ABU DHABI – PGIM, the $1.4 trillion global investment management business of Prudential Financial, Inc., has partnered with ADGM Academy (ADGMA), to launch the RealAssetX Abu Dhabi Innovation Centre (the Centre) – a cutting-edge lab dedicated to advancing sustainable technology, artificial intelligence (AI), and deep tech within the real asset industry.
Set to open in September this year at the ADGM Academy offices, the Centre will bring together global expertise to tackle the most pressing challenges and opportunities in real estate, infrastructure, smart cities, and related sectors. The announcement follows the strategic partnership formed between PGIM and the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) announced in December last year to support the establishment of the Centre.
Launched by PGIM in 2023, RealAssetX is underpinned by data from PGIM Real Estate and third-party sources. It partners with leading universities and technology companies around the world to research and develop new technologies that can be incubated and adopted by owners, operators and managers of real assets.
The RealAssetX Abu Dhabi Innovation Centre will focus on three key areas:
- Climate technologies – advancing decarbonisation and environmental resilience,
- AI-driven decision-making – enhancing asset management and investment strategies through advanced analytics,
- Breakthrough applications – exploring blockchain for real estate, smart infrastructure systems and advanced materials.
PGIM and ADGMA will jointly guide and oversee the Centre’s strategy and operations, as it delivers research, ideation labs, hackathons, pitch competitions, and incubator and accelerator programmes in partnership with universities and technology companies. These programmes are designed to nurture early-stage ideas and scale high-impact ventures, creating a dynamic ecosystem that bridges academia, entrepreneurship, and industry.
Alessandro Borgogna, Advisor – Cluster Planning and Development at ADIO, said: “Abu Dhabi is driving the next stage of innovation by integrating AI, sustainability, and digital transformation across global industries. RealAssetX Abu Dhabi demonstrates our commitment to strengthening the financial services sector and positioning the emirate as a launchpad for deep tech solutions that deliver value at scale. We are proud to support ADGM Academy and PGIM in this effort and look forward to the impact the RealAssetX Abu Dhabi Innovation Centre will have across real assets and beyond.”
Mansoor Jaffar, CEO at ADGM Academy and Research Centre, said: “At ADGM Academy, we are dedicated to empowering the next generation of innovators by providing the tools, talent, and technology to transform ideas into impactful solutions. We are committed to building a vibrant ecosystem that nurtures early-stage ventures and accelerates breakthrough technologies in real assets. Our partnership with PGIM, supported by ADIO, will enable the RealAssetX Centre to drive innovation, support sustainable development, and position Abu Dhabi as a global hub for deep tech and smart infrastructure.”
Mohammed Abdulmalek, Head of Middle East at PGIM , commented: “RealAssetX Abu Dhabi is a progressive step forward in shaping the future of real assets through innovation, and we’re proud to partner with ADGM Academy. By combining PGIM’s global investment expertise with ADGMA’s commitment to talent and technology, we are creating a platform that will drive sustainable growth, unlock new value, and position the region at the forefront of deep tech and AI-driven transformation. We look forward to driving innovation in real assets from Abu Dhabi.”
As a global leader in asset management, PGIM has deep asset class expertise and risk management discipline and has served clients in the Middle East for many years. PGIM offers active management and client-focused advisory services across private and public markets, meeting client needs in Private Alternatives (Real Estate, Agriculture, Private Equity); Public and Private Fixed Income; Fundamental Equity; Multi-asset Solutions; and Retirement and Fund Solutions. With a global team of 1,450 investment professionals, each averaging 22 years of experience, across 41 offices in 19 countries, PGIM is bringing its wealth of experience to one of the world’s most progressive financial centres in the Middle East.
ABOUT PGIM
PGIM is the global asset management business of Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE: PRU). In 41 offices across 19 countries, our more than 1,450 investment professionals serve both retail and institutional clients around the world.
As a leading global asset manager with $1.4 trillion in assets under management,2 PGIM is built on a foundation of strength, stability, and disciplined risk management. Our multi-affiliate model allows us to deliver specialized expertise across key asset classes with a focused investment approach. This gives our clients a diversified suite of investment strategies and solutions with global depth and scale across public and private asset classes, including fixed income, equities, real estate, private credit, and other alternatives. For more information visit pgim.com.
About ADGM Academy
ADGM Academy (ADGMA) is the knowledge arm of the international financial centre of Abu Dhabi – ADGM.ADGM was established in order to promote the Emirate of Abu Dhabi as a global financial centre, to develop the economy of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and make it an attractive environment for financial investments and an effective contributor to the international financial services industry.
ADGMA was established with the vision of becoming one of the region’s top educational and Human Resources academies for banking, finance, and public services. In line with the UAE leadership’s vision to continue to build a strong and resilient economic sector, we aim to provide our constituents and the community at large with world-class educational and experiential programmes.
ADGMA has been at the forefront of financial and digital training programmes, partnering with top industry experts, professional organisations and leading academic institutions to design and deliver programs and produce applied-based research relevant to the financial industry, focusing on future-driven trends.