Sixteen Founders Announced as Contestants of The Final Pitch Dubai Ahead of the Premiere
Sixteen ambitious founders from within and outside the UAE are stepping into the spotlight as The Final Pitch – Dubai makes its regional debut this November.
Set against the striking backdrop of Expo City Dubai, the new series shines a light on the region’s thriving start-up scene, from homegrown innovators tackling everyday problems to international founders building the next wave of tech and sustainability ventures. The show premieres 17 November, exclusively on OSNtv and OSN+.
This first Middle East adaptation of the award-winning Asian The Final Pitch franchise brings together entrepreneurs from sectors including technology, sustainability, health, fintech, and social impact. The series begins with sixteen founders pitching their businesses to a panel of the show’s investor-judges and angels.
From the sixteen, the chosen founders who make it to the next round will receive extensive mentorship sessions from high caliber mentors, with a few being given a rare opportunity to go through an extensive day-long exposure to the investor-judges’ businesses. The series culminates with the founders’ final pitch, where offers are made and deals are forged.
John Aguilar, Creator and Host of The Final Pitch and CEO of the series producer Dragons Nest LLC-FZ, said: “Dubai has become a crossroads for founders with global ambitions. Filming at Expo City, a landmark that embodies the UAE’s forward-thinking vision, felt right for this milestone season. The Final Pitch – Dubai isn’t just an entertainment reality show. It’s a real platform where ideas meet opportunity and where the region’s brightest entrepreneurs take centre stage.”
Strategic partners Meydan Free Zone and Rove Hotels, alongside support from the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, play key roles in the production, helping to connect our founders with the resources, mentorship, and community that define Dubai’s start-up culture.
The Final Pitch investor-judge Jigar Sagar, strategic government advisor and founder of Triliv Holdings said: “Entrepreneurship is woven into Dubai’s DNA. Partnering with The Final Pitch – Dubai allows us to support founders who are transforming that spirit into tangible businesses that are ready for global growth.”
The Final Pitch investor-judge Sami Khoreibi, Investor and Founding Partner, Incubayt Investments, added: “Dubai has become one of the world’s most exciting frontiers for innovation. What makes The Final Pitch – Dubai powerful is that it doesn’t just highlight great ideas — it connects passionate founders with investors who understand what it takes to scale them into meaningful, sustainable businesses. This is the ecosystem at work.”
Among this season’s candidates are Mark White, whose wellness platform Daily Five turns five-minute routines into lasting wellbeing habits. Lisa Laterza brings Detekta, an AI-driven RegTech venture simplifying compliance for GCC financial firms. Husband and wife team Fardeen and Zainab Shaikh, introduces PAANI, a luxury hydration brand bottling mineral water in sleek, reusable aluminium cans.
They appear alongside Namrata Raina (QYUBIC), Nikita Zhuchkov and Helen Kareva (SpeakUp), Menna Shahin and Maxim Haartsen (eJaby), Wandalyn Calupig (Cancer E-Clinic), Sara Masinaei (Artful Minds), Annie Stacey (Reloved), Lorna and Hassaan Ghazali (Plada), Katrina Skrypal (HydroLuxe), Abdullah and Sharif Eid (Copa Fantasy), Deepak Lingam (EVChargerUAE), Jessica Panigari (Goods2Load), and Sergio Sanchez and Henrik Hildebrandt of Rubia Gallega. Collectively, they reflect the energy, imagination, and persistence that continue to shape the UAE’s fast-moving start-up landscape.
The Final Pitch – Dubai brings together founders, investors, and mentors on one powerful stage, a celebration of innovation, collaboration, and the entrepreneurial drive that makes the UAE a global hub for ideas and investment.
Catch the premiere on 17 November, with weekly drops only on OSNtv and streaming on OSN+, and follow the journeys of sixteen remarkable founders turning vision into reality.
