UAE-India CEPA Council, BHU sign MoU to boost startup ties and global market access

Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) [India], July 19 : The UAE-India CEPA Council and Banaras Hindu University (BHU) have signed a partnership agreement aimed at fostering cross-border scaling, knowledge exchange, and institutional linkages between India and the United Arab Emirates.
The agreement was signed with the Atal Incubation Centre - Mahamana Foundation for Innovation and Entrepreneurship - IM-BHU (AIC-MFIE-IM-BHU), with a focus on providing global exposure and opportunities for startups emerging from the region.
Director of the UAE-India CEPA Council, Ahmed Aljneibi, said the partnership marks the beginning of deeper engagement with the student and startup ecosystem at BHU.
"We're looking towards different avenues such as healthcare, technology, finance, logistics, agriculture...any of the vital sectors that are being worked on today. Signing the MoU with BHU is a first step towards getting to know the students here, getting to know the startup ecosystem here in BHU and seeing what kind of problems the students are trying to tackle with their startups. Hopefully, we can find avenues of collaboration with them and with BHU in general," Aljneibi said.
Echoing the same, Director and Professor-in-Charge of AIC-MFIE-IM-BHU, Professor PV Rajeev, highlighted the agreement's significance for local entrepreneurs.
"An MoU has been signed with Atal Incubation Centre at BHU. The market in the Middle East will now be open for all the startups that come to us. If they have a good idea, we will tie them up with international investors as well...This MoU has been signed so that the people of the startups of this area get a good marketplace," Rajeev said.
Building on this collaboration, the UAE-India CEPA Council (UICC) and the Atal Incubation Centre, Mahamana Foundation for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Institute of Management, Banaras Hindu University (AIC-MFIE-IM-BHU), co-hosted a Start-up Showcase in Varanasi as part of the UAE-India CEPA Council Start-up Series.
Held in one of India's most historic and culturally significant cities, the event underscored the UAE-India CEPA Council's commitment to deepening innovation partnerships with emerging entrepreneurship hubs across the Republic of India.
A key milestone of the event was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the UICC and the AIC-MFIE-IM-BHU. The MoU aims to foster deeper collaboration in innovation and entrepreneurship, with a focus on youth-led ventures and technology-driven enterprises.
The agreement is expected to catalyse cross-border scaling, knowledge sharing, and institutional linkages between the UAE and India.
Speaking on the occasion of the event, Ahmed Aljneibi, Director of the UAE-India CEPA Council, stated, "The UAE-India CEPA Start-Up Series is about more than opportunity; it's about access, ambition, and acceleration. Through this initiative, we are positioning the UAE as an international scale-up launchpad for India's most promising next-generation ventures, particularly those emerging from Tier 2 and Tier 3 innovation hubs. Our goal is to build bridges that transform local talent into global players."
Commenting on the partnership, Professor P.V. Rajeev, Director and Professor-in-Charge of the AIC-MFIE-IM-BHU, said, "This collaboration with the UAE-India CEPA Council marks a pivotal moment for our institution and the broader start-up community in Varanasi. By connecting our young innovators with international opportunities, particularly in the UAE, we are opening doors for knowledge exchange, global mentorship, and cross-border scaling. We look forward to building a robust platform that empowers student entrepreneurs to think globally and act boldly."
As part of the showcase, participants viewed the official trailer for the UAE-India Start-Up Series, outlining its key offerings, including incubation support, fast-track UAE licensing pathways, curated mentorship, and direct access to leading UAE-based investors and innovation networks.
The program concluded with an engaging question-and-answer session led by Ahmed Aljneibi, providing students, start-up founders, and incubation professionals with an in-depth understanding of the CEPA Start-Up Series and its application process.
The Varanasi showcase marks a significant step in the UAE's innovation diplomacy, ensuring that the benefits of the CEPA partnership extend well beyond major metros, reaching India's cultural heartland and the next generation of entrepreneurial talent.