Abu Dhabi's startup calendar turns on a few very large weeks: Abu Dhabi Finance Week (7–10 December 2026) with its Hub71 Startups Campus, Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (10–14 January 2027) and Ai Everything (11–12 May 2027). Hub71 and community groups fill the weeks in between.
This guide lists startup, tech, investor and women-founder events in Abu Dhabi, from November 2026 to the end of 2027. We checked every date on the organiser's own website. We mark each event as Confirmed (date on the official site), Announced (date from a reliable second source) or Expected (based on past editions only). Dubai is 90 minutes away by road, so see our Dubai startup events as well, and the list of other cities at the end.
This article is regularly updated with new events. Do you know about an event that needs to be added? Send us some info and we will see if it's a fit.
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Must Attend Startup Events in Abu Dhabi 2026–2027: Calendar from November 2026 to May 2027
Autumn and winter 2026
ADIPEC, the energy industry's big exhibition, runs at ADNEC until 5 November 2026. It is a buyers' show for energy corporates, with no startup programme on its official site.
DevFest by GDG Abu Dhabi: 7 November 2026
Google Developer Group Abu Dhabi's yearly conference, with talks on AI, cloud and mobile. The event record gives 7 November, but its description still says 21 November, so check the page before you go. See our developer tools events.
ItsHerWay Morning Meet-Up: 18 November 2026
A small, friendly morning meet-up run by the women's community ItsHerWay, which has met in Abu Dhabi since June 2026. Global Entrepreneurship Week runs on 16–22 November, but we found no Abu Dhabi event on its official site.
Global Media Congress: 26–28 November 2026
Held under the patronage of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed. The Abu Dhabi Media Office lists 26–28 November at ADNEC, as in 2024 and 2025; the congress's own site was down for maintenance when we checked. See our marketing tech events.
Abu Dhabi Finance Week: 7–10 December 2026
The busiest investor week of the year in Abu Dhabi: 75 events on 8 stages at ADGM, with banks, sovereign funds, family offices and digital-asset firms. For founders, the Hub71 Startups Campus and Hub71 Growth Stage are the parts to plan around, and a Women in Finance strand is on the programme. Dubai's GITEX and Expand North Star fall in the same fortnight. See our fintech events and web3 events.
Winter and spring 2027
Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week and the World Future Energy Summit: 10–14 January 2027
Hosted by Masdar since 2008. The Zayed Sustainability Prize ceremony is part of the week; its 2027 cycle drew 10,233 submissions from 177 countries, and finalists were named in September 2026.
The exhibition floor of the week, where energy and water startups meet utilities and buyers. See our climate tech events and energy tech events.
IDEX and NAVDEX: late January 2027
The region's largest defence exhibition returns to ADNEC in January 2027, with IDEX NXT, an innovation hub for defence AI with "scale-up pod clusters". Sources differ on the days: ADNEC Group announced 21–25 January, while most listings say 25–29 January, so check the official site before you book. See our defence tech events.
NYUAD Hackathon for Social Good: 22–25 April 2027
The 14th edition of NYU Abu Dhabi's international hackathon focuses on quantum computing. Teams are selected by application. See our hackathons and quantum events.
Ai Everything Abu Dhabi: 11–12 May 2027
The clearest startup stage of Abu Dhabi's year: the Supernova pitch competition (five finalists, one winner, equity-free cash prize; the last published prize was US$10,000), the Ai StartX startup area and an investor programme. The 2026 edition ran in October, so this is a move to spring. See our AI startup events.
World Utilities Congress: 25–27 May 2027
Hosted by TAQA. Next to the conferences there are live demonstrations and startup showcases, which makes it a good place to meet utility buyers.
Summer and autumn 2027
No event in Abu Dhabi has a confirmed date between June and December 2027 yet. Expect Hub71's Impact Event in June, ADIPEC in November, Bitcoin MENA in late 2027 and Abu Dhabi Finance Week in December (see below). We will add them as organisers publish dates.
Dates not announced yet
- Hub71 Impact Event 2027: the hub's flagship event was on 9–10 June 2026 at Manarat Al Saadiyat; expected in June. hub71.com
- Bitcoin MENA 2027: moved from December 2026 to "late 2027" at ADNEC; dates to follow. Some listings still show December 2026. mena.b.tc
- Abu Dhabi Finance Week 2027: expected in December 2027 at ADGM. adfw.com
- ADIPEC 2027: listings say November 2027 at ADNEC. adipec.com
- Abu Dhabi Global Entrepreneurship Festival 2027: the 2026 edition (20–22 April, Abu Dhabi Energy Center) had a track for idea-stage founders; expected in spring. mediaoffice.abudhabi
- Machines Can Think 2027: the AI summit with MBZUAI was on 26–27 January 2026 at Park Hyatt Saadiyat. machinescanthink.ai
- Make it in the Emirates 2027: the industry platform was on 4–7 May 2026 at ADNEC; expected in May.
- Future Health Summit 2027: the former Abu Dhabi Global Healthcare Week was on 20–22 October 2026. futurehealthinitiative.ae
Recurring meetups and communities
- Hub71: info sessions, founder talks and web3 workshops at ADGM Square; no future dates were listed on 3 November 2026. hub71.com
- MZN Hub71: a new Hub71 track with the Khalifa Fund for Emirati founders; its first demo day was on 7 July 2026 in Al Ain.
