Fast-track the future of food security
Join Unbreakable Harvest: The high-velocity growth engine for Series A+ innovators solving the future of food security and resilience. Innovation Oasis is committing over AED 10M to advancing food security innovation in the UAE and beyond. Through Unbreakable Harvest, selected startups will receive the funding, infrastructure, and commercial relationships needed to validate in the region and scale.
Launched in 2026, Unbreakable Harvest is a high-velocity growth engine for the world’s most ambitious founders solving food security and resilience.
Developed by Innovation Oasis (part of UAE-based Silal), the platform enables growth-stage startups with proven solutions to validate innovations in the arid extremes of the future, solving live challenges with regional commercial partners.
Designed as a tailored hybrid model, combining in-person validation in Al Ain with remote engagement across the cohort, selected innovators gain direct access to iO’s network of regional practitioners, desert-agriculture specialists, regulatory bodies, and Silal business units. This brings together the expertise and relationships needed to localize, validate, and commercialize solutions in one of the world’s most strategically important food markets.
With two cohorts a year and validation projects running 3-to-5 months, the platform aims to deliver new paths to commercial application, investment, and real-world impact at the speed the global food security challenge deserves.
Apply Now
“Innovation Oasis is where we turn the scarcity of our landscape into the abundance of our future. We are inviting the world’s best innovators to prove it with us.”—Dr. Shamal Mohammed, Chief Executive Officer, Innovation Oasis
Innovation Oasis (iO) is the R&D and innovation arm of Silal, Abu Dhabi’s leading agri-food platform and part of ADQ, one of the world’s largest sovereign investors. Together, they are advancing food security and building more resilient, sustainable food systems in the UAE and beyond.
The Venture Package
Startups selected for Unbreakable Harvest gain access to funding, infrastructure, and direct commercial pathways, designed to accelerate validation and unlock real growth in the UAE and beyond.
Scroll to explore the full venture package below
Technologies & Approaches We’re Prioritizing
Soil & Plant Health Inputs & Amendments
Biological and chemical innovations that enhance soil fertility, plant nutrition, and crop resilience in arid and saline conditions.
01Crop Innovation
Novel crop varieties, breeding techniques, and seed technologies adapted for extreme heat, water scarcity, and desert-climate growing.
02Controlled Environment Agriculture
Advanced greenhouse, vertical farming, and indoor cultivation systems that maximize yield while minimizing water and energy inputs.
03Precision Agriculture
Sensor networks, AI-driven analytics, and data platforms that optimize resource allocation and decision-making at the field level.
04Water & Energy Management Solutions
Technologies for irrigation efficiency, water recycling, renewable energy integration, and resource monitoring across agricultural operations.
05Waste Circularity
Technologies and platforms that recover, repurpose, or redistribute agricultural and food waste, turning by-products into valuable inputs across the food system.
06Waste Prevention
Solutions that reduce waste before it occurs, including cold chain optimization, shelf-life extension, and AI-driven supply and demand matching.
07Supply Chain Data Platforms
Core data infrastructure, IoT-enabled systems, and digital platforms that improve transparency, coordination, and information flow across agricultural value chains.
08Supply Chain Analytics
Advanced analytics, AI, and traceability tools that optimize decision-making, forecast demand, and enhance end-to-end supply chain performance.
09Selection
Finding the right growth-stage innovators to tackle each challenge area.
Onboarding
Getting your team set up and oriented around the scope, the facilities, and the Silal business units and experts you’ll be working with.
Validation
Live pilots and proof-of-concept projects in real operating conditions, testing what matters with the people it matters to.
Pathways Forward
Post-pilot support that leverages the Silal relationship, ecosystem network, and iO platform to convert a successful pilot into scaled commercial agreements.
Application Form
We’re looking for growth-stage agri-innovation companies with proven solutions and the ambition to make a real impact on global food security, using the UAE as your first proving ground.
Have a specific question? Check our FAQs below or register for one of our FAQ sessions to ask us directly.
Hear directly from the Innovation Oasis team about the platform, the challenge areas, and what we’re looking for our first Cohorts. Our Q&A webinars are open to any founder or team considering applying.
FAQs
This platform is designed for growth-stage startups with proven technologies, not early-stage companies building from scratch. The focus is on validating and localizing solutions in real operating conditions, and building a clear pathway to commercial adoption with Silal and its partners.
Participation does not require giving up equity. Each cohort includes only 3 to 5 companies, allowing for a more tailored and hands-on approach. Rather than standardized programming, each startup works on a defined pilot aligned to real business needs, with the goal of creating long-term commercial partnerships.
No. Silal does not take equity as a condition of participation.
Instead, the program is based on a commercial alignment model. iO receives a limited first conversation window on GCC opportunities and shares in revenue generated through partnerships it directly originates.
Participants retain full ownership and global commercial freedom. Full terms are outlined in the participant agreement.
No. Startups do not need to be based in the UAE to apply.
However, we prioritize companies that are committed to building a meaningful presence in the UAE and broader GCC region.
Selected startups will also be expected to spend time on-site at Innovation Oasis facilities in Al Ain during the pilot phase, working closely with Silal teams and partners.
The level of in-market presence will depend on the specific requirements of each project.
Participants can expect a structured engagement over 3 to 5 months. This includes a combination of in-person time and ongoing collaboration with Silal teams.
During active phases of the pilot, startups should expect regular working sessions with business units and project stakeholders, as well as time upfront to scope and define the pilot.
The platform is designed to enable pilots and commercial opportunities, but outcomes are not guaranteed.
Each engagement is structured to give startups the best opportunity to validate their solution and build a case for adoption. Where pilots are successful, Silal will work with startups to explore next steps, including potential commercial agreements or longer-term partnerships.
You can apply directly via the Apply Now section on this page.
Additional guidance will be shared through upcoming information sessions.
Please submit all application materials in English. The program will be conducted in English, and no Arabic language knowledge is required to participate.
Upcoming FAQ Sessions
Ready to fast-track the future of food security?
Apply NowStop pitching, start piloting. Applications close June 12, 2026.