The Full List of 5 Unicorn Startups in Dubai (2026)
Dubai is home to five unicorn startups, spanning industries from food delivery to digital advertising. Cloud kitchen startup Kitopi has raised $804M, while advertising network Aleph Group holds a $2B valuation.
The city's startup landscape also includes deep tech company XPANCEO, which is valued at $1.35B.
Below is the full list of 5 Dubai unicorn startups at this time.
Top 5 Most Valuable Dubai Unicorns
Aleph Group builds connections between the world's leading digital platforms and thousands of advertisers across emerging markets. They enable global advertising through a combination of local market expertise, educational resources, and specialized payment solutions.
| Valuation | $2B |
| Year Founded | 2005 |
| Founders | Gaston Taratuta |
| Funding Amount | $495M |
| Company Size | Major Organization (1,001-5,000) |
| Last Funding Status | Corporate Round |
| Top Investors | X (formerly Twitter), MercadoLibre, Snap, CVC Capital Partners, SMC |
Kitopi operates a network of cloud kitchens designed to help restaurants expand their delivery services. They handle the entire operational process from cooking to dispatch, allowing food brands to scale into new markets without physical storefronts.
| Valuation | $2B (Joined July 2021) |
| Year Founded | 2018 |
| Founders | Andres Arenas, Bader Ataya, Mohamad Ballout, Saman Darkan |
| Funding Amount | $804M |
| Company Size | Enterprise Organization (5,001+) |
| Last Funding Status | Series C |
| Top Investors | VentureSouq, BECO Capital, Endeavor Catalyst, Bossa Invest, SoftBank Vision Fund |
XPANCEO builds smart contact lenses that act as a complete interface for AI-powered extended reality. Their technology combines biosensing for health monitoring with practical features like night vision, zoom, and content streaming.
| Valuation | $1.35B (Joined July 2025) |
| Year Founded | 2021 |
| Founders | Roman Axelrod, Valentyn Volkov |
| Funding Amount | $290M |
| Company Size | Mid-Size Team (51-250) |
| Last Funding Status | Series A |
| Top Investors | Opportunity Venture |
Dubizzle Group operates a portfolio of classifieds and transactional marketplaces connecting communities in emerging markets. Their network includes major brands like OLX, Bayut, and Zameen, which specialize in high-value sectors like property and motors.
| Valuation | $1B (Joined April 2020) |
| Year Founded | 2015 |
| Founders | Imran Ali Khan, Zeeshan Ali Khan |
| Funding Amount | $479M |
| Company Size | Enterprise Organization (5,001+) |
| Last Funding Status | Private Equity |
| Top Investors | KCK, Prosus, Affinity Partners, Exor Ventures, OLX Group |
The Open Platform builds Web3 infrastructure that enables crypto applications and payments inside the Telegram messaging app. Their suite of TON-based tools gives developers a direct path to launch decentralized products for Telegram's millions of users.
| Valuation | $1B (Joined July 2025) |
| Year Founded | 2022 |
| Founders | — |
| Funding Amount | $28.5M |
| Company Size | Mid-Size Team (51-250) |
| Last Funding Status | Series A |
| Top Investors | Kingsway Capital, Vy Capital, Pantera Capital, Kevin Hu, Ribbit Capital |
