Caught up with 16 UAE founders today, the talent building here is incredible

I spent my Saturday afternoon sitting down with a group of 16 local tech founders and builders here in Dubai, and honestly, it completely changed my perspective on where the UAE ecosystem is heading.

Sometimes when you read the news, it feels like the ecosystem is only about massive corporations or mega-funding rounds. But being in a room with the people actually in the trenches building day-to-day was a huge eye-opener. The diversity of what people are working on right under our noses is wild. Just today, we had people building:

• AI-driven tools optimizing agricultural tech.
• AI platforms assisting with recruitment and interviews.
• Next-gen EdTech platforms and complex document management software.
• Specialized strategic consulting firms.

The absolute best part of the day wasn't just hearing about the tech, though. It was the transparency. We had a brilliant mix of perspectives from young founders fresh on their journey to seasoned veterans with years of experience. Whenever someone brought a tough roadblock to the table, others who had already walked that path stepped right up, openly sharing their past business failures and what they learned from them.

Even during the quick breaks, seeing everyone huddled up in small groups, sipping tea, and bouncing ideas off one another made me realize how much we all need this. Building a business can get incredibly isolating, but the chemistry changes entirely when you realize you aren't the only one solving these bottlenecks.

We ended up talking about making sure future meetups happen across both Dubai and Abu Dhabi (shoutout to the legends who actually drove all the way down from AUH today just to talk shop!), and finding spots right next to metro lines so it's easy for everyone in the Emirates to access.

Just wanted to share a bit of weekend inspiration.