African startups are invited to apply to the Geospatial Accelerator, Space For Earth Labs, a first-of-its-kind soft-landing and pilot-enabling programme designed to fast-track the adoption of Earth Observation (EO) and AI-powered geospatial solutions across the UAE.
Delivered in collaboration with Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), RELM Insurance, and the DIFC Innovation Hub, the programme connects innovators with decision-makers, regulators, insurers, and industry specialists to strengthen the UAE’s position as a hub for space-enabled solutions in the Global South.
Programme Overview
The Geospatial Accelerator identifies and supports scale-ups developing high-potential Earth Observation and AI solutions across climate resilience, environmental monitoring, infrastructure optimisation, and insurance analytics. Through curated industry engagement, technical validation, and Proof-of-Concept (PoC) opportunities with leading government agencies, the accelerator empowers global and regional scale-ups to bring impactful geospatial technologies to market.
Participants receive a tailored soft-landing experience with hands-on support to validate, localise, and deploy their technologies through structured engagements with UAE public agencies and corporates. The programme combines applied technical guidance, access to satellite imagery and analytics tools, regulatory and market-readiness support, and strategic mentorship to enable successful PoCs based on real UAE use cases.
Key Benefits
Selected participants will receive:
- Soft-landing support and licensing facilitation in DIFC
- Access to satellite imagery, Earth Observation data, and geospatial analytics tools
- Direct engagement with UAE public agencies to co-design PoCs
- One-to-one mentorship from geospatial, AI, insurance, and policy experts
- Prominent visibility and recognition at the Demo Day hosted at the Dubai AI Festival 2026
- Potential commercial deployment with agencies post-PoC
Programme Timeline
- November 2025 to February 2026: Global Call for Applications
Submissions opened during the Dubai Airshow, with screening and selection of 6-10 scale-ups. - March 2026 to April 2026: Soft-Landing & Market Readiness
Workshops covering UAE geospatial challenges, regulatory landscape, and data access, along with introductory meetings with participating agencies. - May 2026 to December 2026: PoC Design Sprints
Development and implementation of Proof-of-Concept projects with UAE agencies. - Demo Day: Dubai FinTech Summit
Final presentations to government, industry, and investors, creating pathways to procurement and long-term partnerships.
Who Should Apply
The programme seeks scale-ups with proven geospatial and AI solutions that can address real-world challenges in the UAE context. Delivered through Space for Earth Labs, the initiative brings together global geospatial experts, policy leaders, and mission-driven partners to transform satellite data into measurable national impact.
This represents a significant opportunity for African startups to access the UAE market, collaborate with leading government agencies, and establish a foothold in one of the region’s most dynamic innovation ecosystems whilst contributing to space-enabled solutions across the Global South.
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