in52027 deadline, funding, equity and how to apply

in5 is the startup incubator of TECOM Group, the company that runs ten of Dubai's business districts, including Dubai Internet City. in5 Science was launched with Dubai Science Park. in5 does not write cheques and does not take equity.

What it sells is a cheaper and faster way to set up in Dubai. Members get a subsidised trade licence, desks in a shared space, mentoring, training, events and access to investors through the in5 Investor Hub. Third-party guides put the licence at about AED 1,000 a year for the first years and coworking desks from about AED 12,000 a year.

Those figures are not on an official price list, so confirm them with in5. The incubator ran 94 events in the first half of 2025 alone. Companies that have come through in5 include the fintech Ziina, restaurant software company Grubtech, eyewear retailer Eyewa and road safety AI company Derq.

in5 is an incubator, not a fixed-length accelerator. There is no cohort start date and no Demo Day tied to a batch. Startups apply through the centre that fits their sector, then go through screening and a presentation to a selection committee.

Accepted companies set up a licence through in5, take desks in the relevant centre and join the member community. During incubation they get access to mentors and advisors, workshops, training sessions, networking events and introductions to investors. in5 also takes groups of member startups to regional events such as Expand North Star and STEP, where they exhibit as an in5 pavilion.

When a company outgrows the incubator, it graduates into the in5 alumni network and usually moves into regular office space in a TECOM district.