ADIO Innovation Programme

ADIO Innovation Programme

Funds technology companies that commit real operations in Abu Dhabi through project-cost support and incentives across sectors.

The Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) Innovation Programme is a non-dilutive grant and incentive programme launched in 2020 under Abu Dhabi's Ghadan 21 economic stimulus plan, with a total fund of AED 2 billion (approximately USD 545 million). As of the most recent public reporting, AED 1 billion has been deployed across 37 companies, leaving approximately AED 1 billion available. The programme operates on a rolling basis with no fixed application deadlines; companies apply through the TAMM platform (tamm.abudhabi) at any point. Sector coverage spans information and communications technology (13 companies funded to date), agriculture technology (9 companies), health services and biopharma (8 companies), and financial services (7 companies), with additional coverage across climate, transportation, and food technology. Typical individual award sizes run AED 2 million to AED 10 million.

Financing combines project-cost grants covering 50 to 75 percent of eligible project costs, requiring 25 to 50 percent applicant co-funding from equity, revenue, or other capital sources, plus competitive financial incentives such as rebates on highly-skilled payroll and high-tech capital expenditure. Funds arrive in quarterly disbursements tied to milestone delivery rather than as a lump sum. Eligible costs include R&D, talent recruitment and relocation, computing and lab infrastructure, intellectual property development, and commercialisation activities. Eligibility requires a minimum of USD 1 million in annual revenue or credible venture-capital backing with demonstrated market validation, and commitment to establishing a real Abu Dhabi headquarters or major R&D centre and hiring at least 20 full-time employees within three years, with at least half being UAE nationals or residents.

The application journey typically runs six to twelve months end-to-end across six stages: initial consultation with ADIO specialists, formal TAMM submission, initial screening (four to six weeks), due-diligence review (eight to twelve weeks), negotiation and agreement finalisation, and quarterly disbursements. Required submission documents include a five-year business plan with financials, a technology roadmap, a MENA market analysis, letters of intent from UAE partners, proof of co-funding, and team biographies. Notable past recipients include Pure Harvest Smart Farms, Callsign, Lyve, and FreshToHome.