Imagine trying to build in a vacuum: You have no trusted service providers (lawyers, accountants), no funding resources to tap into, no way to find like-minded, trustworthy collaborators, and not even a favorite coffee shop to work from on a lean budget.
A fresh start in a new country. No local connections, period.
That was the reality that Alex Scott found himself in when he arrived in the United Arab Emirates shortly before FTX collapsed in 2022. Navigating that unfamiliar landscape would eventually bring him to lead Superteam UAE, the group now at the center of Solana’s expansion across the nation and a critical bridge linking founders, investors, and policymakers.
The problems he faced as a newcomer are the same ones Superteam UAE now helps founders overcome with ease. Instead of wondering how to navigate visas, housing, fundraising conversations, or regulatory nuance, builders can rely on Superteam UAE to clear the path, accelerate their progress, and plug them directly into the region’s high-signal network.
Today, Superteam UAE is the undisputed can’t-miss first step for founders relocating to the region, and Scott has become one of the architects behind the movement advancing the UAE’s ambition to become the world’s leading crypto hub. And even now, much of what exists can be traced back to Scott’s original commitment to plant his flag in the desert and figure it out.
Searching For Initial Footing In The Desert
Alex Scott’s journey to leading Superteam UAE began with firsthand experience as a founder. Not long before the start of the last bear market, he had already built and raised venture funding for his own company, while at the same time, was relocating to the UAE without having any local connections.
“That process gave me deep insights into the real pain points founders face when moving to the region,” he says. “You are navigating a maze of service providers with wildly varying quality, trying to make meaningful connections, and figuring out how to access resources like investors and government funding.”
Those challenges became the foundation for his next chapter.
“When I created Superteam UAE, it was clear there was a gap for someone to step up as a community leader,” he says. “Someone who could guide founders, curate high-quality events to bring like-minded people together, and clear paths to the best opportunities.”
His motivation to help came from his own experience. He understood how isolating it can be to build something new in a foreign market, and he wanted to make the UAE feel accessible to the next wave of ambitious builders.
“I’ve lived those struggles,” Scott says. “And I saw Superteam as the perfect platform to turn that into action, building a supportive ecosystem that makes the UAE a no-brainer for ambitious builders.”
Living In Dubai’s Booming Crypto Industry
For many newcomers, the UAE defies expectations. The image often painted abroad is one of an ultra-conservative desert outpost, but the reality Scott describes is entirely different. “People land expecting restrictions everywhere,” he says. “But then they're sipping cocktails on Palm Jumeirah beaches that rival Miami's club scene, seeing women in equal professional roles and driving freely, and realizing it's one of the safest places on earth.”
That cultural awakening is one of the UAE’s strongest assets today, attracting entrepreneurs who want modern infrastructure and a business environment that rewards speed. Scott believes in the power of the messaging surrounding the UAE as a builder’s environment and is doing everything he can to spread awareness.
He adds that the UAE “feels more like a futuristic global hub than anything else.”
Living in this environment, Scott’s days start before sunrise. He’s up at 5:20 am, walking his dog along the water to catch some morning sunlight. That quiet hour is his reset button before the day accelerates. When he returns home, he hits the gym in his garage (even in the hottest months), switching between spin bike sessions and weights. He says moving his body in the morning is essential, as it “sets a productive tone for everything else.” Then, he anchors his focus to morning deep work to tackle the most high-impact tasks uninterrupted.
This time, Scott says, is sacred. “Crypto never sleeps. I squeeze in as many productive hours as possible.”
By afternoon, the pace shifts to being people-facing. Calls, meetings, and strategy sessions fill his hours. At least once a week, Scott hosts a community gathering, whether it is a founder meetup, a panel, or a casual networking event.
