DLD and Second Century Ventures Launch REACH Middle East, a Real Estate Tech Accelerator Funding Up to $1.5M for 10 Startups with Mentorship and Pilot Opportunities

DLD and Second Century Ventures Launch REACH Middle East, a Real Estate Tech Accelerator Funding Up to $1.5M for 10 Startups with Mentorship and Pilot Opportunities

Dubai is advancing its real estate technology ambitions through a bold public-private partnership that stitches together government leadership, private investment, and a global proptech network. The Dubai Land Department (DLD) has joined forces with Second Century Ventures, the strategic investment arm of the National Association of Realtors, to inaugurate REACH Middle East, a dedicated accelerator designed to accelerate innovation across real estate technology. The program marks a deliberate step by Dubai to cultivate a thriving ecosystem where startups can test, refine, and scale solutions that address pressing industry needs. The invitation is now open for the program’s inaugural cohort, with the opportunity to secure a share of up to $1.5 million in total funding for selected ventures. This initiative represents more than a funding line; it is a comprehensive development track that combines seed capital, structured mentorship, and hands-on pilots with real estate developers and government agencies. The eight-month curriculum is tailored to nurture up to ten revenue-generating startups, spanning the journey from seed-stage to Series A, and to accelerate their growth with a mix of capital, strategic guidance, and market access.

Overview and Objectives of REACH Middle East

REACH Middle East is designed to serve as a catalyst for real estate technology breakthroughs that can transform not just Dubai or the United Arab Emirates, but the broader Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The accelerator is being steered by two seasoned real estate tech entrepreneurs, Siddiq Farid and Karim Helal, who bring hands-on experience in scaling technology-enabled real estate ventures. The program’s architecture envisions a tightly coordinated eight-month path that supports up to ten startups. Each selected company can access seed capital of as much as $250,000, a substantial initial infusion intended to de-risk critical early-stage product development and market-entry activities. In addition to this financial backing, participants will receive mentorship from seasoned industry veterans, executives, and technologists who understand the complexities of combining property workflows with software, data, and connected devices. The initiative also offers access to pilot programs with a network of real estate developers and government agencies, enabling startups to test their technologies in live environments and to generate demonstrable value through real-world deployments. The ultimate aim is to enable these startups to scale across the region and, where feasible, extend their reach to international markets. The program’s success is anchored in a structured cycle that blends funding with experiential learning, hands-on pilots, and a stepping-stone path toward broader commercialization. The DLD emphasizes that REACH Middle East is not merely about financing; it is about embedding startups within a robust ecosystem that can accelerate adoption, reduce time-to-market, and create durable competitive advantages for the wider property tech landscape. The program sits within Dubai’s larger vision of digital transformation, connectivity, and modern governance, and it is designed to complement ongoing efforts to digitalize public services, supply chains, and infrastructure assets that underpin the real estate sector. The collaboration with Second Century Ventures adds a global perspective, ensuring that regional innovations have visibility and resonance beyond the Gulf and the immediate Middle East. This alignment amplifies the potential for cross-border partnerships, technology transfer, and investment opportunities that can benefit both startups and established players in the region. The DLD’s leadership underscores that the accelerator will act as a bridge linking entrepreneurial energy with the region’s policy frameworks, industry standards, and long-term developmental goals. In this sense, REACH Middle East is positioned as a strategic instrument within the broader UAE Digital Economy Strategy, the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, and the Dubai Real Estate Sector Strategy 2033, all of which seek to embed technology, data, and digital platforms at the core of economic growth. Collectively, these frameworks envision a future where innovation, efficiency, and transparency in real estate operations contribute to the national economy in tangible and measurable ways, including potentially adding tens of billions of dollars of value over time. The initiative also resonates with regional ecosystem-building efforts such as Abu Dhabi’s Hub71 and Saudi Arabia’s extensive innovation program linked to Vision 2030, including flagship nodes like the NEOM Innovation Hub and activities tied to the Saudi Real Estate Development Fund. By anchoring REACH Middle East within this dynamic network, the program aims to generate a ripple effect that extends well beyond its eight-month cycle and into the broader real estate technology landscape across the region.

