Six founders from Scotland have been selected for Techscaler's UAE Market Engagement Mission. From digital health platforms to AI-powered industrial solutions, discover the ambitious companies heading to Abu Dhabi in January 2026.
In just weeks, six of Scotland's most ambitious tech founders will arrive in Abu Dhabi, bringing innovations that could reshape industries across the UAE and beyond. This is Scottish ingenuity meeting Middle Eastern ambition, where transformative technology meets a market hungry for solutions.
The Power of Market-Ready Engagement: Why This Matters
The programme is about more than exploration - it's about execution. Each founder heading to Abu Dhabi has already started building relationships in the UAE market. They have customers, pilots, partnerships, or investment conversations underway. The mission is designed to accelerate what's already in motion, turning early traction into sustained commercial momentum.
The UAE represents more than just another market. For founders in health, energy, and fintech, it's a fast-moving, well-capitalised ecosystem with government-backed innovation initiatives actively seeking transformational technologies. Abu Dhabi provides a direct route into the Gulf's rapidly evolving landscape, where ambitious partners are ready to collaborate.
The Cohort: Six Companies Ready to Scale
24-31 January 2026
This cohort represents the breadth of Scottish innovation across three key sectors where the UAE is investing heavily: health and medtech, energy and climate tech, and fintech. What unites them? Real traction, ambitious vision, and the readiness to turn UAE engagement into long-term growth.
The Innovators Heading to Abu Dhabi:
Louise Martin, RigRun - RigRun is a digital health technology platform that enhances the physical, mental, and social wellbeing of remote and isolated workforces while supporting organisational ESG goals. Through team-based fitness challenges, personalised insights, and sustainable merchandise rewards, RigRun boosts morale, strengthens cohesion, and delivers measurable health and engagement outcomes across global rigs, vessels, and remote worksites.
Moray Melhuish, ScotAi - ScotAi delivers AI for Critical Industries, safely enhancing human performance when it really matters. Founded in 2024, ScotAi makes engineering intuitive and transforms the efficiency of engineers and technicians. Their software is used to accelerate performance in the Oil & Gas, Defence, Nuclear, Wind, Subsea and Mining sectors.
Steve Aitken, Intelligent Plant - Intelligent Plant has the mission to accelerate the adoption of key industrial data analytics for the benefit of the planet. Their platform, the Industrial App Store, solves the conflict between adopting advanced AI and maintaining strict data security in the energy sector by connecting disparate operational systems to analytics tools while giving clients total control over where their data resides.
Nassima Brown, FENNEX - Fennex is a multi-award-winning digital technology company transforming safety and operational decision-making in high-hazard energy industries. A King's Award for International Trade winner, Fennex combines AI, cloud-native platforms, and deep domain energy industry expertise to replace fragmented processes with intelligent, data-driven systems.
Nick Jones, Zumo Financial Services - Founded in 2018, Zumo is the UK's leading digital assets as a service platform enabling businesses launch and scale crypto services with speed and confidence. Their modular, API-first platform, Crypto Access, delivers everything banks, fintech, and crypto firms need to support entry and maintain access to the UK crypto market in line with regulatory requirements. Their award-winning Oxygen platform enables customers to comply with crypto sustainability mandates, quantify activity footprints, employ mitigation strategies and issue customer-facing proofs.
Scott Lawrie, Simple Online Healthcare - Founded in 2015 by local community pharmacists, Simple Online Healthcare offers a patient-first, clinically led, online healthcare service prescribing and delivering medications direct to consumers quickly, safely and conveniently. As a pioneer in digital healthcare, Simple Online Healthcare has combined pharmacist and prescribing expertise, community pharmacy insight and advanced technology to deliver outstanding patient care and is rated "excellent" on Trustpilot.
Why Abu Dhabi, Why Now?
The UAE is welcoming innovation, and actively building the infrastructure to support it. Government-backed initiatives, forward-thinking commercial partners, and a business culture that rewards bold thinking make Abu Dhabi an ideal market for founders ready to scale internationally.
For companies working in health tech, energy transition, and financial services, the timing couldn't be better. The UAE's long-term vision aligns perfectly with the solutions these founders are building. This mission will help them navigate the market's unique business culture, deepen existing relationships, and create clear pathways for sustained commercial engagement.
The one-week intensive programme includes pre-departure workshops, mentorship sessions with UAE experts, and full support throughout the week in-market. From networking events to strategic meetings, every element is designed to deliver real business outcomes.
The Journey Begins
In January, these six founders will immerse themselves in one of the world's most dynamic innovation ecosystems. They'll strengthen relationships, explore commercial opportunities, and return to Scotland with expanded networks and clear strategies for UAE market growth.
The mission runs from 24-31 January 2026, representing another milestone in Techscaler's commitment to connecting Scottish founders with the global markets where their innovations can thrive.
Interested in future international programmes? Join Techscaler today to access opportunities like this and connect with Scotland's most ambitious tech community.
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