**UAE Aims to Have 2 Million Start-ups by 2031**
*By Mudit Dube | Sep 22, 2025, 01:59 PM*
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is making bold moves to establish itself as a global start-up hub. Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, the UAE’s Minister of Economy and Tourism, recently announced an ambitious plan to increase the number of start-ups in the country to over two million by 2031. This announcement was made during a press conference for the campaign titled *“The Emirates: The Start-up Capital of the World.”*
### Ambitious Targets for Growth
Alongside the goal of reaching two million start-ups, Al Marri revealed that the UAE aims to nurture 10 unicorns—start-ups valued at over $1 billion—by 2031. Currently, the country is home to approximately five such unicorns. These ambitious targets are part of a broader national strategy to boost entrepreneurship and drive economic growth across the UAE.
### A Supportive Environment for Start-ups
Minister Al Marri highlighted the UAE’s strong national infrastructure supporting start-up growth at both federal and local levels. This includes comprehensive strategies concerning economic clusters, food security, and enhancing economic openness through Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements.
Additionally, the UAE is focused on promoting innovation and protecting intellectual property as key components of its commitment to fostering a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem.
### The Current Landscape of UAE’s Start-up Ecosystem
Today, the UAE hosts over 1.2 million companies, with roughly one million owned by entrepreneurs—accounting for nearly 94% of all businesses. This underscores the critical role entrepreneurship plays in strengthening the national economy.
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) significantly contribute to the UAE’s economic landscape, making up 95% of all companies in operation and contributing 63.5% to the non-oil GDP by mid-2022.
### Looking Ahead
With these strategic initiatives and targets, the UAE is positioning itself to become a leading global destination for start-ups and innovation. The government’s focus on infrastructure, economic openness, and support for entrepreneurs aims to transform the Emirates into the world’s start-up capital by 2031.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/business/uae-unveils-ambitious-start-up-growth-plan-by-2031/story
