UAE – Mubasher: DANA, an Abu Dhabi-based venture builder and investment platform, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Masdar City to establish an agritech accelerator project and promote food security in the UAE.

Under the agreement, DANA will set up its first Abu Dhabi-based beta site in Masdar City to test the feasibility of early-stage agritech projects in Abu Dhabi, according to a press release on Tuesday.

In line with the national food security strategy 2051, the beta site also seeks to support local and regional startups between the pre-seed and Series A development phases.

The construction is set to begin next July, while the full-time operations are scheduled to start by the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2022.

Upon its completion, the site will include 1,700 square metres of greenhouses, net houses, and open field farming, alongside various approaches that ensure the sustainable production of crops in the desert.

The Executive Director of Masdar City, Abdulla Balalaa, noted: "Our partnership with DANA represents the latest step toward meeting this mandate, and we are delighted to make the official announcement."

The Co-Founder and CEO of DANA, Zada Haj, said: "We witness the Abu Dhabi ecosystem’s potential on a daily basis; however, the option for hands-on testing of the tech solutions in the field is often missing."