Submissions open for Intelak Incubator Program (UAE)

Purpose

• The main purpose of the program is to nurture, grow, and scale these early-stage startups.

Challenges

• Generative AI
  • This theme focuses on startups and solutions that harness generative artificial intelligence to create deeply personalised passenger experiences across the travel, tourism and aviation industry. They are seeking startups that can design AI-driven products or use cases that anticipate individual needs and preferences—such as dynamic itinerary building, contextual offers, adaptive in-flight entertainment, proactive disruption support or seamless language and accessibility services. By applying generative AI to customer data and operational signals, they aim to back ventures that materially elevate satisfaction, ancillary revenue and brand loyalty while respecting privacy, safety and regulatory standards across every stage of the journey.
• Sustainability
  • This theme can cover innovations in sustainable travel, airport operations, eco-conscious aviation, and waste reduction — directly impacting both passenger experience and tourism perceptions of Dubai as a green and future-forward destination. With the UAE’s commitment to Net Zero and the increasing demand for responsible tourism, startups working in this space can bring real impact while tapping into global trends. It’s also an area that resonates strongly with the younger generation of Emirati founders.
• Community Engagement
  • In line with 2025 being the Year of Community in the UAE, this theme could explore how aviation and tourism touchpoints — from the airport to the in-city experience — can better connect with local culture, support community-driven tourism, and include passengers in authentic Emirati stories. It’s also a strong platform to support people of determination, inclusive tourism experiences, and programs that allow visitors to meaningfully engage with the local community. This can create new ventures focused on social innovation while aligning closely with national identity.
• Cybersecurity & Identity Tech
  • This theme is considered to be critical in the aviation and travel sectors, focusing on protecting digital infrastructure, safeguarding passenger data, and enabling seamless identity verification. As airports and airlines increasingly rely on digital systems, the need for secure, scalable, and intelligent solutions becomes paramount. Startups in this space can develop innovations such as biometric verification, data encryption platforms, fraud detection tools, and cybersecurity services tailored for travel ecosystems — all of which enhance trust, efficiency, and compliance with global standards

Benefits

• Each cohort will enroll up to 5 startups into the program, providing them with licensing grants of 20,000 AED. The program will conclude with a demo day that is investor-focused, offering startups the opportunity to showcase their progress and potential.
• Virtual & in-person program elemetns allow for maximum agility and facilitate global participation.
• Capitalise on the interconnectedness of the global aviation, travel and tourism industry whilst using Dubai as the proof-of-concept platform for your start-up.
• Leverage a digital alumni network of past participants for additional support, collaboration and potential business opportunities.
• Gain curated access to Intelak’s Investor Breakfast, Founder Summit, Industry Panels and Legal and Licensing clinics to grow your start-up in Dubai.
• Prime exhibition space and pitch opportunities at conferences & events in Dubai.

Eligibility Criteria

• You have an innovative tech solution in the aviation, travel and tourism space.
• Your business is at launch/seed stage and you have an MVP.
• Your start-up can be based in any geographic location, but see a strategic fit in implementing your solution In Dubai.
• Your business has at least 1 full-time team member.

For more information, visit Intelak Hub.