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What it is

E-Lab is an in-kind research partnership: selected startups are matched with a Principal Investigator from Ajman University's faculty and a dedicated research team, and work to a structured plan with milestones, deliverables and quarterly reviews.

It is open to startups worldwide. What matters is the strength of the R&D challenge, whether it can be answered scientifically, and whether the work can produce intellectual property worth owning.

The programme bridges industry challenges with academic research, so that a startup can build defensible IP, validate its clinical or technical claims, and accelerate its regulatory and commercialization readiness.

What you receive

  • A research team

    A Principal Investigator from the faculty, working with postgraduate and undergraduate researchers on your challenge.

  • Labs and facilities

    Access to Ajman University's laboratories and research facilities.

  • Technical validation

    Structured experimentation to test your technical claims and put evidence behind them.

  • Structured R&D support

    A defined execution plan with milestones, deliverables and quarterly reviews.

Who can apply

  • Less than five years old
  • Raised less than $2M in funding
  • Based in the UAE, or with a clear plan to be within 12 months
  • A working prototype, MVP or validated concept — idea stage is not eligible

How applications are evaluated

  • Strength of the R&D challenge
  • Scientific and technical feasibility
  • Potential for IP creation
  • Market relevance and scalability
  • Alignment with UAE priorities
  • Team capability

What we ask of you

  • Assign one Project Manager and one Research Assistant to the project.
  • Attend regular progress meetings and quarterly reviews.
  • Maintain active communication with the research team.

IP and licensing terms

  • New IP generated during the programme is co-owned by Ajman University and the startup.
  • The startup is recognised as a collaborating partner, with right of first refusal to license that IP.
  • Licensing costs nothing upfront and takes no equity. In exchange, the startup pays a royalty of 5–7% over five years.
  • Ajman University keeps the right to publish research findings and file patents. Startups are acknowledged as collaborators and may co-author publications where applicable.
  • An NDA is signed before the project begins.

How selection works

  1. Technical due diligence takes about two weeks: a preliminary literature review, and an assessment of the technical requirements against the faculty's research interests.
  2. Shortlisted applicants are invited to a video interview.
  3. Final selections are announced in September 2026.

Apply

Status
Applications are open
Estimated value, in kind
AED 50,000 – 250,000
Applications close
31 December 2026

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