Dubai: Dubai Media has announced the return of “Shark Tank Dubai” for a fourth season on Dubai TV, following the success of its third season, which secured investments exceeding AED 42 million for 25 businesses from the UAE and the wider region. The new season will offer entrepreneurs and small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) owners an opportunity to present their ambitious ideas to leading investors, benefit from their expertise and secure funding to develop their businesses.
The programme reflects Dubai Media’s commitment to supporting entrepreneurship and innovation, while contributing to the objectives of the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33), which aims to double the size of Dubai’s economy, increase foreign direct investment and position the emirate among the world’s top three economic cities. It also highlights the opportunities offered by Dubai’s investment environment, which enables start-ups to establish themselves, expand their operations and access new markets.
Sponsored by Emirates, the fourth season will bring together entrepreneurs from the UAE and around the world to pitch their businesses and products to a panel of experienced investors. Participants will present their business models, future plans and funding requirements, seeking to demonstrate their ventures’ potential and secure investment in exchange for equity stakes. They will also gain practical insights into different markets and economic sectors.
Salem Belyouha, CEO of Media Content Sector at Dubai Media, affirmed that “Shark Tank Dubai” has established itself over previous seasons as one of the leading programmes combining media impact with economic value, providing a platform where promising ideas meet expertise and investment. He noted that its return for a fourth season reflects Dubai Media’s commitment to continuously developing content that aligns with Dubai’s ambitions and supports its vision of building a more diversified, resilient and sustainable economy.
He said: “Media is an active partner in development, with a powerful ability to create opportunities by highlighting entrepreneurs and businesses with the potential to succeed, while showcasing Dubai’s strengths and the supportive environment it offers to transform ideas into economically valuable ventures. This is reflected in ‘Shark Tank Dubai’, which provides a dedicated platform for SME owners to connect with investors and benefit from their expertise and market knowledge, giving promising businesses a genuine opportunity to develop and advance to new stages of growth.”
Belyouha added that Dubai Media continues, through the programme’s fourth season, to strengthen its role within the entrepreneurial ecosystem, helping support a new generation of ambitious entrepreneurs equipped to compete.
Boutros Boutros, Executive Vice President of Corporate Communications, Marketing and Brand at Emirates, said: “Emirates is proud to sponsor the fourth season of ‘Shark Tank Dubai’, an influential platform that supports entrepreneurs and promising businesses, while highlighting innovative ideas with the potential to grow and expand from Dubai into wider markets.”
He added: “This sponsorship aligns with our commitment to supporting initiatives that reinforce Dubai’s position as a global hub for business, innovation and investment, while advancing the objectives of the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33) to establish a more diversified and competitive economy. At Emirates, we believe that supporting talent and ambitious ideas is an investment in Dubai’s future and its continued ability to attract entrepreneurs and investors from around the world.”
The fourth season will feature a distinguished panel of investors with diverse professional backgrounds and extensive experience in establishing, managing and expanding businesses. Their expertise will enrich discussions throughout the programme and offer participants valuable perspectives on evaluating business models, understanding market requirements and identifying opportunities for development.
The panel includes Mohammed Obaid Khalifa Al Zaabi, CEO of OBK Investment Group and Founder and CEO of Royal Yachts, who brings extensive experience in real estate, hospitality, marine leisure, technology and facilities management.
He will be joined by Mona Ataya, Founder of Mumzworld and Co-Founder of Bayt.com, an investor and adviser with a distinguished track record in establishing and growing digital businesses and supporting start-ups.
Also participating is Abdallah Abu-Sheikh, Founder of Mal, who brings extensive experience in entrepreneurship, technology and digital financial platforms.
The panel will also feature Abdulla Mohammed Alashram, CEO of AMA Group and former Group CEO of 7X (formerly Emirates Post Group), who has more than two decades of experience in strategic growth and organisational transformation.
Completing the panel is Toufic Kreidieh, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of Brands For Less Group, who has led the group’s growth and expansion across several regional and international markets.
The panel’s diverse expertise reflects the broad range of businesses and sectors represented in the programme, providing participants with specialised insights to help them make informed decisions about their ventures’ future direction.
The third season of “Shark Tank Dubai” attracted more than 77 entrepreneurs from the UAE and around the world, who presented a diverse range of businesses and ideas across 13 episodes. Its success demonstrated the programme’s ability to connect entrepreneurs with investors and reinforce Dubai’s position as a destination for entrepreneurship and business development.