Dubai’s real estate market continues to shine in 2025 as both residential and commercial segments post strong gains. According to the latest report from Engel & Völkers Middle East, residential property sales surged by 22.4% year-on-year in Q1, while transaction values rose by an impressive 29.6%. Commercial deals weren’t far behind, growing 18.2% in volume and 29.5% in value, signaling ongoing investor confidence in Dubai’s ever-evolving urban landscape.
This growth is being driven by multiple factors: Dubai’s rising population, strategic infrastructure projects, and increasing interest from international buyers. Communities like Jumeirah Village Circle, Business Bay, and Dubai Marina continue to lead in secondary apartment sales, while villa transactions have soared by over 80%—especially in emerging developments like Emaar South and The Valley.
In the luxury sector, sales of properties priced above AED 10 million rose by 29% from Q1 2024. Palm Jumeirah and Palm Jebel Ali together accounted for nearly one-third of these transactions. Standout deals included the AED 425 million Marble Palace in Emirates Hills, underlining Dubai’s status as a magnet for ultra-high-net-worth individuals. 
Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi’s tech ecosystem has been making headlines with Hub71’s record-breaking achievements. The global innovation platform announced that startups within its network raised a total of $2.17 billion (Dh8.02 billion) in funding during 2024 — a 44.7% increase over the previous year. These startups also generated $1.2 billion in revenue, further showcasing the emirate’s emergence as a global innovation hub.
Hub71 welcomed over 3,100 applications from entrepreneurs across 20+ countries last year. More than 70% of its selected startups came from international markets, with key representation from the US, UK, and Germany. The platform’s sector-specific initiatives—such as Hub71+ AI, Hub71+ ClimateTech, and Hub71+ Digital Assets—are tackling global challenges while building Abu Dhabi’s economic future.
With the support of partnerships with Google, AWS, NVIDIA, and Solana, Hub71 startups are innovating in Web3, renewable energy, fintech, healthtech, and smart mobility. These collaborations are further accelerated by the Regulatory Sandbox programs that allow startups to test cutting-edge solutions in real-world environments.
In a strong display of investor confidence, capital partners deployed $65 million into Hub71’s startup community, while 91 corporate deals valued at $28 million were signed. Flagship projects like a $37M Series A by climate startup 44.01 and $34M by fintech FlapKap show that Abu Dhabi is attracting serious capital and talent.
As 2025 progresses, Dubai and Abu Dhabi are setting benchmarks across real estate and technology. Together, they paint a compelling picture of a future-ready UAE, one that’s not just building infrastructure but also fueling innovation and global connectivity.
