At a time when the Gulf's innovation economy is expanding at record speed, a new pitching arena in Dubai opened its doors - one designed not just for seasoned founders, but to give SMEs (Small and Medium-sized Enterprise) and young aspiring entrepreneurs a platform to grow, learn and attract investor interest.

The pitching session on Wednesday at the Address Skyview, Dubai - organised by Khaleej Times Events - brought together companies seeking capital and founders working to sharpen their investment readiness.

Bicky Carlra, President of WeValue, described the moment as a shift in mindset.“We're expanding our focus to SMEs and youth entrepreneurship - training undergraduates and even high-school founders to dream differently,” he said, adding that the region's next wave of innovators will be job creators, not job seekers.“The future isn't about finding jobs - it's about creating them.”

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The pitching arena is rooted directly in IgKnightED's origin story. Three months earlier, when ICC Oman's Riddhima Bahl approached Carlra about bringing a similar initiative to the UAE, the idea sparked a renewed vision. The team asked themselves why the UAE and wider GCC shouldn't have a platform that leads-not follows-the startup ecosystem.

That question gave rise to IgKnightED.

He emphasised that the initiative was built by a small, dedicated team that also included strategic partners Deepak Ahuja (iAccel), Sidd Gandhi (VBC), Arushi Carlra and even their youngest contributor, 14-year-old Shaurya Bahl, who worked after school. Carlra also acknowledged investor partners Ahmed Eid and Hassan Gorz.

A platform initially created to bring together global venture funds, angels and founders has now grown into something much larger - a cross-regional ecosystem linking sectors, countries and skill levels.

“For IgKnightED, this journey has just begun - our vision extends far beyond a single event,” Bicky said, as the platform prepared to deepen its regional footprint.

IgKnightED's early focus centred on supporting the BFSI (Banking, financial services and insurance) industry and onboarding AI-powered innovation. However, today, its reach is widening - rapidly, emphasized Carlra.

New platforms and partnerships

Meanwhile, in partnership with The Wealth Circle, a global investment and learning platform active in more than 15 countries, IgKnightED is also preparing to launch a dedicated mobile app and platform connecting students, SMEs, startups and investors across the region.

The platform imagines a borderless entrepreneurial world. A high-school student in the GCC could log into the app, meet a mentor in the United States, set up a venture in Dubai, assemble a tech team in India and pitch to investors in Riyadh - all within a single ecosystem.

“That's not science fiction. That's our next chapter,” Carlra said.

Starting 2026, IgKnightED will widen its scope beyond BFSI to include travel, retail, real estate, health, education and sports - with particular emphasis on agentic AI, predictive technologies and voice-driven systems.

This expansion mirrors what is happening across the GCC- governments are deliberately building environments where startups fuel GDP and innovation drives national strategy.

The UAE now ranks 21st globally among startup ecosystems and remains number 1 in the Arab world.

“The Gulf is no longer participating - it's defining new paths. Take for instance the UAE's $8.7 billion 'Projects of the 50' initiative to enhance entrepreneurship, or Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, which aims for SMEs to contribute 35 per cent to GDP, or Qatar's Fintech Strategy 2025 positioning it as a digital finance hub.

The GCC's VC (Venture Capital) ecosystem grew 19 per cent year-on-year between 2020–2024, deploying over $1.7 billion dollars in 2024 alone.”

Additionally, he pointed out, no regional startup narrative is complete without acknowledging India.

Carlra said,“That continues to serve as the world's startup funnel - producing 1,000's of new tech startups annually. Its proximity to the UAE and GCC creates a powerful corridor of talent, technology, and trust."

"Governments across the region - from the UAE's digital-native frameworks to Saudi Arabia's investment megaprojects - are deliberately creating ecosystems where startups are the engines of GDP growth," he added.

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