Investopia 2025: UICCA, UAE Ministry of Economy partner to reinforce sustainability through launch of Circular Economy Cycle

The UAE Independent Climate Change Accelerators (UICCA) and the UAE Ministry of Economy (MOEC) have recently signed a cooperation agreement aimed at jointly promoting the development of a circular economy. This agreement lays a strategic framework for supporting innovation and entrepreneurship through the circular economy cycle of the UICCA Launchpad program. The collaboration between the two parties will foster a nurturing ecosystem for climate-oriented startups, thereby driving sustainable economic growth.

According to the agreement, the UAE Ministry of Economy will assist in promoting the program, facilitating interaction with investors, and strengthening regulatory coordination, thereby enhancing market access for green technologies. The signing ceremony took place during the fourth edition of Investopia 2025 held in Abu Dhabi, with Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, President and CEO of UICCA, and Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Chairman of the Circular Economy Council, jointly witnessing this significant moment.

Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan emphasized that promoting circular economy solutions is a key driver of the UAE's vision for a sustainable economy. By reducing waste, reusing materials, and promoting innovative designs through circular economy principles, the UAE is positioning itself as a global leader in sustainable development, while also fostering new economic opportunities and enhancing long-term competitiveness. She also stated that the collaboration with the Ministry of Economy embodies UICCA's unwavering commitment to creating a vibrant ecosystem where sustainable businesses can thrive, scale up, and make meaningful contributions to the nation's net-zero emissions goals.

Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri pointed out that, under the vision of its wise leadership, the UAE has made great strides in transitioning to a circular economy model, which is one of the main pillars of sustainable development and growth of its national economy. He added that they will continue to work together to implement the "UAE Circular Economy Policy 2031," which includes 22 policies targeting four key areas: manufacturing, food, infrastructure, and transportation, aiming to promote the adoption of optimal recycling technologies, improve resource utilization efficiency, reduce waste, and create new growth opportunities based on innovation, knowledge, and investment in emerging economic sectors.

Minister Al Marri emphasized that the memorandum of understanding signed between the Ministry of Economy and UICCA is a crucial step towards accelerating the adoption of circular economy concepts at the national and regional levels, by empowering innovative startups to develop solutions that reuse resources and reduce the environmental footprint of the production sector. He highlighted that through this collaboration, they reaffirm their commitment to providing a supportive regulatory environment for better integration between the public and private sectors, and to stimulating sustainable investment to achieve the UAE's circular economy policy and consolidate its position as a global hub for the new economy.

UICCA announced that the circular economy cycle of the Launchpad program will officially launch in May 2025. As a zero-equity, market access-oriented program, this accelerator aims to support early-stage companies developing solutions that eliminate or repurpose waste in key industries. Applications are now open to local, regional, and international startups, with the registration portal launched on February 27, 2025. Selected participants will receive tailored mentorship, investor engagement opportunities, and a network of key industry stakeholders dedicated to advancing sustainability-focused innovation.

UICCA also invites all startups to submit applications through the official application form. The Launchpad team also hosted a roundtable discussion at Investopia 2025, designed to address the broader challenges faced by climate tech startups in scaling their solutions, and showcased the key findings of the first edition of the UICCA policy brief: "Sustaining Startups – Bridging the Funding Gap in the UAE’s Climate Tech Ecosystem." The session was attended by leaders from the finance, corporate innovation, and technology sectors, exploring the structural funding challenges faced by climate tech companies as they transition from early-stage to growth-stage operations.

The policy brief further noted that there is a significant gap in growth-stage funding for climate tech startups in the UAE, with investment remaining concentrated in fintech, healthtech, and e-commerce sectors. It emphasized that while early-stage support provided through incubators and accelerators is substantial, many climate tech startups struggle to secure the necessary funding to refine proof-of-concepts, scale operations, and enter new markets. Key recommendations from the discussion included establishing dedicated scale-up funds, incentivizing private investment in climate tech companies, streamlining regulatory frameworks, and promoting stronger regional market integration to unlock cross-border growth opportunities.