REACH Middle East’s leadership shares a forward-looking perspective about how the accelerator will function as a magnet for entrepreneurs. Dr. Mahmoud AlBurai, who heads Policies and Innovation at DLD, emphasizes that Dubai’s capital, policy environment, and regulatory clarity create a unique environment in which startups can experiment, iterate, and scale rapidly. He frames the accelerator as a vehicle to unlock practical, scalable solutions that address real-world challenges in real estate and adjacent fields. He also notes that the program will serve as a proving ground for technologies that can improve efficiency, sustainability, and governance in property markets, which align with the city’s strategic priorities. The initiative is not designed in isolation; it is part of a robust, ongoing effort to foster a digital-first real estate ecosystem where public and private actors collaborate to unlock new value propositions for tenants, buyers, developers, and policymakers alike.

Siddiq Farid, managing director of REACH Middle East, articulates a vision that the region is at the vanguard of real estate innovation. He points to the MENA region’s rapid adoption of new technologies as a key driver of transformation in property management, construction, sustainability, and asset optimization. Farid asserts that REACH Middle East will provide startups with a structured platform to address concrete industry needs, enabling them to deliver solutions that are not only technically sound but also practically adoptable within the local regulatory and market context. The program’s emphasis on revenue-generating startups reflects a deliberate focus on ventures with a clear business model and scalable pathways to growth, ensuring that success stories can serve as evidence-based benchmarks for further investment and replication in nearby markets.

Second Century Ventures, as the strategic investment arm of the National Association of Realtors, brings an international track record of supporting real estate technology ecosystems across multiple markets. Dave Garland, a managing partner at Second Century Ventures, highlights REACH as a unique opportunity for startups to join a transformative ecosystem that can shape the future trajectory of real estate technology in the MENA region and beyond. Garland notes that SCV has a history of nurturing companies that go on to become leaders in proptech, and that its participation in REACH Middle East offers participants access to a worldwide network of peers, mentors, and potential pilots. The goal is to help ambitious startups connect with the right partners, gain visibility, and accelerate their product-market fit in both regional and global contexts. The collaboration envisages a virtuous loop where successful pilots demonstrate value, attract further investment, and spur additional program iterations, creating a sustainable pipeline for innovation across the region.

Applications for the REACH Middle East accelerator are open to startups meeting the program’s criteria, and selections will be guided by a comprehensive evaluation framework. The route to acceptance involves an assessment of the startup’s technology readiness, market potential, leadership team, and ability to execute in the context of the real estate and construction sectors. Applicants will be evaluated for their alignment with the accelerator’s thematic focus on AI, IoT, and blockchain-enabled solutions across real estate, construction, sustainability, and property management. A critical factor will be the startup’s existing traction, revenue generation, and readiness to participate in pilots with large-scale developers and public sector bodies. The program emphasizes the importance of cross-border applicability, meaning that startups with scalable models that could be adapted to multiple markets within the Middle East and globally are particularly well-positioned. Prospective participants should prepare a clear business plan, a robust technology roadmap, and a compelling value proposition that demonstrates measurable benefits such as cost reductions, efficiency improvements, or enhanced sustainability outcomes. The DLD and SCV teams stress that the selection process will be rigorous, with a focus on long-term impact, sustainability, and the potential to catalyze a broader transformation of the region’s real estate economy.

