UAE Selects 6 AI Startups for Mastercard Growth Program

Six AI startups in Dubai are about to get a massive boost that could transform their innovations from promising ideas into global solutions.

The UAE's Artificial Intelligence Office and Mastercard just announced the winners of the inaugural Mastercard Lighthouse UAE program. Loyyal, NewForm Technologies, NodeShift, Polynome, Valura.AI, and zypl.ai beat out dozens of competitors to earn their spot.

These aren't hobby projects. Loyyal uses blockchain to revolutionize customer rewards programs for banks and airlines. NewForm Technologies helps banks automate complex operations while protecting customer data. NodeShift lets companies use AI tools like ChatGPT without compromising sensitive information.

Polynome built AI that speaks both Arabic and English to help banks and airports serve customers better. The Stanford-born zypl.ai helps financial institutions detect fraud and assess credit risk across 20 countries. Valura.AI manages investment portfolios in real time for clients in the UAE and India.

For the next four months, global experts will mentor these teams to strengthen their technology and prepare them for expansion. They'll also connect directly with financial institutions, investors, and business partners who can help them scale.

Dr. Abdelrahman Al Mahmoud from the AI Office said investing in AI startups means investing in the future economy. The UAE sees artificial intelligence as essential to its national growth, and programs like this create the right environment for innovation to flourish.

Mastercard's Gina Petersen-Skyrme said the six companies bring different strengths and shared ambition to shape the future of financial services in the UAE.

The Ripple Effect

This program does more than help six companies grow. It strengthens the entire UAE innovation ecosystem and creates jobs in cutting-edge technology. When these startups succeed globally, they prove that world-changing AI solutions can come from anywhere. Other entrepreneurs watching will see what's possible and launch their own ventures.

The program wraps up with Demo Day, where the startups will present their refined solutions to leaders from the innovation and investment community.

Four months of mentorship, a network of global experts, and direct paths to funding could turn these six teams into the next generation of AI leaders.