UAE new-economy companies reach nearly 125,000, up 37%, minister says
In short
The number of companies operating in new-economy sectors in the UAE reached nearly 125,000 by the end of the first half of 2026, up about 37 percent from a year earlier, Minister of Economy and Tourism Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri said. He spoke to the Emirates News Agency on the sidelines of Investopia Bridge 2026 in Abu Dhabi, saying the platform aims to connect capital with opportunities and businesses with markets. The push is one of four main priorities under the “We the UAE 2031” vision, he said.
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The number of companies operating in the UAE's new-economy sectors reached nearly 125,000 by the end of the first half of 2026, up about 37 percent from a year earlier, Minister of Economy and Tourism Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri said. The minister, who also co-chairs the Investopia Board of Trustees, gave the figure in remarks to the Emirates News Agency and repeated them to other outlets on the sidelines of Investopia Bridge 2026 in Abu Dhabi. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
Bin Touq said Investopia has developed from a forum for dialogue into a platform designed to turn discussions into partnerships, investment opportunities and projects. He said Investopia Bridge aims to connect capital with opportunities and markets with businesses. Economy Middle East described the event as bringing investors, ministers and cross-border capital together around resilience and AI, referring readers to a separate item on the opening. [ 1 , 3 ]
The minister said the country is moving beyond an economy based on knowledge and innovation toward what he called a broader new economic model, and that this shift forms one of four main priorities under the “We the UAE 2031” vision, which aims to make the UAE a global hub for the new economy by the next decade. He said the UAE has prioritised advanced technology, artificial intelligence, the digital economy, e-commerce, renewable energy, the circular economy, green technologies, digital media and arts, fintech and smart mobility. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
According to bin Touq, artificial intelligence should not be viewed as a standalone sector alone: he described it as a tool that lifts manufacturing productivity, improves logistics, develops financial services, enhances the tourism experience and increases energy efficiency. Economy Middle East reported him saying these sectors are increasingly interconnected rather than developing independently, with AI affecting productivity and value creation across the wider economy. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
Gulf News added background not carried by the other outlets. It said companies that build their business on technology, knowledge and innovation rather than traditional trade and hydrocarbons classify as new-economy firms. It also reported that the “We the UAE 2031” plan was launched on 22 November 2022 by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, that it follows Vision 2021 and sits beneath the UAE Centennial 2071 plan, and that its four pillars are a Forward Society, Forward Economy, Forward Diplomacy and Forward Ecosystem. [ 4 ]
The same outlet said the plan's targets include lifting foreign trade to Dh4 trillion and raising tourism's contribution to GDP to Dh450 billion, and ranking among the top ten countries for attracting global talent. Gulf News also said Investopia has placed more emphasis on Africa in its international expansion, a point the other documents do not address. [ 4 ]
The documents do not explain how the 125,000 figure or the 37 percent increase were compiled, and only Gulf News offers a definition of what counts as a new-economy company. The “We the UAE 2031” targets appear in a single document. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
Why it matters
The figure indicates how quickly the UAE's non-traditional sectors are expanding as the country pursues its stated goal of becoming a global hub for the new economy by the end of the decade. The minister's remarks frame Investopia as a channel for directing investment into those sectors, which the documents say include artificial intelligence, fintech and renewable energy. The documents give no independent verification or methodology for the figure, so its scope and basis remain unconfirmed.
Key facts
- The number of companies in UAE new-economy sectors reached nearly 125,000 by the end of the first half of 2026, up about 37 percent from a year earlier, according to Minister of Economy and Tourism Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- Bin Touq is Co-Chair of the Investopia Board of Trustees and spoke on the sidelines of Investopia Bridge 2026 in Abu Dhabi. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- Bin Touq said Investopia has evolved from a forum for dialogue into a platform that turns discussions into partnerships, opportunities and projects, connecting capital with opportunities and markets with businesses. [ 1 , 3 ]
- He said the shift is one of four main priorities under the “We the UAE 2031” vision, which aims to position the country as a global hub for the new economy by the next decade. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- The UAE has prioritised advanced technology, artificial intelligence, the digital economy, e-commerce, renewable energy, the circular economy, green technologies, digital media and arts, financial technology and smart mobility. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- Bin Touq said AI is not only a standalone sector but a tool that raises manufacturing productivity, improves logistics, develops financial services, enhances tourism and increases energy efficiency. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- Gulf News reported the “We the UAE 2031” plan was launched on 22 November 2022 by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, with targets including foreign trade of Dh4 trillion and tourism contributing Dh450 billion to GDP. [ 4 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Companies operating in UAE new-economy sectors numbered nearly 125,000 at the end of the first half of 2026, about 37 percent more than a year earlier. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri is Minister of Economy and Tourism and Co-Chair of the Investopia Board of Trustees. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- He made the remarks on the sidelines of Investopia Bridge 2026 in Abu Dhabi. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- Bin Touq said Investopia is intended to connect capital with opportunities and markets with businesses. [ 1 , 3 ]
- The new-economy push is one of four main priorities under the “We the UAE 2031” vision, which targets making the UAE a global hub for the new economy. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- The UAE has prioritised advanced technology, AI, the digital economy, e-commerce, renewable energy, the circular economy, green technologies, digital media and arts, fintech and smart mobility. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
Still unclear
- How the nearly 125,000 figure and the 37 percent increase were compiled. The documents cite the minister's statement but give no methodology, data source or the base period for the count.
- The precise scope of what counts as a new-economy company. Only Gulf News offers a definition — firms built on technology, knowledge and innovation rather than traditional trade and hydrocarbons — and it is the sole outlet to do so.
- Details of Investopia Bridge 2026 itself, such as its dates, agenda or participants. The documents mention the event only as the setting for the minister's remarks and as a related item referenced by one outlet.
- Whether the “We the UAE 2031” targets reported by Gulf News are on track. The figures appear in only one document and are not linked to the new-economy company count by any other outlet.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Emirates News Agency publishes the minister's remarks on Investopia Bridge 2026 and the new-economy company count. [ 1 ]
- Economy Middle East publishes its report on the 37 percent rise in new-economy companies and Investopia's focus on AI, fintech and global growth. [ 3 ]
- Gulf News reports the figure and adds background on the “We the UAE 2031” plan, its 2022 launch and its targets. [ 4 ]