Emirati startup founders highlighted a range of AI-powered and advanced technology solutions at Hub71’s Impact 2026 event, held at Manarat Al Saadiyat in Abu Dhabi, demonstrating how the emirate’s innovation ecosystem is helping businesses scale and expand into regional and international markets.
Entrepreneurs participating in the event said support programmes led by Hub71 and Hub71+ Digital Assets have provided startups with access to mentorship, investment opportunities and strategic partnerships, creating a strong foundation for growth across sectors such as digital marketing, healthcare and advanced manufacturing.
Maryam Alabbar, Co-Founder of ReachLLM, explained that the company specialises in improving brand visibility across AI-driven search platforms, including ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini and Google AI Overviews. She said the startup is developing AI-native products that help brands establish a sustainable presence across large language models while tracking and measuring the impact of their visibility.
Alabbar noted that ReachLLM plans to deepen its presence within Abu Dhabi’s innovation landscape while expanding into international markets, particularly across the Middle East and North Africa. She described answer engine optimisation (AEO) as the next evolution of traditional search engine optimisation (SEO), positioning the company at the forefront of this emerging field.
Meanwhile, Shamma Al Saedi, founder of LiMb, presented the company’s AI-powered platform designed to assist physiotherapists in creating personalised rehabilitation programmes and monitoring patients remotely. Currently in its pre-launch stage, the platform is expected to be officially introduced later this month.
Al Saadi said LiMb is also developing a specialised AI model focused on therapeutic exercises and pain management. The system is designed to provide real-time voice guidance that helps users correct their posture and movements during home-based exercises, improving adherence to treatment plans and supporting recovery outcomes.
In the healthcare sector, Afra Alahbabi, Founder and CEO of Nabdh Technologies, showcased what she described as the first Emirati platform dedicated to Arabic-language operational intelligence for clinical workflows. The solution is designed to streamline medical documentation processes and enhance efficiency within healthcare institutions.
According to Alahbabi, the platform integrates seamlessly with existing healthcare systems while maintaining operational continuity and minimising clinical risks. Built from the ground up in Arabic and hosted entirely within the UAE, the platform prioritises data security, privacy and regulatory compliance.
Abdallah Alawadi, Founder of The AM Lab, highlighted the company’s role as the first digital manufacturing platform in the Middle East and North Africa focused on simplifying industrial procurement. The platform enables businesses to consolidate spare-parts requirements online and receive manufactured components within weeks, and in some cases, within days.
Alawadi said the company primarily serves the oil and gas sector while also producing customised components for the aviation and defence industries. Through an extensive network of manufacturing partners and suppliers, The AM Lab supports the UAE’s National In-Country Value programme and broader industrial development objectives led by the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology.