Strategic Context and Economic Alignment

The REACH Middle East program exists at a nexus of strategic economic directives designed to propel the UAE and the wider Gulf region toward more advanced, digital-driven growth trajectories. The UAE has articulated an ambitious digital economy strategy that foregrounds the digitization of services, data-driven policymaking, and the creation of a governance environment that fosters innovation while maintaining high standards of security and privacy. In Dubai, these ambitions are reflected in the Dubai Economic Agenda 2033, known as D33, which outlines concrete steps to diversify the economy and accelerate growth through technology-enabled ventures, advanced manufacturing, logistics optimization, and smart city initiatives. The Real Estate Sector Strategy 2033 further anchors real estate development in a knowledge-based, technology-enabled framework, recognizing that the built environment must be smarter, more efficient, and more responsive to the needs of residents, businesses, and investors. By aligning REACH Middle East with these macroeconomic strategies, the DLD and its partners are seeking to leverage public policy instruments, regulatory clarity, and government procurement channels to accelerate adoption of proptech solutions. The initiative is designed to contribute to a larger goal of increasing the value generated by the national economy, with projections indicating potential additions exceeding tens of billions of dollars in new value across sectors connected to real estate, construction, and urban development.

This accelerator also complements regional initiatives that aim to create a more interconnected technology ecosystem across the Gulf and the wider Middle East. Abu Dhabi’s Hub71, for example, is a broad-based technology and entrepreneurship hub that supports startups through mentorship, investment, and access to corporate partnerships. Similarly, Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 ecosystem includes a wide array of innovation hubs that foster collaboration between government, academia, and industry. The NEOM Innovation Hub and the Saudi Real Estate Development Fund constitute critical elements of this regional strategy, providing platforms where cutting-edge technologies can be piloted and scaled in ambitious new developments. By situating REACH Middle East within a broader network that spans these pioneering initiatives, the program increases the likelihood that participating startups will gain visibility and access to high-profile pilots, customers, and potential strategic alliances. The cross-pollination among hubs can also help standardize best practices in real estate technology, while facilitating the exchange of data, insights, and technical know-how across markets with similar growth trajectories and regulatory frameworks. The DLD’s leadership has underscored that Dubai’s supportive ecosystem, combined with a regional and global network, creates a powerful backdrop for proptech experimentation, enabling startups to test products in a real-world environment that reflects both domestic priorities and international ambitions.

The strategic alignment also reinforces the UAE’s ambition to be a global leader in digital government and smart urban development. The UAE’s approach emphasizes a data-driven, customer-centric model in which government agencies collaborate with private sector players to deliver improved outcomes for citizens and enterprises. In the context of REACH Middle East, this means pilots that integrate with municipal services, building permitting processes, energy management systems, and other public-sector functions that can benefit from automation, better data interoperability, and enhanced decision-making. Dubai’s emphasis on innovation ecosystems means that programs like REACH can serve as testbeds for scalable, exportable solutions that not only support local needs but also demonstrate the region’s capabilities to international markets. The strategic approach is designed to create a virtuous cycle: successful deployments generate evidence-based case studies, which attract further investment and policy support, enabling more startups to participate and scale in subsequent cohorts. In turn, this strengthens the region’s reputation as a hub for responsible, impact-focused proptech development, attracting global partners and investors who are seeking to align with high-potential opportunities in one of the world’s most dynamic property markets.

Focus Areas, Technologies, and Pilot Opportunities

At the core of REACH Middle East is a deliberate emphasis on technologies that can transform the real estate lifecycle, from construction and development to asset management and sustainability. The accelerator prioritizes startups that apply advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, and blockchain to address critical challenges in real estate, construction, sustainability, and property management. Artificial intelligence is expected to power advanced analytics, predictive maintenance, demand forecasting, tenant experience optimization, and automated decision-making across property portfolios. The Internet of Things will enable deeper connectivity among buildings, assets, and infrastructure, providing real-time monitoring, energy management, and resilience capabilities that can lower operating costs and reduce waste. Blockchain technology is anticipated to facilitate secure, transparent, and auditable transactions, simplify title and lease workflows, and enable more trusted data governance across property ecosystems. The accelerator’s technology focus is intentionally broad to capture a wide range of use cases, including but not limited to smart building automation, asset performance management, energy efficiency, supply chain transparency for construction materials, and tenant engagement platforms.