- GDG Abu Dhabi: Google developer meetups and DevFest. gdg.community.dev
- ItsHerWay Abu Dhabi: women's morning meet-ups every few months. itsherway.com
- Abu Dhabi Businesswomen Council: workshops and programmes for women in business. adbusinesswomen.ae
Quiet: Startup Grind Abu Dhabi lists no local events, Techstars Startup Weekend was last held in October 2024, and Founder Institute has no Abu Dhabi chapter (its UAE programme runs from Dubai).
Events for women founders in Abu Dhabi
- ItsHerWay Morning Meet-Up (18 November 2026, AED 29). itsherway.com
- Women in Finance at Abu Dhabi Finance Week (7–10 December 2026): on the programme, sessions not published yet.
- Abu Dhabi Businesswomen Council: workshops, the Ra'idah programme and the Mubdi'ah home-business licence for Emirati women. adbusinesswomen.ae
We found no women-founder pitch event or conference in Abu Dhabi with a 2027 date. Run one? Send it to us and we'll add it. See also our women in tech events and female entrepreneurship events.
Funding and support to know before you go
- Hub71: startups get AED 250,000 of in-kind incentives (office, housing, health insurance, licence and visa support) and can take AED 250,000 in cash for equity through a SAFE note; an ADGM tech licence is required. hub71.com
- ADGM tech licence: the fee for tech and fintech startups went from US$1,000 to US$1,500 in 2025, for new licences and renewals. adgm.com
- Golden Visa for entrepreneurs: a 10-year residence visa when an approved incubator or authority backs your project. adro.gov.ae
- Mubdi'ah licence: lets Emirati women run some business activities from home. adbusinesswomen.ae
- Zayed Sustainability Prize: a global prize for small companies and non-profits in health, food, energy, water and climate. zayedsustainabilityprize.com
How to get the most out of Abu Dhabi startup events
- Plan December around ADFW. Abu Dhabi Finance Week (7–10 December) and Dubai's GITEX week fall together, so one trip covers both cities.
- Use Hub71 as your base. Its sessions at ADGM Square are free, and the team can introduce you to investors who come for ADFW.
- Treat the big shows as buyer meetings. WFES, the World Utilities Congress and ADIPEC bring utilities and energy buyers to ADNEC; book meetings before you arrive.
- Pitch at Ai Everything. The Supernova competition (11–12 May 2027) is the city's clearest pitch stage; watch for its call for startups.
- Check dates twice. Several Abu Dhabi events moved or were renamed in 2026 (Ai Everything, Bitcoin MENA, the Future Health Summit), and listings lag behind.
List your event in this guide
Do you run a startup, tech or investor event in Abu Dhabi? Send us the name, dates, venue and official link, and we'll check whether it fits this guide. We list events for founders, with a real date and an official page.
This article is regularly updated with new events. Do you know about an event that needs to be added? Send us some info and we will see if it's a fit.
🔗 Add an awesome event
Startup events in other places
- Must Attend Startup Events in Dubai, UAE
- Must Attend Startup Events in Vienna, Austria
- Must Attend Startup Events in Austin, USA
- Must Attend Startup Events in Miami, USA
- Must Attend Startup Events in Seattle, USA
- Must Attend Startup Events in Sydney, Australia
- Must Attend Startup Events in Warsaw, Poland
- Must Attend Startup Events in Oslo, Norway
- Must Attend Startup Events in Tallinn, Estonia
- Must Attend Startup Events in Brussels, Belgium
- Must Attend Startup Events in Prague, Czech Republic
- Must Attend Startup Events in Hamburg, Germany
- Must Attend Startup Events in Chicago, USA
- Must Attend Startup Events in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Best startup events in Europe (with country guides)
FAQ
What are the main startup events in Abu Dhabi?
Abu Dhabi Finance Week (7–10 December 2026), Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week with the World Future Energy Summit (10–14 January 2027), the NYUAD Hackathon for Social Good (22–25 April 2027), Ai Everything (11–12 May 2027) and the World Utilities Congress (25–27 May 2027).
When is Abu Dhabi Finance Week 2026?
On 7–10 December 2026 at The Grand Steps on Al Maryah Island (ADGM), with the Hub71 Startups Campus inside it.
Where can startups pitch in Abu Dhabi?
At the Supernova pitch competition during Ai Everything (11–12 May 2027) and on the Hub71 stages at Abu Dhabi Finance Week (7–10 December 2026).
Are there free startup events in Abu Dhabi?
Yes: DevFest by GDG Abu Dhabi (7 November 2026) and most Hub71 sessions at ADGM Square are free.
Are there events for women founders in Abu Dhabi?
Yes, a few: the ItsHerWay meet-up (18 November 2026), the Women in Finance strand at Abu Dhabi Finance Week and the Abu Dhabi Businesswomen Council's programmes.
Is Bitcoin MENA happening in December 2026?
No. The organisers moved Bitcoin MENA to late 2027 at ADNEC, and dates are still to come.
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
