Investopia Bridge 2026 roundtables explore growth prospects

Investopia Bridge 2026, held at Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi on Saadiyat Island under the theme “Investing in a More Resilient World,” organised eight specialised roundtables, bringing together a distinguished group of ministers, investors, senior executives and entrepreneurs to discuss a range of economic and investment topics related to the rapid transformations taking place across the global economy.

The discussions also addressed innovation enablers in the built environment, the growth of SMEs and UAE companies, the development of digital financial infrastructure, strengthening investment opportunities between the UAE and Uzbekistan, family office strategies, electric mobility and the circular economy, as well as expanding impact investment.

Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism and Co-Chair of Investopia, participated in the Next50 roundtable titled “Unlocking the Next Phase of Growth,” alongside founders and CEOs of established UAE companies. The session explored the opportunities and challenges associated with the next phase of business growth, as well as new pathways for expansion, financing and partnerships.

Next50 is an economic initiative launched by Investopia Communities, bringing together founders and CEOs of leading UAE companies to strengthen engagement and exchange expertise and knowledge. It connects the business community with government entities, investors and financial institutions, enabling companies to explore financing and expansion opportunities in new markets, build partnerships and benefit from opportunities emerging across new economy sectors. The initiative also enables UAE companies to benefit from the Investopia ecosystem and its local and global dialogues, while strengthening their presence within the investment and business community.

In this context, Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri affirmed that the UAE continues to strengthen its position as a global hub for the new economy, supported by an advanced economic environment that provides companies with wide-ranging opportunities for growth, innovation and access to global markets. He noted that UAE companies continue to strengthen their presence and leverage this ecosystem to develop their businesses and expand the scope of their activities.

He said that the next phase will require companies to continue developing their business models, capitalising on economic and technological transformations, and developing innovative products and services that respond to changing market needs, enhancing their ability to create sustainable value and strengthen their competitiveness regionally and globally.

He added that Next50 provides a platform connecting UAE companies with business leaders, investors, government entities and financial institutions, enabling them to exchange expertise, explore opportunities for expansion and financing, and build partnerships. This supports companies in advancing to new stages of growth and opens new pathways for market expansion and the implementation of high-impact projects.

The Next50 roundtable focused on the needs of UAE companies in the next phase, including access to capital and markets, the exchange of experiences and successful models among business leaders, opportunities for collaboration across new economy sectors, and the use of innovation, technology and rapidly evolving market trends.

As part of efforts to strengthen investment cooperation between the UAE and the Republic of Uzbekistan, the roundtable “UAE and Uzbekistan: Connecting Capital with Opportunity” brought together Mohamed Hassan Alsuwaidi, UAE Minister of Investment and Co-Chair of Investopia, and Laziz Kudratov, Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan, alongside government officials and business leaders from both countries.

The discussion explored specific investment opportunities across energy, tourism, infrastructure, mining, chemicals, healthcare, banking and logistics.

The session focused on connecting investment projects and opportunities in Uzbekistan with relevant UAE investors and companies, exploring ways to develop practical partnerships and deploy capital into actionable opportunities. This supports stronger economic, trade and investment cooperation between the two countries and opens new avenues for building long-term business and investment relationships.

In the area of innovation in the built environment, a roundtable titled “From Pilots to Commercialisation: A Global Agenda for Innovation in the Built Environment,” organised by Innovo, discussed ways to move innovative solutions from testing and pilot stages to large-scale commercial deployment.

The session brought together leaders from the technology and investment, real estate, infrastructure and construction sectors.

The discussion explored the role of artificial intelligence, data, procurement, risk management and investment readiness in accelerating the adoption of new solutions. It also examined the development of pilot projects and their transformation into scalable applications, as well as building partnerships between companies and investors across markets to accelerate the deployment of innovation across the built environment.

The roundtable “SMEs: Today’s Challenges, Tomorrow’s Opportunities,” hosted by Hal and SC Ventures, part of Standard Chartered, examined the challenges and opportunities facing SME growth, with a focus on access to financing, customers, technology and logistics, as well as the ability to expand across borders.

The discussion also explored the role of integrated solutions connecting trade, finance and business services in helping SMEs expand their operations and access new markets and opportunities.

The roundtable “From Digital Assets to Digital Financial Infrastructure,” organised by Klickl, explored ways to develop trusted financial infrastructure connecting money, markets and cross-border logistics.

The session brought together leaders from the banking sector, capital markets, digital finance, policymaking and corporate treasury functions.

The discussion focused on stablecoin settlement, institutional access to digital assets and services, governance and resilience frameworks, as well as practical opportunities for collaboration in developing infrastructure that supports the movement of money, markets and international trade.

The roundtable titled “Strategic Capital for a Changing World: How Family Offices Build Resilience and Create Value Through Capital Allocation” explored ways for family offices to strengthen resilience across their investment portfolios, operating assets and long-term commitments.

The discussion examined how to balance liquidity with long-term investment, identify assets that can be monetised or retained, and reallocate capital between traditional sectors and new growth areas, including artificial intelligence and private markets, while maintaining the flexibility required to navigate global shifts.

The session “Electric Mobility in the UAE: From Adoption to the Circular Economy,” organised by the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure in partnership with the Ministry of Economy and Tourism, discussed the evolution of the UAE’s electric vehicle ecosystem, the growth of charging infrastructure and the development of the related market.

The session also explored opportunities across the electric vehicle lifecycle, including battery reuse and recycling, component recovery and repair, as well as key challenges, pilot projects and practical areas for strengthening cooperation between the public and private sectors, building on existing national initiatives.

Majra – National CSR Fund hosted the roundtable “Impact Investment Lab,” bringing together investors, policymakers, companies and leaders from the impact investment ecosystem to discuss the factors limiting capital flows into this area and the mechanisms required to scale impact investment in the UAE.

The discussion addressed the importance of clear definitions and disclosure standards for impact investment, risk-sharing mechanisms and impact measurement. It also explored the potential development of a supportive federal framework for impact investment and ways to strengthen capital flows towards projects delivering economic, social and environmental impact.

The outcomes of the discussion are expected to contribute to the development of the National Impact Investment Report, which Majra is currently working on.