Beyond the technology core, REACH Middle East seeks to attract startups that can deliver tangible benefits across multiple stakeholders. This includes developers, property managers, tenants, investors, and government agencies that oversee zoning, permitting, and public-private partnership initiatives. The program’s architecture emphasizes practical, real-world testing through pilot programs with real estate developers and government bodies. These pilots are designed to generate measurable outcomes, such as reduced energy consumption, improved occupancy rates, faster permitting cycles, or streamlined leasing processes. Mentorship is tailored to address both technical and go-to-market dimensions, helping startups refine product-market fit, establish pricing strategies, and design scalable business models that can withstand regulatory and competitive pressures. The program also provides exposure to REACH’s global alumni network, which includes more than 330 companies across various markets. This network serves as a conduit for knowledge sharing, potential partnerships, and market-entry opportunities, allowing startups to learn from the experiences of peers who have navigated similar challenges in other geographies.

The emphasis on cross-border scalability is a deliberate strategy to ensure that successful solutions in Dubai can be adapted to other markets within the MENA region and beyond. The program offers a pathway for startups to expand into neighboring markets where regulatory regimes, market needs, and customer behavior may share similarities. This strategic orientation supports a broader regional ambition to unify the proptech ecosystem and accelerate adoption across a connected set of markets with similar structural characteristics in property markets and urban development. In addition to capital and pilots, participants benefit from high-level visibility at major trade shows and industry forums, where they can showcase their technologies, connect with potential buyers, and receive feedback from a diverse audience of professionals, policymakers, and investors. The accelerator’s structure is designed to maximize knowledge transfer, network effects, and practical outcomes, rather than merely delivering a financial incentive. By combining technology, mentorship, pilots, and network access, REACH Middle East seeks to create a durable pipeline of innovation that can influence how real estate is conceived, constructed, and managed in the region for years to come.

Siddiq Farid emphasizes that the MENA region is uniquely positioned as a hotbed of real estate innovation, driven by a combination of rapid urbanization, digital adoption, and policy support for startup ecosystems. He notes that REACH Middle East will function as a catalyst to empower startups to address real-world problems with deployable solutions. The program’s design prioritizes practical impact, enabling ventures to validate their products in the field, demonstrate measurable improvements, and build a track record that can attract additional private equity and venture investment. The inclusion of pilots with both developers and government agencies adds a dual dimension to the program: it creates real-market opportunities for startups and fosters constructive engagement with policymakers who shape the regulatory landscape in which these technologies operate. Farid argues that the accelerator will help bridge the gap between innovation and implementation, accelerating the adoption of proptech innovations that can enhance efficiency, sustainability, and resilience in real estate across the region. He believes that by starting in Dubai, REACH Middle East can set a benchmark for regional adoption and create a replicable blueprint for other markets seeking to harness technology to transform their real estate sectors.

Second Century Ventures brings global reach and a proven track record in supporting real estate technology ecosystems through accelerator models that connect startups with pilots, partners, and investors. Their involvement signals a commitment to high standards of execution, rigorous due diligence, and a disciplined approach to scaling. The firm’s network and experience create valuable opportunities for REACH participants to engage with a broader community of proptech practitioners, developers, and investors. Garland notes that REACH offers a unique opportunity for startups to become part of a transformative ecosystem—one that can propel them toward leadership in their respective niches and enable them to influence the future of real estate across the MENA region and beyond. This alignment reinforces a shared belief that the region’s proptech potential can be accelerated by combining local context and regulatory clarity with global best practices, cross-market learnings, and international partnerships.

