Marks the culmination of the DIFC FinTech Accelerator Programme 2023 and DIFC AccelerateHER programme powered by Dubai Islamic Bank

Event will feature pitches from 19 shortlisted start-ups and 10 young professionals on 13 December at DIFC Atrium

Dubai, UAE: DIFC Innovation Hub, home to the first and largest financial technology accelerator in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region, is hosting its annual flagship Investor Day, where the investor community will have the opportunity to meet the finalists of the ninth edition of the FinTech Accelerator Programme and the seventh edition of AccelerateHer.

Investor Day is the culmination of DIFC Innovation Hub’s programmes with an opportunity for the wider investor community to meet start-up finalists. Taking place on 13 December 2023 at the DIFC Atrium, the event will serve as a ‘graduation day’ for 19 start-ups from the FinTech Accelerator Programme and 10 women financial services professionals from AccelerateHer who will showcase their business plans and enhanced skillset, having been mentored by some of the region’s leading banks and insurance companies.

This year, AccelerateHer participants received endorsement and mentorship from Dubai Islamic Bank, whereas the FinTech Accelerator Programme was supported by Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB), Abu Dhabi National Insurance Company (ADNIC), Emirates NBD, Emirates Post Group (EPG), HSBC, Mauritius Commercial Bank (MCB), Visa and Zurich.

At the event, finalists from both programmes will have the opportunity to present their innovative technologies, business plans and elevated skills that will help them with their future prospects to potential investors, industry leaders and senior stakeholders of financial partners.

The 2023 programmes focused on open banking, artificial intelligence, automation, innovative payment solutions, hyper-personalisation and customer experience, designed to further enhance financial literacy. Activities included mentorship sessions, professional and soft-skill workshops, and networking opportunities along with access to the DIFC Innovation Hub’s co-working spaces.

Mohammad AlBlooshi, Chief Executive Officer of the DIFC Innovation Hub, said: “We are thrilled to host our upcoming Investor Day, an event filled with excitement and promise. DIFC Innovation Hub’s accelerator programmes are appealing platforms for the world’s most innovative start-ups in the financial services industry. Investor Day is an opportunity for global investors and partners to access an exclusive cohort of talented start-ups that have successfully graduated from our accelerator programmes.”

The FinTech Accelerator Programme has a phenomenal track record of empowering start-ups by helping them to transform their ideas into products and offerings unique to the financial market. Over 3,000 entrepreneurs have entered the FinTech Accelerator Programme combined to date, with more than 150 FinTechs, RegTechs, InsurTechs and Islamic Finance start-ups having successfully graduated from the programme, delivering over 100 proof-of-concepts (POCs) with leading financial institutions in the region.

The AccelerateHER programme was launched in 2019 by the DIFC Innovation Hub to equip the next generation of women financial services professionals with substantial advisory, as they embark on their career journey, supported by Dubai’s top talent and industry leaders. The AccelerateHER network has successfully mentored over 100 women through more than 200 mentorship pairings and 120 workshops.

About Dubai International Financial Centre

Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) is one of the world’s most advanced financial centres, and the leading financial hub for the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA), which comprises 72 countries with an approximate population of 3bn and an estimated GDP of USD 8trn.

With a close to 20-year track record of facilitating trade and investment flows across the MEASA region, the Centre connects these fast-growing markets with the economies of Asia, Europe and the Americas through Dubai. 

DIFC is home to an internationally recognised, independent regulator and a proven judicial system with an English common law framework, as well as the region’s largest financial ecosystem of over 39,000 professionals working across over 4,900 active registered companies – making up the largest and most diverse pool of industry talent in the region. 

The Centre’s vision is to drive the future of finance through cutting-edge technology, innovation, and partnerships. Today, it is the global future of finance and innovation hub offering one of the region’s most comprehensive FinTech and venture capital environments, including cost-effective licensing solutions, fit-for-purpose regulation, innovative accelerator programmes, and funding for growth-stage start-ups.  

Comprising a variety of world-renowned retail and dining venues, a dynamic art and culture scene, residential apartments, hotels and public spaces, DIFC continues to be one of Dubai’s most sought-after business and lifestyle destinations. 

For further information, please visit our website: difc.ae, or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter @DIFC. 

For media enquiries, please contact:   
Omar Nasro
ASDA’A BCW | +9714 4507600  
omar.nasro@bcw-global.com  

Rasha Mezher | Dubai International Financial Centre Authority  
Consultant, Marketing & Corporate Communications
+9714 3622451
t-rasha.mezher@difc.ae