CertiK Becomes Hub71's Security Vendor in Abu Dhabi Push

CertiK, a Web3 security firm, said it was selected as an official vendor for Hub71, the technology ecosystem based in Abu Dhabi Global Market. The designation gives Hub71 portfolio companies preferred access to CertiK's security auditing and compliance services, the company said in a statement. Eligible startups receive a 20% discount on those services, backed by a subsidy pool of up to $200,000.

Hub71 is the flagship tech cluster of the Abu Dhabi government. It houses more than 1,000 startups across fintech, health, and energy. The portfolio includes firms that must meet ADGM's cybersecurity standards to operate onshore. The partnership gives them a discounted path to compliance.

The subsidy pool is modest relative to the broader Hub71 funding system, which includes startups that have raised hundreds of millions. The structure matters: it directly cuts the cost of compliance, a category of spending that tends to scale with fundraising. For early-stage Web3 projects, security spending often competes with product development. The discount lowers that barrier.

Startups that take the discount effectively outsource a portion of their security review to a single vendor. That could create concentration risk if the relationship becomes the default across the ecosystem. The deal does not involve an equity stake or exclusivity clause, based on the announcement. Other security vendors remain free to operate in the ecosystem.