DIFC Innovation Hub widens Global South reach through partnership with The Foundation Hub to link emerging start-up ecosystems with Dubai

Dubai, UAE: 4 September 2026: DIFC Innovation Hub, the largest start-up and innovation hub in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region operating out of Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), the leading global financial centre in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region, is expanding its international ecosystem to build stronger innovation connections between Dubai and emerging entrepreneurial markets across the Global South.

As part of this expanding international network, the DIFC Innovation Hub is partnering with The Foundation Hub, based in Slemani. The collaboration creates a direct pathway between the DIFC Innovation Hub and Kurdistan’s emerging entrepreneurial community, focusing on tangible programme delivery, founder support, and commercial scaling. In the longer term, the partnership aims to create opportunities for DIFC and the UAE’s entrepreneurial ecosystem to access and understand opportunities in Kurdistan.

The partnership agreement was signed by Safeen Ghafour, Senior Advisor to the Deputy Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region and Chief Executive Officer of The Foundation Hub and Mohammad Alblooshi, Chief Executive Officer of DIFC Innovation Hub, in the presence of His Excellency Qubad Talabani, Deputy Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government and His Excellency Arif Amiri, Chief Executive Officer of DIFC Authority.

Founded to strengthen the region’s readiness for a future digital economy, The Foundation Hub has emerged as a key platform supporting early‑stage entrepreneurship across Kurdistan and Iraq. Operating at the intersection of talent development, ecosystem building and market enablement, it supports founders in translating local innovation into scalable ventures with international potential. Through its programmes and community‑led approach, The Foundation Hub contributes to the evolution of Iraq’s innovation ecosystem and plays an important role in connecting Kurdistan’s emerging start‑up community with global innovation centres such as Dubai.

H.E. Arif Amiri, Chief Executive Officer of DIFC Authority commented: "The Global South represents some of the world’s most dynamic and high-potential innovation markets. Dubai’s unique infrastructure, regulatory environment, and capital concentration enable us to serve as a launchpad for founders across emerging economies. Our partnership with The Foundation Hub creates a practical, high-impact bridge between Dubai and Kurdistan, bringing talented entrepreneurs into our ecosystem while opening up new cross-border growth avenues."

The collaboration centres on structured, execution-focused initiatives designed to give high-potential founders direct access to capital, mentorship, and international market entry. While remaining open to compelling innovations across all industries, the initiative will prioritise FinTech and Artificial Intelligence, capitalising on the DIFC Innovation Hub’s deep sector capabilities and established ecosystem.

Programme activations will begin with two dedicated workshops held in Kurdistan to evaluate and shortlist high-potential start-ups. Selected founders will receive structured mentorship from industry experts and corporate leaders, alongside direct access to the DIFC Innovation Hub’s extensive network of venture capital funds and institutional investors. Participating entrepreneurs will also gain exposure on major international DIFC platforms, including the Dubai FinTech Summit, Dubai AI Festival, and the DIFC Innovation Hub Investor Day, complemented by curated ecosystem visits to Dubai to engage directly with enterprise partners and scale their operations.

H.E. Qubad Talabani, Deputy Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government, said: "Today in Dubai, we opened a new corridor for innovation, entrepreneurship, and the empowerment of our youth. The partnership agreement between Dubai’s DIFC Innovation Hub and The Foundation Hub connects Kurdistan’s startups with Dubai. Through this collaboration, UAE investors and DIFC partners will provide support to companies driven by innovative ideas and high growth potential. This agreement provides a new opportunity for Kurdistan’s entrepreneurs and creative youth to develop their businesses to compete at both regional and international levels, while further establishing Slemani as a prominent regional hub for innovation."

While initial activations prioritise Kurdistan-based founders accessing Dubai’s global launchpad, the overarching ambition is the development of a two-way innovation bridge through the Dubai-Slemani Innovation Corridor. Over the longer term, the initiative will enable UAE and DIFC ecosystem participants, including investors, enterprise partners, and scale-ups, to discover, evaluate, and capitalise on emerging opportunities within Kurdistan’s evolving tech landscape.

With venture capital activity and digital adoption expanding rapidly across MEASA, the DIFC Innovation Hub continues to serve as the region's central innovation hub, translating regional potential into international commercial success.

Entrepreneurs and early-stage founders in Kurdistan specialising in FinTech, AI, and high-growth technologies are invited to register for the upcoming Programme Activation and Start-up Enrollment Workshop in Slemani. Details regarding workshop dates, eligibility criteria, and application links are available through official DIFC Innovation Hub and The Foundation Hub channels at https://www.innovationhub.difc.ae/accelerators/startup-programs/dubai-slemani-innovation-corridor (Opens in a new tab).