Eureka! GCC 2025 announces competition lineup
Finalists to compete for prizes worth $100,000 at Grand Finale, 28-29 May 2025, Al Habtoor City Hotel Collection, Dubai
Dubai (UAE) – Eureka! GCC, Asia's leading business model competition, returns to Dubai this year with a bigger platform and broader ambitions to champion the Gulf's most promising startup ventures.
Since its inaugural edition, Eureka! GCC has evolved steadily into a transformative force for early-stage businesses, fostering entrepreneurial growth and community-driven innovation across the region. The competition has drawn over 300 registrations from across the GCC and beyond, reflecting the region's rising entrepreneurial momentum.
After a rigorous evaluation process, the Eureka! GCC team has shortlisted the Top 30 semi-finalists, spanning sectors from health-tech and fintech to sustainability, AI, and education technology. Standout ventures include Nema AI, developing AI-driven healthcare diagnostics; Payvista, offering next-generation fintech solutions for underserved markets; and Instawrap Technical Services, creating sustainable alternatives to traditional packaging.
Participants this year represent a truly global mix, with startups from the GCC; UAE, KSA, Oman and from international markets such as India, Jordan, Turkey, the UK, and Pakistan. The semi-finalists receive an intensive Entrepreneurship Program, featuring hands-on workshops, speaker sessions led by industry leaders, and one-on-one mentorship. They also benefit from tailored guidance to sharpen their strategies and pitches ahead of the final stages.
At the Elevator Pitch round in Dubai, the 30 semi-finalists present their ideas live before an audience of mentors and investors. The Top 10 finalists advance to the final phase of the competition, pitching their refined business models to a distinguished panel of jury members. The Grand Winners, including First Place, Second Place, and the Startup Nominee Award, will be announced during the Grand Finale's Gala Dinner, with a total prize pool of USD 100,000.
Among the notable speakers engaged in this year's program are Trey Goede, CEO of WA'ED Ventures; Deepak Ahuja, CEO & Co-founder of iACCEL GBI; and Rajesh Garg, CFO of Landmark Group — all offering invaluable insights on scaling startups, fundraising strategies, and navigating the Gulf's evolving business landscape. GII's associate partners for Eureka! GCC 2025 - iACCEL GBI, Crowe UAE, Headstart, Its Her Way, Encubay, LaunchShe, Startup Middle East, Diwan Hub, Bits Pilani and Ecobee - have also been instrumental in providing mentorship, training, and investment opportunities that are shaping the region's next generation of entrepreneurs.
Commenting on the 2025 edition, Pankaj Gupta, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Gulf Islamic Investments (GII) and Founder of Eureka! GCC, said: "At GII, we believe that entrepreneurship is the driving force shaping the Gulf's economic and social future. Each year, we are humbled by the boldness, ingenuity, and resilience we see among our young entrepreneurs. Their ventures are solutions to real-world challenges and catalysts for lasting impact. We are proud to stand behind this movement, alongside the visionary support of Dubai's leadership and our partners across the region."
As Eureka! GCC 2025 moves toward its grand finale, the spotlight remains firmly on the ideas and individuals reshaping the Arabian Gulf's entrepreneurial future. With an expanded focus on emerging sectors and deeper mentorship engagement, this year's competition is building a dynamic, innovation-driven ecosystem across the region, encouraged by Dubai's benevolent business-led environment.
About Eureka! GCC
Eureka! was founded by the Entrepreneurship Cell of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, a leading worldwide technology body, and powered by Gulf Islamic Investments (GII), a leading UAE-based Shari'ah-compliant global alternative investment company with over US$3.5 billion of assets under management. Eureka! GCC aims to enable a low-risk environment to boost entrepreneurship, bridging the gap between ideas and enterprise to facilitate a seamless transition between the two.
About Gulf Islamic Investments
Gulf Islamic Investments Group (GII) is a leading Shari'ah-compliant global alternative investment company. With over $3.5 billion of assets under management, GII seeks to achieve superior, sustainable returns and long-term value for its investors and shareholders by investing in curated growth and income-generating opportunities.
GII believes in 'innovation with a purpose' and works to build the sustainability of the ecosystem in which it operates. Under the leadership of a committed management team, supported by prominent shareholders from the Arabian Gulf region, GII deploys private capital across diverse alternative asset classes, including real estate, private equity, and venture capital. GII's client network includes UHNWIs, family offices, banks, institutions, and sovereign wealth funds in the GCC and Asia.
GII is headquartered in the United Arab Emirates. Its UAE entities are regulated by the Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA), the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) and the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA).
For more information, interviews, insights, and images please contact:
Dimple Menezes
dimple@yardstick-marketing.com
Yardstick Marketing Management
PO Box - 116125, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
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