Following three successful cohorts led by Boeing and supported by industry partners, the programme will now be run in partnership with Tawazun Economic Council, the defence and security acquisitions authority of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Startups from anywhere in the world working on digital services and solutions are welcome to apply from 15th August 2022. Applications close on 25th September 2022.

Focus on innovation is a shared value between Aerospace Xelerated and Tawazun, and this partnership supports their joint mission to empower entrepreneurs to develop ideas that solve real-life challenges and move the aerospace industry forward. 

Located in Abu Dhabi, Tawazun serves as the catalyst for both economic growth and the development of the UAE defence and security industry. Through this programme, Tawazun looks forward to advising and partnering with startups as they navigate their way into new markets in the Middle East. Tawazun will be an advocate and function as a trusted guide to companies, providing market expansion support, aiding in new product development and facilitating local industry connections to provide startups with an opportunity to increase their market share. 

Startups accepted into the programme will have the option to benefit from a £100K investment from Boeing, with potential for additional funding from partners throughout the region. They will also have access to strategists and technical experts from industry that support in developing proof of concept opportunities. 

Through Aerospace Xelerated, startups will be introduced to a network of angel investors, venture capitalists and key stakeholders amongst the aerospace industry, throughout the 12-week programme. Successful companies will also receive mentoring from a global network of experienced entrepreneurs, mentors, and investors, plus more than £100K in programme perks from partners including startup providers Oracle, Amazon, HubSpot, Digital Ocean and many more. 

Aerospace Xelerated is looking for startups in the digital services and solutions area. Companies must be mid-late seed-stage; preferably working on software solutions; and at a traction-stage with proof of concepts (POCs), contracts already in place, revenue and/or letter of intents (LOIs). The programme does not require the startups to be operating in the aerospace sector.

Nichola Bates, Managing Partner at Aerospace Xelerated and Head of Global Accelerators and Innovation Programs at Boeing, said: “This partnership between Aerospace Xelerated, Tawazun and Boeing is a further testament to our global presence and our commitment to supporting entrepreneurs and innovation irrespective of their country of origin. When it comes to global startup hotspots, few places are as exciting as the UAE. It’s hard to match the extraordinary mix of dynamism, growth, tech, strategic location, and government incentives that the Emirates has to offer. Having the programme launch out of the UAE will provide further market access not only to the UAE, but to all of the Middle East, Turkey and Africa regions thanks to the strategic geographical location, as well as the global expansion initiatives that the UAE has accomplished to date.”

Abdullah Al Awani, Executive Director of Economic Partnerships at Tawazun Economic Council, said: “Tawazun is committed to the promotion of innovation. Through a continued focus on technology, we aim to increase efficiency, drive industry best practices and support SME growth. We are very excited and proud of our partnership with Aerospace Xelerated on their fourth Cohort as it perfectly aligns with our mission to drive economic value, facilitate ecosystem growth, and empower technology and people who are innovating.”

Since launching in 2019, startups involved in the three previous Aerospace Xelerated cohorts have gone on to raise over £100M in additional funding and create over 150 jobs across the UK and globally. Organisations to work with past cohorts as partners or mentors include PWC, Frazer-Nash, Chevron Technology Ventures and EasyJet.