The Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) and Hub71 have partnered to launch the groundbreaking Impact Summit in Abu Dhabi, positioning the Emirate at the forefront of the global tech innovation and entrepreneurship movement.
The inaugural summit brought together visionaries and trailblazers to highlight Abu Dhabi’s thriving tech ecosystem and attractive investment prospects. With the theme ‘Big, Bold, Business,’ and hosted at the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), the summit underscored Abu Dhabi’s prominent role as a thriving global business and investment hub that nurtures the success of companies at the forefront of innovation.
Reinforcing Abu Dhabi’s commitment to empower the growth of tech entrepreneurs both locally and on the global stage, the Impact Summit showcased inspiring sessions on the pivotal role of innovation in fueling economic transformation. Renowned speakers and headliners at the event shared their entrepreneurial insight, emphasizing the use of advanced technologies to generate value-driven returns.
Badr Al-Olama, Director General of ADIO, joined Emmy award-winning comedian, New York Times bestselling author, Trevor Noah on a panel session titled ‘Return on Impact: Abu Dhabi, the world’s capital of capital’, delving into the Emirate’s ambition to evolve its ecosystem into a leading global destination for innovators. Additionally, actor, businessman, producer, and humanitarian Idris Elba shared insights on the Sherbro Island City project. This upcoming city project in Sierra Leone, for which Elba serves as co-founder of Sherbro, aims to set a bold example for private sector-led development, embodying a visionary approach to sustainable growth and community empowerment.
Badr Al-Olama, Director General of ADIO, said: “Abu Dhabi is emerging as the premier destination for startups and innovators worldwide, offering a dynamic platform for facilitating the world’s most promising breakthroughs. We have strategically engineered an ecosystem that is designed to attract and cultivate top-tier talent from across the globe. Beyond being the new tech north star, Abu Dhabi has much to offer with its unmatched quality of life and thriving pathways for growth. Our culture embraces diversity, ensuring that everyone, regardless of color, religion, or ethnicity, finds a welcoming home in the world’s capital of capital“.
The Summit took place during the second day of Hub71’s Impact Event, where Abu Dhabi’s global tech ecosystem announced empowering programmes and new talent strategy. Since its inception, the ecosystem has attracted more than 260 startups that have raised AED 5.4 billion (USD 1.47 billion) collectively in venture capital.
Joining Trevor Noah and Idris Elba, notable sports figures such as Paul Pogba, Amir Khan, and Tommy Fury contributed to engaging panel discussions at the Impact Summit. The Summit, which was supported by Maven Global Access’ flagship program Access Abu Dhabi, brought together diverse perspectives on innovation and entrepreneurship.
Paul Pogba, a renowned professional footballer, outlined his entrepreneurial spirit and journey. With his tech investments aligning with his commitment to social impact, Pogba currently supports ventures like Wahed, the world’s first global Islamic robo-advisor, FWRD, a natural sports drink company leveraging blockchain for IP ownership democratization, and Converge, an AI-based digital platform optimising and decarbonising concrete construction.
In his session, Tommy Fury, an accomplished boxer and TV personality, explored the importance of the champion mindset in athletics and entrepreneurial prowess. Fury discussed his plans to shift from athlete to entrepreneur by launching boxing academies worldwide. Abu Dhabi has captured Fury’s attention offering a favorable business environment, diverse population, and strategic location bridging the East and West. The Emirate stands at the crossroads of one of the world’s fastest-growing boxing markets, adding to its appeal as a potential hub for Fury’s ambitions.
Sarah Omolewu, Founder of Access Abu Dhabi, highlighted the importance of Abu Dhabi’s empowering landscape. “Access Abu Dhabi was created to help pave the way for other women and minorities looking to turn their plans for international expansion into reality. We are proud to have provided access to this burgeoning market for several dozen companies for three years, and we remain dedicated to Abu Dhabi’s forward-looking vision,” she said.
