We Build
We Innovate
We BOLT

BOLT is a UAE based consultancy specializing in innovation program design and management, startup acceleration and strategic events.

Our niche? Being the on-the-ground, agile and multilingual experts that innovation leaders rely on to manage high impact initiatives and deliver real results.

Bolt Consultancy Offerings

Strategic events
EY Expo 2024
Strategic Events
Strategic events
ADYC 2023
Hackathons
Strategic events
MBRIF 2023
Startup Programs

Getting Things Done The
BOLT Way

1. Discover

This is where everything starts. We get to know your goals, your audience, and what success looks like. Whether it’s launching a regional accelerator, hosting a future-focused summit, or running a nationwide hackathon, we dig deep to understand what matters most and explore strategic ideas.

2. Design

Now we turn ideas into experiences. We build the structure: defining the format, outlining journeys, creating themes, and shaping the content. This is where we pick the sectors, design your challenge prompts or mentorship tracks and map out every touchpoint that will make it unforgettable.

3. Setup

The behind-the-scenes magic. From onboarding partners and mentors to securing venues, finalizing platforms, building the evaluation criteria, and launching outreach - we get everything ready for prime time. It’s the engine room before the spotlight.

4. Launch

Game time. We bring the energy, the flow, and the on-ground team to make things happen. From event day to program kickoff, everything runs with precision including check-ins to content delivery to handling surprises mid-event.

5. Accelerate

Let’s build momentum. This is where we support participants beyond the launch: through mentorship, business clinics, pitch coaching, community check-ins, or even pilot testing with partners. It’s how ideas grow into real world wins.

10

The People Who Make It Happen

Aya

Aya Sadder

Founder & CEO

I’m Aya, Founder & CEO at BOLT Consultancy. I dive into all project aspects and live by “If you don’t know something, learn it yourself.”

Zeina

Zeina Youssef

Program Manager

I’m Zeina, Program Manager and venture builder. I support startups from ideation to revenue, blending strategy and hands‑on work to drive real impact.

Emil

Emil Shibu Thomas

Senior Program Associate

I’m Emil, Senior Program Associate at BOLT Consultancy. I enjoy projects that fuel creativity and problem‑solving, and I believe in thinking big and continuous self‑improvement.

Sarah

Sarah Mohammad

Program Associate

I’m Sarah, Program Associate at BOLT Consultancy. From brand identities to marketing campaigns, I blend creativity, strategy, and learning to enrich my work.

Lynn

Lynn Akili

Program Associate

I’m Lynn, Program Associate at BOLT Consultancy. I’m passionate about systems‑level problem‑solving and shifting mindsets around innovation and entrepreneurship in the region.

Nicole

Nicole Khoury

Senior Creative Designer

I’m Nicole, Senior Creative Designer at BOLT Consultancy. I craft designs that inspire, merging storytelling and strategy to bring visions to life.

Outcomes That Inspire

"I’ve had the pleasure of working with Bolt Consultancy on several early-stage entrepreneurship programs in Abu Dhabi, in collaboration with key ecosystem partners. The Bolt team consistently delivered with clarity, care, and commitment , always aligning with the goals of both the program and the client. Each engagement built meaningfully on the last, and even with a lean team, their impact was powerful. They went above and beyond in execution, bringing real value to every aspect of delivery."

-Lalitha Wemel
Program Lead at Techstars

Discover Our Case Studies


Strategic events
Summer 2023
Museum of the Future's Summer Camp
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.

Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco.
Strategic events
May 2023
AGDA for a Sustainable World Hackathon
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.

Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco.
Strategic events
Feb 2025
ADYC+ Post Program
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.

Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco.
Strategic events
May 2023
Museum of the Future Women’s Day
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.

Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco.

Our story in numbers

Entrepreneurs
and Founders Trained by BOLT

1780

Languages spoken on the team

0

Strategic Events

0

Hackathons

0

Innovation Programs

0

Local and global investors in our network

+251

Government Clients

0

Participant Testimonials

"I found the ADYC hackathon inspiring, challenging, and very productive for the short period of time. This is my second time attending, and I would definitely do it again."


Nour Rabih

Artificial Intelligence Major at MBZUAI in Abu Dhabi

"What really stood out was hearing from someone who's been there and done that, sharing real experiences, not just in theory, but in a story-driven way that showed where the sector has been and where it's heading. The practical case studies, especially from industry leaders like Microsoft and Sahib Fauci, demonstrated real-world value, efficiency gains with measurable dollar impact."


Nader Al Bastaki

Dubai Future District Fund

Milestones

MBRIF startups like Nabta Health, Predictiv, Verofax, and Letswork were named among the top Future100 pioneering startups by the Ministry of Economy and the Ministry of State for Government Development and the Future.

Pure Harvest, an MBRIF alumni, has raised $387 million across 9 funding rounds led by Olayan Group, Metric Capital Partners, and IMM Investment Corp, making it one of the best-funded startups in MEASA.

Sarwa, an MBRIF alumni, posted its first quarterly profit in Q1 2024 with a 33% net margin. Its lifetime trading volume now exceeds AED 10 billion, showing strong platform activity.

Key2Enable, an MBRIF alumni, was featured on Shark Tank Dubai 2024, the region’s first televised startup pitch show.

Ooladi, an ADYC+ accelerator program alumni, received a 100,000 AED investment from Adel Abdullah Ali, CEO of Air Arabia, through a Sheraa 'Seal the Deal' initiative.

Grow AI, an ADYC+ accelerator alumni, won the Open Data Sparks Abu Dhabi challenge, the MOI Hackathon, and secured 1st place at the TDRA Hackathon.

Frequently Asked Questions


Strategic Events

Startup Programs

Hackathons

General Questions

What does BOLT actually do?

We design and run innovation programs, startup accelerators, hackathons and bold strategic events. Think of us as your end-to-end partner when you need high energy execution with real outcomes.

Where do you operate?

We're based in the UAE, but we work globally. From Seoul to Riyadh to Amsterdam, we’ve helped partners go from local ideas to global execution.

Do you only work with startups?

Nope. We work with corporates, government entities, accelerators, universities, and ecosystem builders who want to engage startups, innovators or the public in meaningful ways.

Can I hire you just to run an event or hackathon?

Absolutely. We can plug into a specific need (like designing a hackathon challenge or managing an event) or handle the entire thing from idea to impact.

How long do your programs usually run?

Hackathons usually run from 3 days to 2 weeks. Startup programs range from 4 to 12 weeks. Strategic events can be one day or multi-week series. We tailor timelines to what delivers real value.

What makes BOLT different?

We’re fast, multilingual, and grounded in the details. We bring startup speed with enterprise polish. And our team is built for agile execution - on ground, across borders, and under pressure.

Do you offer mentorship or training?

Yes. For startups, students, and even internal teams. We often build mentorship tracks, training workshops and coaching into our programs.

How soon should I reach out before launching a program?

The earlier the better, ideally 6 to 8 weeks in advance. But if you're in a crunch, reach out anyway. We’ve pulled off complex builds on tight timelines (with caffeine and good playlists).

Do you handle marketing or outreach?

We’re not a marketing agency but we do build the strategy behind the scenes. Our team designs the campaign schedule, tone, messaging, and even content when needed. We work closely with PR and ad agencies to make sure everything feels on brand, high energy and well timed.

What types of startups do you work with?

It depends on the focus - sustainability tech, AI, gaming, fintech, transport, you name it. We’ve worked across sectors and helped founders at MVP, scale up and market entry stages.