In January 2026, six Techscaler companies travelled to Abu Dhabi for a week-long market engagement mission. The programme provided structured access to key stakeholders, live pitching opportunities, and practical, on-the-ground insight that is difficult to replicate remotely.
Why the UAE?
The UAE has quietly become one of the most accessible and well-resourced markets for international tech founders. Government-led innovation infrastructure - from Hub71 in Abu Dhabi to the UAE Ministry of Investment - sits alongside genuine appetite for energy, health, fintech, and AI solutions from Scottish companies. For founders looking to move beyond the UK and European markets, it offers something rare: a relationship-first business culture, strong capital availability, and a gateway to wider Middle Eastern and global markets.
For Scottish companies specifically, the ties run deeper than most realise before they land. A reception at the British Ambassador's residence during the week drew a room full of Scottish alumni now embedded across UAE institutions, business and government - proof that the Scotland–UAE connection is well-established and well-disposed towards incoming founders.
The Cohort
Six businesses made the trip:
- Louise Martin - RigRun
- Moray Melhuish - ScotAI
- Steve Aitken - Intelligent Plant
- Nassima Brown - Fennex
- Nick Jones - Zumo Financial Services
- Scott Lawrie - Simple Online Healthcare
What the Week Included
The programme combined structured market access with deliberate space for participant-led activity:
- Welcome Workshop to align the cohort, surface shared contacts, and set goals for the week
- Pitching and roundtable event at the UAE Ministry of Investment, facilitated by the Directorate of International Trade and Investment, with Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes in attendance and representatives from three different Emirates in the room
- British Council reception at the British Ambassador's residence, celebrating Scottish alumni in the UAE
- Curated networking evening in Dubai, hosted by serial entrepreneur and Techscaler mentor Moe Hanafy with 20 contacts matched to the cohort's sectors
Throughout the week, founders ran their own meetings in parallel. One founder had already secured a meeting with a VP at a major oil company before the programme formally began - a strong early signal of market fit and founder readiness.
What The Cohort Found
The pitching event at the Ministry of Investment was a highlight; with Kate Forbes speaking and Ministry representatives asking substantive questions, the cohort gained a level of government-facing visibility that would take months, if not years, to access independently, made possible through the support and funding of the Scottish Government and the Department for International Trade and Investment, enabling cohort members to engage directly with senior stakeholders and showcase their businesses on a highly credible international stage.
The legal and market briefings came early and in practical form. Mishcon de Reya's newly established Abu Dhabi team offered insight on free zones, common pitfalls, and how to structure market entry. For one of the cohort participants, who had never visited the UAE before, the session answered specific questions he'd been researching in advance. Hugh Fraser, an Aberdonian lawyer based in Abu Dhabi since 2003, provided his annual Roadmap to Successful Ventures in the Middle East - now in the Techscaler programme library for future cohorts.
The cohort also found value in each other. One cohort member was navigating a talent challenge common to companies at scaling stage - finding growth marketers with real scale-up experience. A conversation at dinner led to a direct introduction to another cohort member, who built and now leads a team of 25 from exactly that background. Peer-to-peer value, created in real time.
What Founders Took Away
"As a female founder, taking part in the Techscaler UAE Market Engagement Mission gave me the confidence to step into a new global region as part of a trusted delegation. Being supported by Techscaler allowed me to learn quickly, build meaningful relationships, and understand how to navigate the UAE market in a culturally respectful and effective way. It's an opportunity I may not have pursued alone, and the experience has genuinely accelerated both my confidence and our international ambitions. I would absolutely recommend it to other Scotland-based founders looking to scale globally." - Louise Martin, RigRun
Beyond individual meetings, the week produced a recalibrated sense of what's possible. One participant was introduced to the Abu Dhabi police force - who have a declared interest in AI - through the British Council reception. That kind of warm, trust-based introduction doesn't happen through cold outreach.
The informal moments delivered too. A lunch that overran. A connection made through a chance mention in the Welcome Workshop. The networking evening in Dubai, where Moe Hanafy's curated room of 20 contacts opened conversations across every sector represented in the cohort. The UAE rewards relationship-first engagement, and the programme was designed to enable exactly that.
What's Next
The relationships built during the week are the foundation, not the finish line. Participants are now following up on conversations, with several exploring return visits and more formal market entry steps, aligned with the Scottish Government’s wider Scotland–UAE engagement in the region. For Techscaler, the mission also established lasting infrastructure for future cohorts, including strengthened in-market relationships, activated local connections and early exploration of potential future workspaces. Together, this groundwork supports clearer pathways for future missions and a more sustained presence across the UAE ecosystem.
The UAE is a priority market for some Scottish businesses with existing UK traction and global ambitions, and this mission demonstrated a model that can be built on to make future cohorts even more effective.For the opportunity to join our next international cohort, sign up to become a Techscaler member for free today.
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