Angel Rising Returns for Its 9th Edition in Abu Dhabi Building on COP28 momentum, Angel Rising channels capital into climatetech solutions addressing food, water, and energy resilience.
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startAD, the Abu Dhabi–based global accelerator powered by Tamkeen and anchored at NYU Abu Dhabi, together with VentureSouq, the GCC-based venture capital firm, will hold the ninth edition of the Angel Rising Investor Symposium at ADGM on November 20, 2025.
Held under the theme Scaling Climate Resilience in the Global South, the event is organized in partnership with the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) along with ecosystem partners, Carta, Ethara, and Global Climate Finance Centre (GCFC).
Her Excellency Dr. Shaikha Salem Al Dhaheri, Secretary General of the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, said, "At the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, we recognize that impactful climate action requires collaboration, innovation, and an enabling investment ecosystem. Initiatives such as Angel Rising demonstrate how financial capital can be aligned with environmental priorities to drive real and lasting change. By equipping investors with the knowledge, tools, and global networks to channel funding into ClimateTech solutions, we are accelerating the transition to a low-carbon and climate-resilient future for the UAE, the wider region, and the Global South. As we continue to mobilise green finance and technology to protect our natural capital, we are also positioning Abu Dhabi as a global hub for environmental investment and thought leadership to inspire the next generation of investors to see sustainability not as a cost, but as an opportunity to build enduring economic and ecological resilience."
This year's symposium underscores the urgent need to catalyze early-stage investment into breakthrough technologies that address pressing issues exacerbated by climate change such as water security, food resilience, supply chain traceability, and sustainable urban development.
Nihal Shaikh, Associate Director of startAD, commented, "The 9th edition of Angel Rising reflects Abu Dhabi's determination to lead the net zero transition under the Climate Change Strategy 2023–2027. MENA faces urgent stressors in heat, water, food security, and energy. While startups are innovating, they remain underfunded. Angel Rising convenes experts and surfaces novel and tested models to de-risk early R&D, leveraging blended capital, and unlocking procurement pathways. The message is clear: don't wait for the perfect deal - create the conditions that make imperfect deals investable. In five years, founders in Al Ain or Muscat should raise capital at home, and MENA will stand as an exporter of climate innovation and investment expertise."
Sonia Weymuller, Co-Founder and General Partner at VentureSouq, added, "At a moment of unprecedented momentum for climate innovation in emerging markets, Angel Rising serves as a catalyst for connecting the capital allocators who will define the future of ClimateTech investing in the region. Our mission is to cultivate a forward-looking investor community equipped to scale transformative solutions to the world's most urgent climate challenges."
Among the high-profile speakers are Sheikh Dr. Majid AlQassimi, Founding Partner at Soma Mater, Zoe Reich, Founding Partner, Octopus Energy Climate Ventures; Khalid Tebe, Director - Climate Policies, Regulations, and Market Mechanisms at GCFC; and Rahma Al Shamsi, Head of Ventures & Portfolio, at BEEAH.
Since 2015, Angel Rising has convened 900+ investors, 100+ ecosystem leaders, and a world-class roster of speakers, including global figures from the Gates Foundation, Acumen, J.P. Morgan, Investcorp, and beyond, reaching millions worldwide.
It equips a new generation of mission-driven investors with practical tools, global insights, and access to pioneering startups, while demystifying the dynamics of early-stage technology funding.
Its flagship Conscious Investor Fellowship (CIF), an invite-only program uniting senior leaders from sovereign wealth funds, VCs, corporates, family offices, and philanthropies to align investment with purpose and de-risk early-stage ClimateTech, has trained 88 alumni through a curriculum led by 36 global practitioners.
