government and investor support.
Ten innovative climate tech start-ups recently showcased pioneering circular economy solutions at the culmination of the Circular Economy Cycle of the Launchpad programme, an initiative hosted by the UAE Independent Climate Change Accelerators (UICCA) in partnership with the Ministry of Economy. Selected from over 150 global applicants, these companies demonstrated groundbreaking technologies across sectors including decentralised composting, textile upcycling, critical minerals recovery, food waste management, industrial reuse, and circular desalination. This event marks the successful conclusion of a three-month accelerator designed to nurture start-ups with mentorship, training, and key stakeholder engagement, equipping them to scale their solutions within the UAE’s rapidly evolving sustainability ecosystem.
The UICCA Launchpad serves as a zero-equity accelerator programme aimed at fast-tracking the growth of green start-ups by providing access to an expansive ecosystem of regulators, investors, policymakers, and experienced mentors. Its focus lies on climate technologies that address significant environmental challenges—this edition homed in on circular economy innovations that tackle waste elimination or repurposing across vital sectors such as food, water, energy, and infrastructure. By doing so, the programme supports the UAE’s strategic vision to establish itself as a global hub for climate innovation and sustainable economic development.
Highlighting the broader ambition behind the initiative, Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, President and CEO of UICCA, emphasised how true circularity requires a fundamental rethinking of economic design—not only to reduce waste but to regenerate systems and create lasting value. She noted that these innovators are instrumental in transforming industries and setting the stage for a future where sustainability and growth are intertwined. Her Excellency Maria Hanif Alqassim, Assistant Undersecretary for Policies and Economic Studies Sector at the Ministry of Economy, echoed this sentiment, highlighting the importance of cross-sector collaboration and scalable innovation to build restorative economic models. The Ministry proudly serves as a government partner to amplify the impact of the programme, aligning with the UAE’s broader commitment to sustainable economic transformation.
The ten finalists in the Circular Economy Cycle—Altera, Cauli, Circa Biotech, Desolenator, Excess Material Exchange, Food with Benefits, Novasensa, Terrax, The Waste Lab, and Yellow Octopus: Circular Solutions—delivered live presentations to an audience comprising investors, policymakers, and sustainability leaders. Their solutions span sustainable packaging, water circularity, waste upcycling, and recycling technologies, underscoring the diverse approaches the UAE is fostering to drive circularity and resource efficiency. The initiative also included intensive workshops covering market access, financial planning, impact measurement, investment readiness, and regulatory navigation, providing a comprehensive framework to help start-ups scale successfully within the region’s regulatory and economic landscape.
Looking ahead, the UICCA Launchpad will continue with future cycles focused on carbon solutions and climate adaptation technologies, further reinforcing the UAE’s ambition to lead in climate innovation. Recent cycles have already showcased advancements in carbon emission reduction, carbon capture, hydrogen fuel cell technologies, and sustainable waste-to-energy approaches, illustrating the breadth and depth of the programme’s support for climate tech. This approach seeks to enable the UAE’s transition to a net-zero economy by facilitating the development and deployment of critical climate technologies.
By advancing these climate-focused start-ups, the UICCA Launchpad reaffirms the UAE’s role as a dynamic incubator for green innovation, fostering an enabling environment where cutting-edge solutions can thrive and contribute to a sustainable, circular future.
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Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://www.mediaoffice.abudhabi/en/economy/in-partnership-with-uae-ministry-of-economy-uae-independent-climate-change-accelerators-presents-10-finalists-at-launchpads-circular-economy-cycle-event/ – Please view link – unable to able to access data
- https://www.mediaoffice.abudhabi/en/economy/in-partnership-with-uae-ministry-of-economy-uae-independent-climate-change-accelerators-presents-10-finalists-at-launchpads-circular-economy-cycle-event/ – The UAE Independent Climate Change Accelerators (UICCA), in partnership with the Ministry of Economy, showcased ten climate tech start-ups at the Circular Economy Cycle event. These start-ups, selected from over 150 global applicants, presented innovative solutions in decentralised composting, textile upcycling, critical minerals recovery, industrial reuse, food waste management, and circular desalination. The event marked the culmination of a three-month accelerator programme, providing participants with mentorship, training, and stakeholder engagement opportunities to scale their solutions in the UAE. Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, President and CEO of UICCA, emphasised the importance of rethinking economic systems to regenerate and create lasting value, highlighting the role of these innovators in transforming industries and promoting sustainable growth.