Applications for the REACH Middle East accelerator are open to eligible startups and will be evaluated through a structured process designed to identify ventures with the greatest potential for impact and scale. Applicants should be prepared to articulate a clear value proposition, a credible business model, and a compelling plan for how their technology will transform real estate workflows or outcomes. The program’s organizers are seeking companies that demonstrate product-market fit, traction in the form of revenue or partnerships, and the leadership capability to drive growth through the accelerator period and into subsequent funding rounds. The emphasis on regional relevance, scalability, and alignment with strategic economic goals means that selected startups will be well-positioned to benefit from the ecosystem’s existing strengths, including access to pilot sites, regulatory alignment, and connections to potential customers and partners across the Gulf and wider Middle East.

Program Structure, Benefits, and Deliverables

The REACH Middle East accelerator is structured as an eight-month program designed to maximize learning, experimentation, and commercialization outcomes for participating startups. Over this period, each cohort will be exposed to a carefully curated mix of mentorship, educational sessions, hands-on product development work, and real-world pilots. The program’s format prioritizes a balance between strategic guidance and practical execution, ensuring that startups make tangible progress on their product roadmaps while also developing the go-to-market strategies necessary to monetize their solutions. The seed funding component of up to $250,000 per company is intended to address essential early-stage needs, including product development costs, pilot deployment expenses, and initial market validation activities. In addition to capital, participants gain access to a robust mentorship network that includes experienced operators, technology experts, real estate executives, and policy professionals who can offer insights into market dynamics, regulatory considerations, and growth strategies. This mentorship is designed to help startups navigate the complexities of selling to developers, property managers, and government agencies, as well as refining their pricing models and contract terms to align with public sector procurement processes and private sector expectations.

A central feature of the program is the opportunity to participate in pilots with real estate developers and government agencies. These pilots are designed to deliver data-backed learnings that validate a startup’s value proposition and demonstrate real-world impact. By working directly with pilots, startups can refine technical performance, demonstrate scalability, and collect evidence that can support future fundraising efforts. The program also includes exposure to REACH’s global network of alumni, a community that comprises more than 330 companies across multiple markets. This network provides ongoing opportunities for collaboration, partnership development, and knowledge sharing, enabling participants to leverage lessons learned from a diverse set of experiences. The combination of capital, mentorship, and real-world testing creates a comprehensive growth engine that can accelerate a startup’s journey from seed stage toward Series A funding and beyond.

The emphasis on region-wide and international expansion means that pioneering participants will receive visibility at major industry events and forums, helping them to connect with potential customers, strategic investors, and corporate partners. The program’s leadership highlights that Dubai serves as a launching pad for solutions that can resonate throughout the Middle East and beyond, ensuring that successful ventures can gain traction in multiple markets with similar regulatory and consumer dynamics. The cross-border ambition is carefully managed to avoid market fragmentation while ensuring that the most successful solutions are adaptable enough to withstand different regulatory environments and business cultures. The program’s design also recognizes the importance of sustainability, responsible innovation, and ethical data governance, ensuring that technologies deployed in real estate contexts uphold privacy protections, security standards, and environmental considerations. This aligns with the broader governance framework that governs digital transformation in the UAE and the wider region.

In addition to the core elements of funding, mentorship, and pilots, REACH Middle East provides startups with opportunities to showcase their technologies at prominent trade shows and industry gatherings. This exposure is intended to accelerate market validation, enable direct feedback from industry stakeholders, and drive early customer acquisition. The inclusion of a global alumni network ensures that participating startups can benefit from ongoing knowledge exchange and potential partnership development beyond the eight-month program. The program’s organizers intend to cultivate a strong sense of community among cohorts, fostering collaboration and mutual support as startups progress through the accelerator and move toward broader commercialization. The well-rounded approach seeks to create an enduring proptech ecosystem that remains vibrant long after the program concludes, with alumni continuing to contribute to the evolving landscape through partnerships, investment, and open innovation collaborations.

