Hub71 deepens ties with Japan to drive cross-border innovation

Hub71, Abu Dhabi’s global tech ecosystem, has strengthened its commitment to Japan through a series of high-profile engagements in Tokyo at WebX and the Blockchain Leaders Summit, reinforcing Abu Dhabi’s role as a global gateway for technology and international investment.

Building on a successful series of engagements in Japan earlier this year, including the Abu Dhabi Investment Forum (ADIF) Tokyo and SusHiTech Tokyo, Hub71 signed a strategic partnership with the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) to connect Japanese startups with Abu Dhabi’s ecosystem, providing access to capital, market opportunities and innovation programmes.

At WebX, Asia’s leading Web3 conference, Hub71 showcased startups from Abu Dhabi advancing solutions aligned with Japan’s innovation priorities, spanning AI, spatial data intelligence, sustainable water solutions and blockchain governance.

As title sponsor of the Blockchain Leaders Summit, Hub71 delivered the opening keynote, positioning Abu Dhabi as a partner for Japan’s tech ecosystem. The participation built on Abu Dhabi’s earlier engagement in Tokyo and understood how both regions can act as complementary gateways for startups seeking international expansion. Participating startups included bitgrit, xMap, Aqua Development, Chainsight, Nodeshift, Bit2Me and 1Money, which engaged with Japanese corporates, investors and founders to explore opportunities across Asia and the Middle East.

Peter Abou Hachem, Head of Growth and Strategy of Hub71, commented: “Our ongoing engagement with Japan underscores the value of global connectivity. Japan's leadership in technology and innovation, particularly in Web3, aligns closely with Hub71’s vision. Through sustained collaboration, with partners like JETRO, we are unlocking opportunities for startups from both ecosystems to access capital, markets and talent, while advancing new frontiers in Web3 innovation and strengthening economic ties between our nations.”

Further building on this partnership, Hub71 will host seven Japanese Web3 startups in Abu Dhabi through the J-StarX Programme, developed with JETRO and Elixir Capital. This strategic alignment positions both regions as complementary gateways for startups seeking expansion opportunities across the Middle East and Asia-Pacific.

Through these efforts, Hub71 is accelerating the growth of cross-border innovation between the UAE and Japan, building pathways for startups to scale internationally and reinforcing Abu Dhabi’s position at the heart of the global tech economy.