“What fires me up every morning is the sheer energy of crypto in the UAE right now,” he says. “It is at a massive inflection point.” The country’s clear regulations, influx of talent, and growing roster of global players have created a kind of momentum rarely seen elsewhere. From major exchanges like Bybit and Bitget to Solana powerhouses such as Squads, Helius, and Backpack, the UAE has become a magnet for innovation. “There is a real mission-driven vibe here,” Scott adds. “Everyone is aligned on turning the UAE into the crypto capital of the world. Being in the thick of that, helping shape it, feels electric.”
When asked what his least favorite part of his work was, Scott gave an answer that everyone in the industry can relate to:
“The nonstop nature of the industry means things can feel chaotic—shifting schedules, constant fires to put out, and the pressure to always be ‘on.’ It tests your ability to stay flexible without losing momentum.”
Balancing that pace with family life has been a formidable challenge in its own right, requiring rigid intention to ensure what truly matters isn’t left to the wayside. Breakfast with his child is non-negotiable, and weekends are reserved for uninterrupted family time. Since becoming a father, his outlook on work has evolved. He now favors shorter, sharper bursts of focus to prioritize recovery and presence, and guards his free time carefully to protect family moments.
Helping Solana Builders Navigate The Middle East
Superteam UAE exists to accelerate Solana adoption across the UAE and the broader Middle East and North Africa region.
Scott describes the mission in three parts.
The first is strategic business development, partnering with large financial institutions and corporates to integrate Solana into their products and services. The second is founder support, helping ambitious builders relocate and get established through the Solana Economic Zone events held every six months and through ongoing support throughout the year. The third is amplification, which includes marketing, content, and events designed to showcase the opportunities expanding across the Solana ecosystem.
“Overall, we are making the UAE a magnet for the broader crypto community by fostering innovation, connections, and real economic impact,” Scott says.
Under his leadership, Superteam UAE has become a bridge between incoming builders and the network of resources that make the region stand out. This includes close collaboration with government bodies and major ecosystem players to position Dubai and Abu Dhabi as global hubs for crypto startups. One of the most prominent examples is the memorandum of understanding brokered between the Solana Foundation and Dubai’s Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority. The agreement highlighted the Solana Economic Zone as a new engine for economic growth in the region.
These partnerships extend across the entire regulatory and institutional landscape. “We share our data on relocations, jobs created, and funds raised to show impact,” Scott explains. “VARA sends experts like their general counsel to our events for direct Q&A on rulebooks and licensing.”
Superteam UAE works closely with exchanges such as Bybit and Bitget, as well as with the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre and the Central Bank, to co-host workshops, panel sessions, and educational programs. Each touchpoint deepens the sense that Dubai and Abu Dhabi are founder-first environments that reward speed, clarity, and innovation.
This ecosystem support becomes even more tangible when founders begin their relocation journey.
Scott often describes Superteam UAE as a full-service operation because of how thoroughly it guides newcomers through visas, company formation, and networking. When asked to share an example of a support success story, the example Scott pulled was one that demonstrated just how fast Superteam can complete start-to-finish support.
“We helped a founder team secure a Golden Visa, the ten-year golden visa, in just a few weeks,” he says. “Most of the paperwork was handled remotely, and we coordinated the final in-person push during their quick visit for Token2049. They were up and running seamlessly.” It is not an isolated case. The team has replicated similar results for hundreds of founders through entity setups and remote work visas. Their partnership with Harbor is the backbone of that process.
“Do ninety percent remotely, fly in for the final checks and Emirates ID, and you are good to go.”
Getting started is, as you could imagine, very simple. Founders can reach out through the Superteam UAE website or can send the team a DM. From there, the team assesses what the founder needs, whether it is a specific visa, a company setup, or something else entirely. The team then connects them to vetted providers and begins integrating them into the network from day one. “It is plug-and-play support to skip the headaches,” Scott says.
Beyond logistics and business development, community is the engine that drives Superteam UAE’s impact. In a mostly remote industry, the organization focuses on what Scott calls the social layer. Weekly gatherings range from casual meetups and laser tag sessions to yoga classes and regulatory roundtables. “Crypto thrives on people,” he says. “These gatherings build cultural ties and a growth mindset among like-minded folks who genuinely want each other to succeed.” The stickiness of these connections is what often turns newcomers into long-term contributors to the Solana ecosystem.
