Who’s Leading TiE Dubai’s Next Chapter?
TiE Dubai, the regional chapter of The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE), has announced its new board for the 2025–2026 term. Made up of business leaders and experienced professionals, the board brings together a shared vision of supporting entrepreneurship, especially across the UAE and wider MENA region.
Bashar Kilani steps into the role of President, while the team includes Rohit Dev (Past President), PK Gulati (President Emeritus), Bianca Gracias (Event Director), Deepak Padmanabhan (Director of Finance), Sanjay Babur (Membership Director), Ramit Harisinghani (Director of Marketing), Romit Dasgupta (Mentorship Director), and Anastasiya Golovatenko (Director of Partnerships & Sponsorship).
Since its establishment in 2003 under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Maktoum Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, TiE Dubai has played a steady role in the region’s entrepreneurial growth. Supported by Dubai Internet City and connected to a global TiE network that spans 14 countries and 64 chapters, the Dubai chapter has built a strong ecosystem of mentors, innovators, and investors, all committed to helping startups grow.
According to Bashar Kilani, the new board is focused on scaling existing programmes, building meaningful partnerships, and ensuring entrepreneurs—regardless of their background—have access to the support they need. “We envision a community where hungry entrepreneurs are supported with mentorship and the tools to grow faster and smarter,” he said. He also highlighted alignment with national goals around youth empowerment, digital transformation, and economic diversification.
Spotlight on Flagship Programmes
A major part of TiE Dubai’s impact lies in its programmes, which are designed to meet entrepreneurs where they are—whether they’re students, early-stage founders, or growth-focused women-led startups.
TiE Women MENA
Now in its sixth year, the TiE Women programme supports women entrepreneurs across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and other parts of MENA. With mentorship, funding opportunities, and exposure to international networks, the programme addresses a key gap—tapping into underrepresented female talent. PwC notes that achieving gender parity in MENA could add up to US$2 trillion to the region’s GDP. Applications for the 2025 cohort are currently open and will close on 25 June, with the global finals scheduled for December in Jaipur, India. Over 400 startups and more than 6,500 business owners have engaged with the programme so far.
Mentorship Programme
Mentorship remains one of TiE Dubai’s core offerings. Its structured programme connects early-stage entrepreneurs with experienced professionals across industries. With SMEs making up over 94 percent of businesses in the UAE and employing more than 86 percent of the private workforce, initiatives like this are essential. The UAE government has projected that the number of SMEs will grow to one million by 2030, further underlining the need for tailored, hands-on support.
PK Gulati, President Emeritus of TiE Dubai, described the programme as a way of giving back. “As an entrepreneur and mentor, it’s a privilege to support the next generation of founders,” he said. “The new board is committed to creating a strong, inclusive ecosystem that helps startups build meaningful businesses and long-term impact.”
TiE University (TiE U)
With more and more young people across the region turning to entrepreneurship, TiE Dubai’s university programme provides student founders with a platform to grow their ideas. From coaching and mentorship to investor access, the programme is open to university students and recent graduates. Applications for the 2025 edition close on 30 June, with finalists set to pitch at the Global Summit in December.
The programme has already supported over 5,000 students representing 70+ nationalities and 200+ startup ideas. Previous participants include high school founders like Amer and Mohamad Yaghi (Chillax and AidMaid), and Yehia Nabil from Egypt, who launched Junior Labs at 16.
Collaborating to Build a Stronger Startup Landscape
TiE Dubai works in close partnership with accelerators, incubators, universities, and government bodies to support founders at every stage of their journey. This includes collaborations with Dubai Internet City, in5, the US Mission to the UAE, e&, Sandooq Al Watan, C3, Wamda, and more.
Its charter members include individuals from some of the region’s most prominent organisations—Microsoft MEA, Amazon MENA, BCG, Google, Accenture, Citibank, Noon.com, BECO Capital, Sheraa, TECOM Group, Expo City Dubai, Chalhoub Group, FIVE Group, Wio Bank, among others—who actively contribute to TiE’s mission through mentorship and knowledge sharing.
As TiE Dubai enters its next chapter with a refreshed leadership team, its focus remains clear: building a supportive, resource-rich community for founders and innovators across the region. Whether you're a student with an idea, a woman-led startup looking to scale, or an SME seeking direction, TiE’s network and programmes aim to meet you at every step.
