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Hub71 Launches Exclusive Capital Club In Abu Dhabi

The global tech ecosystem’s new venture will help family offices to access technology and startup investments in the region.

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hub71 launches exclusive capital club in abu dhabi
Hub71

Abu Dhabi’s tech ecosystem, Hub71, has just launched a new platform called Tech Barza, an exclusive capital club dedicated to increasing investment in technology companies and startups in the region.

The platform targets regional family offices for exclusive entry to Hub71’s community of nearly 200 startups, with an aim to accelerate funding. In 2021, $2.6 billion was generated across the MENA region for startup-related projects, representing a massive 138% improvement from the previous year. Tech Barza will help to continue this trend, helping startups and tech innovators to hook up with investors and get products to market faster.

The inaugural meetup of Tech Barza included leading family offices at Hub71, which is based in the international financial center Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM). Members of the exclusive club will gain access to pitch days, investor networks, and other business events, with many led by Hub71’s partner Mubadala Investment Company.

Also Read: 10 Best VPN Services For The Middle East (Free & Paid)

“The private sector has a key role in shaping the next 50 years of our nation, and family offices are, without a doubt, the heartbeat of the economy. With the launch of Tech Barza, we will not just support the economic growth of the region, but we will also bring diversity and inclusivity to family offices, removing the misconception of crowding out, and reinforcing the mission of knowledge sharing,” says Badr Al-Olama, Acting Chief Executive Officer of Hub71.

Since the launch of Hub71 in 2019, the global tech ecosystem has channeled AED 3.2 billion into the startup community and secured funding to grow several sustainable ventures which will positively impact the UAE’s capital.

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LUVED Is A New Curated Preloved Marketplace For The UAE

Sellers keep 100 percent of every sale and AI can build a listing in five seconds — though the app’s smartest tools are still coming.

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luved is a new curated preloved marketplace for the uae

Secondhand shopping has become mainstream in the UAE, but the experience is still scattered across resale sites, social media and informal group chats. LUVED, a mobile-first marketplace that launched in Dubai this month, is betting it can pull that activity into one place — and that the thing buyers and sellers actually want is not more inventory, but trust.

The app trades in what it calls circular luxury: preloved fashion and lifestyle pieces across men’s, women’s and children’s categories, bought, sold or given away peer to peer. Its main pitch is economics, with sellers keeping 100 percent of every sale under a zero-commission, fast payout model, while buyers are promised vetted pieces at lower prices.

Where LUVED is staking its reputation is verification. Sellers pass a KYC check, and items run through a two-layer authentication system powered by Entrupy that pairs instant AI screening with human expert review for high-value pieces. Authenticity certificates travel with each item, payments sit in escrow, and a buyer-protection package the company calls The Safety Net adds a 48-hour return window and dispute resolution. Door-to-door logistics removes the in-person meetups that make most resale deals awkward.

An in-app assistant called Luvbot — offering selling insights and demand-based recommendations — is soon to be introduced to the platform. Other features include autofill and dynamic pricing that lets users build a listing in as little as five seconds from three photos, plus a swipe-based feed, story-style drops and in-app chat in English and Arabic. Finally, a gifting layer, Luved & Gifted, lets users pass items to others inside the app rather than sell them.

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“After moving to Dubai, I saw how difficult it was to sell or even give things away,” says founder and CEO Shaima Sibtain. The friction is real, and so is the competition. In resale, trust is won transaction by transaction — and that is the test LUVED has set itself.

The app is live on the App Store now, with Google Play to follow. The company also plans to expand across the region, which will be the real test for a marketplace staking everything on trust.

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