Founder Connects Pitch Night 2026 in Dubai

Founder Connects Pitch Night 2026 in Dubai takes over Paramount Hotel Midtown in Business Bay on Thursday 5 November 2026. Ten founders, picked at random on the day, each get one minute on stage, and the whole room scores every pitch. The evening runs from 7pm to 11:30pm and mixes quick-fire pitching with plenty of time to meet people.

About Founder Connects Pitch Night in Dubai

Founder Connects is a community for tech founders, investors and builders, and Pitch Night is one of its regular formats. It is hosted by Rony Hage. The idea is simple: keep the pitches short, let the audience decide, and spend the rest of the night making useful connections.

Pitching is opt in and open only to tech startups. Everyone else is welcome to come along, watch, vote and network with founders, operators and investors.

The Guest of the Month is Elliott, Head of Programs at Oraseya Capital, a UAE investor that runs the Sandbox pre-seed and seed programme.

What to Expect

Morning Online Networking

The day starts with an optional virtual speed networking session from 11:30am to 12:40pm, where you meet nine founders one to one. The ten pitchers for the evening are picked at random during this session.

One-Minute Pitches

In the evening, each of the ten pitchers has sixty seconds to make their case. The room rates each one from 1 to 10, so every person in the audience has a say.

Residency Prizes

The top three pitches win discounts on three months of Founder Connects Residency membership: 100 per cent off for first place, 50 per cent for second and 25 per cent for third. The Residency is a peer group of ten founders.

Networking

Around the pitches there is time to talk to founders and supporters. Tickets include a welcome drink and popcorn, plus access to a founders-only WhatsApp group.

Who It Is For

Founders who want practice pitching in front of a live room, people looking to meet others in Dubai’s startup scene, and investors keen to see early-stage ideas will all find something here. You do not need to pitch to get value from the night.

Key Highlights

• Ten one-minute pitches from randomly selected founders.
• The audience scores every pitch from 1 to 10.
• Top three win Residency membership discounts.
• Optional morning virtual speed networking.
• Guest of the Month from Oraseya Capital.
• Hosted by Rony Hage of Founder Connects.

The Venue: Paramount Hotel Midtown

The evening takes place at Paramount Hotel Midtown on Al Mustaqbal Street in Business Bay. Take note: this is not Paramount Hotel Dubai, so double check the name when you set your route.

Visitor Tips

Getting There and Parking

The hotel offers valet parking for guests of the event, and you will need to validate your ticket. Make sure you head to the Midtown property on Al Mustaqbal Street.

Dress Code

Smart casual is the dress code.

Tickets and Refunds

Each guest needs their own ticket, seats are limited, so it pays to register early rather than on the day. Full refunds are available up to 72 hours before the event.

Arrive Early

Arriving on time gives you a chance to start conversations while the room fills up. Have a short introduction ready about who you are and what you are working on, and follow up with the people you meet afterwards.

Whether you want to pitch, vote or simply meet good people, Founder Connects Pitch Night is a lively way to plug into Dubai’s startup community. Register on Luma and bring your best one-line introduction.