Continuing with its strategy to build the entrepreneurial landscape of the Emirate, Dubai StartUp Hub, under the ambit of Dubai Chamber, has launched the Emirati Development Programme.

The Programme aims at increasing the participation of Emirati youth in the private sector – whether that involves launching their own business or join a private sector start-up.

Commenting on the excellent work being done by Dubai StartUp Hub to encourage entrepreneurs and support the ecosystem, he stated that Dubai StartUp Hub has been instrumental in providing guidance and clarity to entrepreneurs in their journey.

Since its inception, more than 3,000 start-ups have joined the Hub, with more than 7,000 start-ups benefitting from its various programmes such as Market Access, Co-Founder and the Smartprenuer Competition.

Through this programme, Dubai Chamber aims to identify new talent amongst the Emirati community and give them the tools and skills to seize a commercial opportunity. “ The Emirati Development Programme will play a key role in diversifying the scope of support, as it is designed to identify, develop and mentor promising UAE national talent, to equip them with practical business knowledge and entrepreneurship experience needed to stimulate their interest in the private sector,” H.E Al Ghurair remarked.

The event also witnessed the announcement of the first initiative – the Training & Mentorship Academy, in collaboration with Dubai Technology Entrepreneurs Campus, a wholly owned entity by Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority.  The Academy will offer a one-of-its-kind 4 week training programme with top industry trainers, covering topics such as business canvassing, product validation, go-to-market sales and pitching.

Interested applicants can find all the details regarding the application on the Dubai StartUp Hub website.  The Academy will select 30 participants, who will get guidance and mentoring in honing their skills.

Participants also got the opportunity to hear from Emirati business leaders, about their experiences and lessons learnt along the way. The panelists included, Sebastian Stefan, Founder, LoadMe, Sameer Nath and Muhannad Al Darrai, Founders, Meekd and Fahim Almas, Founder, Almas Robotics.

Moving forward, all future UAE national activities will come under the umbrella of the Emirati Development Programme.

Supporting entrepreneurship is a key focus of Dubai Chamber’s strategy.  Established by Dubai Chamber in 2016, Dubai Startup Hub is the first initiative of its kind in the MENA region. The initiative provides members with clarity and guidance throughout their entrepreneurial journey and leverages public-private partnerships to build Dubai’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.