For founders in the Middle East
Middle East grants, matched to your startup.
Most Gulf funding is owned by an emirate or a governorate, not the federal government. Hub71 is Abu Dhabi. Badir is KACST. We rank by where you actually are, then tell you honestly whether you qualify.
Where we cover
All six GCC states, named programmes.
United Arab Emirates
Hub71, the Mohammed Bin Rashid Innovation Fund, Khalifa Fund, Sheraa in Sharjah, ADIO and in5. Ranked by emirate, because most of it is emirate money.
Saudi Arabia
Monsha'at, the Badir incubator network, the National Technology Development Program, Saudi Venture Capital and Wa'ed Ventures.
Qatar
Qatar Development Bank, Qatar Science and Technology Park, the QRDI Council and the Qatar Business Incubation Center.
Kuwait
The National Fund for SME Development, KFAS innovation support and Sirdab Lab. Thin ground publicly, so we went and mapped it.
Bahrain
Tamkeen, Bahrain Development Bank financing, StartUp Bahrain and Bahrain FinTech Bay.
Oman
Riyada, Sharakah, Future Fund Oman, Innovation Development Oman and the Oman Technology Fund.
Open a state to see the programmes we list for it, each labelled by what it actually is:
Start with the guide: what UAE programmes actually pay.
What you get
Built for how Gulf funding actually works.
Emirate and governorate level
Pick Dubai, Riyadh, Doha or Muscat, not just a country. Local programmes rank above national ones.
GCC bloc awareness
A lot of Gulf funding accepts any GCC resident company. If you are in Dubai, we still surface the Riyadh or Doha programme that would take you.
Honest eligibility
Strong match, worth a look, or long shot. Some funds need majority national ownership. We say so instead of showing you a fake high score.
Verified apply links
Every link points at the real portal. Dead ones get removed, not left in to pad a number.
Deadlines and closing soon
Rolling programmes are marked as rolling. Fixed calls show the days left, so you know what is actually urgent.
Expanding from India
Setting up in a free zone to reach the Gulf market? Set your country and see what opens up once you are licensed locally.
For Gulf incubators
Running a cohort in the region?
Push a grant to a specific startup, then watch it move from sent to applied to won. Bulk-message the cohort, publish office hours, and pull a report your board will actually read. See the incubator dashboard.
Common questions
Before you ask.
Do I need to be a GCC national?
Depends on the programme. National SME funds usually need majority national ownership. Others accept any locally licensed company, including free zone entities. We show the rule per programme.
Is this only for tech startups?
No. Coverage spans SME financing, deep tech, industrial, agritech and research programmes across the six states.
How current is the catalog?
It refreshes weekly, and apply links are validated. Programmes that go dead are removed rather than archived to keep the count honest.
What does it cost?
Pricing is not set yet. Sign up and use it while we work that out.
Start here
See which grants you would actually win.
Set your country and stage, and get a ranked list in a couple of minutes.
Find your Gulf grantsCommon questions
Which Gulf countries does Incubateer cover?
All six GCC states: the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman. Coverage includes federal programmes plus emirate and governorate level funds, because a large share of Gulf startup money is owned at that level rather than nationally.
Do I need to be a GCC national to apply for these grants?
It depends on the programme. Some, such as national SME funds, require majority ownership by nationals. Others accept any company licensed locally, including foreign founders who set up in a free zone. Incubateer shows the eligibility rule for each programme rather than implying you qualify for everything.
Can an Indian founder expanding into the Gulf use this?
Yes. Many Gulf programmes are aimed at attracting companies to set up locally, and several accept applicants from any GCC resident entity. You can set your country to a Gulf state and see what you would qualify for once established there.
Are the application links checked?
Yes. Apply links are validated so a button does not lead to a dead government page. Dead links are removed from the catalog rather than left in place to inflate the count.