Presight is hosting its first-ever AI-Startup Accelerator Bootcamp in Abu Dhabi, bringing together 10 promising startups from across the globe for a transformative three-day programme designed to scale real-world AI solutions.
The Bootcamp marks the official launch of the intensive Presight AI-Startup Accelerator programme for the first cohort, which will run until December. Over the coming months, the startups will embark on a rigorous acceleration journey, gaining access to technical enablement, introduction to Presight’s clients to accelerate commercial opportunities, and expert mentorship with the aim of showcasing their growth and success at GITEX Expand North Star 2025.
The Bootcamp, which kicked off Monday, unites entrepreneurs, global tech leaders, and UAE institutional partners for an immersive experience of co-creation, collaboration, and strategic engagement. Importantly, the Bootcamp is the first opportunity where Presight’s Government and private sector partners can evaluate the startups and assess the viability of their solutions to solve challenges for their respective organisations.
The first day featured a keynote by Thomas Pramotedham, CEO of Presight, who emphasised the need for a “startup mindset” across all institutions and introduced the programme’s vision to build, test, and scale impactful AI solutions that tackle pressing global challenges.
This session was followed by a keynote address by His Excellency Dr. Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, Head of the UAE Cyber Security Council. Following this, Peng Xiao, CEO of G42, addressed the audience with his insights and personally guided a group of esteemed UAE dignitaries as they engaged with each startup team to gain a deeper understanding of their businesses, products, and solutions.
Thomas Pramotedham, CEO of Presight said: “The Presight AI-Startup Accelerator is a catalyst for transformative growth—empowering visionary founders and strengthening Presight’s innovation pipeline. We launched this initiative to identify and scale the world’s most promising AI innovations, integrate them into our ecosystem, and deliver lasting impact across industries. By equipping the 10 exceptional startups in our inaugural Cohort with world-class infrastructure and the critical levers to accelerate their commercial trajectory, we are amplifying their growth velocity.
“The UAE is a global epicentre of AI innovation—a nation where innovation is not just welcomed but expected. Through this programme, our first batch of startups—coming from the United States, Singapore, Indonesia, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, and, of course, the UAE—will unlock bold ideas, open new frontiers of economic potential, and contribute meaningfully to the UAE’s vision for global AI excellence, alongside Presight as a committed partner in shaping that future. These startups embody the ambition and possibility that define the future.”
On the first day of the event, all 10 startups presented their ideas on stage in grouped pitch sessions, each aligned with one of three thematic categories. The “Urban Visionaries” track featured companies addressing large-scale urban challenges related to climate, mobility, and infrastructure. Startups under the “AI Tool & Tech Makers” theme showcased innovations that form the foundational infrastructure for secure and scalable AI development. Meanwhile, the “Market Shapers” track included ventures applying AI to reshape key industries such as fintech, energy, education, and investment decision-making.
Joining the esteemed audience were the UAE ambassadors of Singapore, Indonesia, and Kazakhstan, alongside leadership from G42, Core42, Space42, and Astra Tech, with representation from Inception and Analog. The event also received strong support from Presight partners and clients, including Microsoft, Hub71, MOIAT, ENEC, FAB, ADNOC Onshore, Borouge, the Abu Dhabi Department of Energy, and many others.
After the pitches, the day’s agenda moved into interactive demo jams and a partner panel featuring NVIDIA, MBZUAI, Shorooq, Astra Tech, and Presight.
Continuing the momentum, the second day saw the cohort participating in site visits across Abu Dhabi’s AI ecosystem, including ADNOC, AIQ, Astra Tech and Space42. These immersive experiences offered founders a firsthand look into how AI is operationalised at scale across sectors such as energy, infrastructure, research, and national innovation platforms.
The bootcamp culminates today at Presight’s headquarters with strategic planning sessions, commercial readiness workshops, and a recap panel. Global ecosystem partners including Microsoft, Core42 and ADQ will lead dedicated training modules to help the startups refine go-to-market strategies and prepare for long-term engagement across regional markets.
The 10 companies part of the Presight AI-Startup Accelerator are:
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