The community is intentionally curated to maintain quality. Only about 40% of event applicants are approved, ensuring that founders, investors, and partners entering the network are aligned with the ecosystem’s collaborative, high-signal culture. It is this balance of accessibility and excellence that has made Superteam UAE the trusted launchpad for some of Solana’s most ambitious global builders in the region.
Why Build On Solana?
Ask Scott why he encourages founders to build on Solana, and he’s quick to highlight the people already building. “Hands down, it is the community. You feel it instantly at Breakpoint or our Solana Economic Zones,” he says. “These are the people you want to build with. Collaborative, growth-obsessed, and all in on helping each other win.”
That culture is reinforced by the technology itself. Solana processes more transactions than every other blockchain combined and continues to attract both institutional and consumer-facing projects. Even global players like Western Union have begun building on its rails. The combination of technical performance and an active network of builders gives founders a built-in distribution engine from day one. “Superteam is here to back that up with dedicated support,” Scott says. “If you are launching consumer or institutional products, your odds of success go way up. Now is the moment.”
Those dynamics create a powerful environment in the UAE, where regulatory clarity, venture capital access, and a high-caliber builder community already make the region a launchpad for Web3 innovation. It is a place where founders can move quickly and where early challenges often become advantages with the right support network behind them.
“My hope is that we shape the UAE into the world’s crypto capital,” Scott says. “It is not only friendly to innovation. It is the smartest bet for building the future, blending speed, safety, and scale in a way that draws the best talent and ideas to the region.”
The Road to Breakpoint
As the Solana ecosystem prepares for its flagship conference, Breakpoint, Superteam UAE is prepping the pre-conference event that Breakpoint attendees should fly in early to attend.
This year, the Solana Economic Zone will run across two cities, beginning in Dubai from December 1 to 7 and continuing in Abu Dhabi from December 8 to 10. The idea is to create a true pre-Breakpoint launchpad that brings together policymakers, investors, founders, and builders for meaningful cross-pollination.
“For Breakpoint this year, we are supercharging the Solana Economic Zone by splitting it across two cities,” Scott says. “It is designed as a pre-Breakpoint launchpad, bringing together policymakers, investors, founders, and builders for cross-pollination. The lineup includes heavy hitters like Mert from Helius, Akshay from the Solana Foundation, and Kash from Jupiter, plus government leaders from the Central Bank, DMCC, and VARA.”
The impact of this style of event has been proven over the past two and a half years, Scott says. He’s seen them spark company formations, relocations, and partnerships that came directly out of the connections made at these gatherings. Scott sees this year as the strongest version yet. “It is the ultimate immersion to test the waters, network, and decide to plant roots here before the main conference kicks off.”
An Open Invitation To Builders
Scott’s message to founders curious (even, skeptical) about the UAE: come and see it for yourself.
Superteam UAE is designed to make that first step simple, offering guidance, introductions, and an on-the-ground look at what it means to build inside one of the fastest-growing crypto ecosystems in the world.
“Dive in at our Solana Economic Zone,” he says. “Free registration at SEZdubai.com. It is your no-risk entry to experience it all firsthand and see why founders who show up leave committed to building here.”
The story of Superteam UAE is a story of momentum. What began as a small circle of Solana builders has grown into a community that shapes national partnerships, drives relocations, and accelerates innovation across Dubai and Abu Dhabi. It is a network grounded in authenticity and built around the idea that trust, credibility, and collaboration can unlock opportunity for anyone willing to participate.
For Scott, that idea remains personal. What started as his own search for connection in a new country has evolved into an ecosystem that supports founders from all over the world. It is now a blueprint for how community infrastructure can scale an entire industry and how the Middle East can help define the future of crypto.