The collaboration with Second Century Ventures adds an additional layer of expertise and a trail of successful outcomes for REACH Middle East participants. SCV’s involvement includes mentoring, strategic guidance, and access to a global network of proptech professionals and investors. The partnership aims to unlock cross-market opportunities, enabling startups to identify and pursue pilot opportunities beyond the Gulf region. The objective is to help participants move from localized pilots to scalable deployments, with a structured pathway that supports fundraising, go-to-market execution, and product iteration. The combined strength of DLD’s regulatory and civic leadership, SCV’s investor-backed dynamics, and REACH’s global network creates a unique platform for proptech startups to accelerate their growth trajectory in an increasingly digital, data-driven real estate economy. The program’s design underscores the importance of measurable outcomes, including revenue growth, market expansion, and the adoption of innovative technologies by mainstream industry players.

Leadership Voices, Global Network, and Ecosystem Impact

The REACH Middle East program benefits from the leadership and vision of experienced figures in government, industry, and investment. Dr. Mahmoud AlBurai’s role as head of Policies and Innovation at DLD frames the accelerator within a policy environment that values experimentation, accountability, and results-driven digital transformation. His emphasis on aligning the accelerator with broader national strategies signals a commitment to ensuring that startups’ progress translates into tangible benefits for the market and the public sector. The DLD’s perspective is complemented by the practical insights of Siddiq Farid, whose leadership at REACH Middle East reflects a deep understanding of the real estate technology landscape and the needs of developers, asset managers, and tenants. Farid’s experience in scaling tech-enabled real estate ventures positions him to guide startups through the complexities of integration with existing property operations, data platforms, and building management systems. His focus on practical impact and regional relevance reinforces the program’s aim to deliver workstreams that can be implemented at scale and produce measurable improvements in efficiency, sustainability, and occupant experience.

Dave Garland of Second Century Ventures brings the advantage of a globally connected proptech ecosystem. SCV’s reputation as one of the most active real estate tech funds worldwide, with a broad portfolio and an array of relationships across markets, provides REACH participants with access to networks, pilots, and potential co-investors. Garland notes that REACH offers a unique opportunity for startups to be part of a transformative ecosystem, inviting ambitious founders to apply and to position themselves among the next generation of proptech leaders. The emphasis on global reach is deliberate: while the program is anchored in Dubai and the UAE, it has been designed to connect startups with markets that share similar growth dynamics and regulatory environments, thereby enabling cross-border expansion and knowledge exchange. The collaborative approach aims to maximize the chance that cohort participants will not only achieve early commercial traction but also establish durable partnerships that can support long-term growth.

REACH Middle East’s framework invites startups to participate in a multi-faceted journey that blends capital infusion, mentorship, real-world pilots, and international exposure. The program is designed to create a pipeline of high-potential ventures that can contribute to Dubai’s status as a hub for innovation, as well as to the broader regional economy’s resilience and productivity. By leveraging the expertise of DLD, SCV, and a growing network of alumni, REACH Middle East aspires to catalyze a new era of proptech-enabled modernization, enabling more efficient building operations, smarter asset management, sustainable development practices, and improved experiences for occupants and stakeholders. The program’s impact is expected to extend beyond the eight-month cycle by fostering ongoing collaborations, catalyzing follow-on investments, and encouraging the adoption of best practices across markets with shared opportunities and challenges.

Applications for the REACH Middle East accelerator are open, inviting startups with the ambition and capability to contribute to the region’s real estate technology evolution. Applicants are encouraged to present compelling technical capabilities, robust market propositions, and a plan for how their solutions can be deployed in practice through pilots and partnerships with developers and public authorities. The program’s emphasis on scalable models, cross-market relevance, and the potential to deliver measurable outcomes positions REACH Middle East as a critical gateway for startups seeking to establish a strong foothold in the Middle East’s proptech landscape and beyond.

