Dubai 100: What this year's list tells us about 2026
Start with artificial intelligence. It's moving from a conversation to an infrastructure. Government departments and private firms are adopting AI tools to drive everything from mobility planning to healthcare delivery. That shift hints at something important: next year's list could well feature algorithm architects, AI ethicists, or founders building regional language models from scratch. What fintech was to 2018, AI may be to 2026.
Climate innovation is also coming into sharper focus. After COP28, green technology is no longer a sideline. It's a strategic pillar. That means future power players will likely come from companies developing low-carbon logistics, smart grid infrastructure, or regional clean energy storage. Investors backing these solutions – especially those tying them to measurable ESG outcomes – are set to rise.
Then there's space. The UAE's Mars Mission and Astronaut Programme are no longer symbolic – they're part of a national ambition. The impact isn't just scientific. It's industrial. Aerospace startups, data satellite firms, and advanced research labs are all gaining traction. Expect names from that ecosystem to appear on the 2026 Dubai 100.
This doesn't mean legacy sectors like real estate or retail are fading. It means they'll evolve – powered by digitisation, embedded data, and sustainability demands. Picture real estate developers who use AI for energy modelling. Or retail platforms designed around zero-emissions logistics. Power will favour those who merge the old and new, not one over the other.
Demographics will matter, too. The generational shift we saw in 2025 – where one in four figures were under 45 – won't reverse. It's the new normal. Expect even more founders, analysts, and technologists fluent in both policy and platforms.
If 2025's Dubai 100 was about convergence – across sectors, cultures, and identities – 2026 will be about expansion into frontier arenas. AI, climate, and space aren't just emerging fields. They're where Dubai's next wave of leadership will come from.
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