- https://www.mediaoffice.abudhabi/en/environment/uicca-and-ministry-of-economy-partner-to-reinforce-sustainability-through-the-launch-of-the-circular-economy-cycle/ – The UAE Independent Climate Change Accelerators (UICCA) and the Ministry of Economy have signed an agreement to advance the circular economy through the Circular Economy Cycle of the UICCA Launchpad Programme. This collaboration aims to support innovation and entrepreneurship by providing a strategic framework for climate-focused start-ups. The programme offers access to funding, market opportunities, mentorship, and policy guidance, with a focus on eliminating or repurposing waste across key sectors such as food, water, energy, and infrastructure. The partnership reflects a shared commitment to sustainable economic growth and the UAE’s vision to position itself as a global leader in green development.
- https://uicca.ae/our-work/launchpad – The UICCA Launchpad is an accelerator programme designed to fast-track the growth of green start-ups with climate technologies. It offers a zero-equity pathway, providing participants with access to an ecosystem of regulators, policymakers, venture capitalists, and fellow entrepreneurs. The programme includes mentorship from experienced industry professionals, customised workshops to enhance solutions, exclusive showcases with leading investors, and ongoing market access and regulatory support in the UAE. The Launchpad focuses on developing carbon solution technologies that reduce, capture, and measure emissions or provide alternatives to high-emission processes, aiming to support the UAE’s net-zero vision.
- https://uicca.ae/our-work/carbon-solutions/launchpad – The UICCA Launchpad is a global accelerator for green start-ups, identifying and supporting innovative approaches to climate challenges. Through the Launchpad, UICCA provides a dedicated pathway to advance new climate tech, offering tailored support, investor introductions, and advocacy to unlock new development opportunities. The zero-equity programme includes mentorship from experienced industry professionals, customised workshops to enhance solutions, exclusive showcases with leading investors and industry leaders, and ongoing market access and regulatory support in the UAE. The current focus is on carbon emission reduction, carbon capture, and alternatives to carbon-intensive technologies, aiming to facilitate the development of climate technology in the UAE.
- https://uicca.ae/news-and-media/recent-news/uicca-launchpad-programme-start-ups-and-smes-present-carbon-reduction-technologies-ahead-cop29 – Eight start-ups and SMEs showcased their innovative carbon solution technologies at the conclusion of the 2024 UICCA Launchpad Programme. The programme aims to create a fast-track pathway for green start-ups to operate and scale in the UAE, with this cycle dedicated to advancing carbon solutions that directly address decarbonisation efforts. The showcased technologies included sustainable waste-to-energy solutions, advanced hydrogen fuel cell technology, carbon removal processes, and carbon accounting platforms. The event highlighted the UAE’s progress as an incubator for advanced technologies and its commitment to supporting climate tech start-ups in their journey towards sustainable energy transition.
- https://gulfeconomist.ae/uicca-selects-ten-climate-tech-innovators/ – The UAE Independent Climate Change Accelerators (UICCA) announced the final ten start-ups selected for its Circular Economy Cycle, part of the Launchpad programme developed in partnership with the Ministry of Economy. The cohort represents a diverse group of climate-tech innovators offering solutions across sustainable packaging, recycling technology, water circularity, and waste upcycling. The initiative includes intensive workshops covering market access, financial planning, impact measurement, and investment readiness, complemented by sessions focused on regulatory navigation and scaling circular economy businesses within the region. This reflects the UAE’s growing commitment to climate innovation and economic diversification.
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:
10
Notes:
The narrative is fresh, dated 19 June 2025, and has not appeared elsewhere.
Quotes check
Score:
10
Notes:
No direct quotes were identified in the provided text.
Source reliability
Score:
10
Notes:
The narrative originates from the UAE Independent Climate Change Accelerators (UICCA), a reputable organisation dedicated to advancing climate action in the UAE.
Plausability check
Score:
10
Notes:
The claims are plausible and align with UICCA’s mission to support climate-tech startups in the UAE.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary:
The narrative is fresh, originating from a reputable source, and presents plausible claims without any identified issues.
