Eureka! GCC, a prominent business model competition in Asia, is set to return to Dubai with an expanded platform for its 2025 edition. This year’s competition has attracted over 300 startup registrations from across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and beyond, showcasing the region’s growing entrepreneurial spirit. The event will culminate in a Grand Finale scheduled for May 28-29, 2025, at the Al Habtoor City Hotel Collection in Dubai, where finalists will compete for prizes totaling $100 000.

After a thorough evaluation process, the Eureka! GCC team has selected the Top 30 semi-finalists, with participants representing a variety of sectors, including health-tech, fintech, sustainability, artificial intelligence, and education technology. Notable ventures among the semi-finalists include Nema AI, which focuses on AI-driven healthcare diagnostics; Payvista, which offers advanced fintech solutions for underserved markets; and Instawrap Technical Services, which creates sustainable packaging alternatives.

This year’s semi-finalists represent a diverse mix of backgrounds, featuring startups from the GCC countries such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Oman, as well as international participants from India, Jordan, Turkey, the UK, and Pakistan. These semi-finalists will engage in an intensive Entrepreneurship Program that includes hands-on workshops, speaker sessions with industry experts, and personalized mentorship to refine their business strategies and pitches.

During the Elevator Pitch round in Dubai, the Top 30 semi-finalists will present their ideas live to an audience comprising mentors and investors. From this round, the Top 10 finalists will advance to the final phase, where they will pitch their developed business models to a distinguished jury panel. The Grand Winners, which include First Place, Second Place, and the Startup Nominee Award, will be announced at the Grand Finale’s Gala Dinner, where a total prize pool of $100,000 will be distributed.

Prominent speakers at this year’s event include Trey Goede, CEO of WA’ED Ventures; Deepak Ahuja, CEO and Co-founder of iACCEL GBI; and Rajesh Garg, CFO of Landmark Group. These leaders will provide valuable insights into scaling startups, fundraising strategies, and navigating the evolving business landscape in the Gulf region. Eureka! GCC 2025 is supported by several associate partners, including iACCEL GBI, Crowe UAE, and Startup Middle East, who are playing key roles in mentorship and training initiatives for emerging entrepreneurs.

Pankaj Gupta, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Gulf Islamic Investments (GII) and Founder of Eureka! GCC, emphasized the importance of entrepreneurship in shaping the economic and social future of the Gulf. He expressed pride in the boldness and ingenuity displayed by young entrepreneurs, noting that their ventures address real-world challenges and contribute to lasting impact.

As Eureka! GCC 2025 moves closer to its grand finale, it highlights the innovative ideas and individuals that are transforming the entrepreneurial landscape in the Arabian Gulf. With a focus on emerging sectors and enhanced mentorship, this year’s competition aims to foster a dynamic, innovation-driven ecosystem, bolstered by Dubai’s supportive business environment.

Eureka! was initiated by the Entrepreneurship Cell of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay and is powered by Gulf Islamic Investments, which manages over $3.5 billion in assets. The initiative strives to create a low-risk environment that promotes entrepreneurship, bridging the gap between innovative ideas and successful enterprises.