IIT Madras Global To Establish Applied AI Innovation Centre At Dubai CommerCity

 

 

Chennai: IIT Madras Global Research Foundation will establish its first Applied Artificial Intelligence Innovation Centre at Dubai CommerCity to accelerate applied AI innovation and support technology-led economic growth.

In the first phase, the Centre will host a portfolio of six applied AI startups with a combined valuation of approximately US$118 million and projected revenues of US$281 million over the next five years. Several of these companies demonstrate strong potential for scalable global expansion.

 

Facilitated by MCA Gulf, a strategic partner of IITM Global in Dubai, the Centre aims to position Dubai as a regional and global launchpad for applied AI innovation, enabling solutions to be developed, deployed and scaled through a long-term platform focused on sustainable innovation and value creation.

 

Dubai CommerCity is a leading free zone dedicated exclusively to digital commerce in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region. It serves as a key hub for regional and international brands. IITM Global has been conceived as a strategic, sustainable and scalable platform to take IIT Madras’s academic, research and innovation strengths to the global stage.

 

The MoU was signed on the sidelines of WORLDEF Dubai 2026, the Middle East region’s largest global gathering dedicated to digital commerce, held from February 12 to 14. The event was inaugurated by His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the UAE National Olympic Committee.

Speaking about this partnership, Her Excellency Amna Lootah, Director-General of Dubai CommerCity and Dubai Airport Freezone, said, “This MoU with IIT Madras Global Research Foundation marks a strategic milestone in advancing Dubai CommerCity’s role as a specialised free zone for digital trade and advanced technologies.