Application Process and Eligibility

Prospective participants should prepare to engage in a rigorous selection process designed to identify startups with the strongest potential to deliver impact and scale. The program seeks revenue-generating ventures or those with clear trajectories toward generating revenue within a reasonably short period. Startups that demonstrate strong leadership, a credible business model, and a vision for how their technology can address real estate industry challenges are most likely to resonate with the program’s evaluators. Given the program’s emphasis on AI, IoT, and blockchain-enabled solutions, applicants should show how their technology integrates with existing workflows, data ecosystems, and decision-making processes within real estate, construction, sustainability, and property management sectors. The ability to articulate a clear path to pilots, adoption by developers or government agencies, and subsequent funding rounds will be critical to an applicant’s success. The selection criteria will likely include the startup’s current traction, product readiness, team strength, market potential, the viability of the business model, and the startup’s capacity to participate in an eight-month intensive program. While the exact timeline for the selection process is not detailed here, interested startups should prepare comprehensive materials that articulate not only a compelling value proposition but also a robust operational plan for pilots and green-field deployments. The official portal for applications will guide applicants through the submission process, including the required documents, timelines, and criteria used for evaluation. Applicants should be aware that participation will require commitment to an eight-month program, ongoing collaboration with mentors and partner organizations, and active involvement in pilots that may occur across different locations within Dubai and potentially in other markets across the region. The program’s organizers stress the importance of aligning with Dubai’s strategic priorities for digital transformation and the region’s broader innovation agenda, ensuring that selected startups contribute to measurable outcomes and scalable impact.

Applications can be submitted through the official REACH Middle East portal. The portal will provide detailed information about eligibility, program milestones, selection criteria, and the investment terms beyond the seed capital, along with guidelines for preparing pitches and business plans. Startups considering this opportunity should assemble a compelling case that highlights problem statements, technology enablers, customer segments, and a practical route to market. The submission should demonstrate how the venture will leverage the eight-month accelerator to accelerate product development, pilot testing, and revenue generation. It should also articulate how the company intends to leverage the REACH ecosystem to access pilots with developers and government entities, and how it plans to scale regionally and globally after the program concludes. The REACH Middle East program is positioned as a bold step toward catalyzing innovation within Dubai’s real estate sector, with a clear commitment to delivering tangible outcomes that strengthen the region’s competitiveness in the global proptech arena.

Conclusion

The launch of REACH Middle East marks a milestone in the ongoing effort to fuse government leadership, private capital, and a global network to accelerate real estate technology adoption in the Middle East. By combining seed funding, hands-on mentorship, and pilot opportunities with developers and public agencies, the program creates a structured pathway for startups to move from concept to commercialization within eight months. The alignment with the UAE’s digital economy initiatives and Dubai’s strategic plans reinforces the expectation that the accelerator will contribute meaningfully to national economic growth, efficiency, and sustainability in the property sector. The partnership with Second Century Ventures ensures that participating startups gain access to an expansive, globally connected ecosystem that can support their expansion beyond the region. With Dubai as the starting point, REACH Middle East aspires to generate a ripple effect that extends throughout the Middle East and resonates with the global real estate technology community, helping to shape the next generation of proptech leaders and innovations.

The program not only promises potential financial support but also a robust framework for mentorship, industry exposure, and entry into a network of peers and mentors who understand the complexities of bringing technology to real estate workflows. This combination of capital, guidance, and real-world testing is designed to accelerate product-market fit and reduce the time to scale for ambitious startups. As startups embark on the REACH journey, they will navigate a landscape shaped by strategic economic goals, evolving regulatory standards, and a regional ecosystem that is increasingly oriented toward digital-first, data-driven decision making. If successful, the cohort could demonstrate the tangible impact that well-structured accelerator programs can have on the real estate technology sector, offering a model that other markets across the region might replicate. The REACH Middle East initiative, therefore, represents more than a funding mechanism; it embodies a concerted commitment to building an integrated, innovative, and globally connected proptech community in the heart of the Middle East.

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