Dubai Startup Hub, an initiative of Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, hosted an event earlier today which provided entrepreneurs with legal and human resources advice, in addition to mentorship, networking and practical tips for finding the right co-founder for their businesses.

The exclusive event was held at Dubai Chamber’s premises and attended by applicants of the Co-Founder Dubai pilot programme. The event kicked off with a workshop on human resources led by David Mackenzie, Group Managing Director, Mackenzie Jones. Mackenzie examined strategies for building long-lasting successful partnerships, finding highly-skilled talent, and navigating human resources concerns.

During a separate workshop, Shahram Safai, Partner, Afridi & Angell, highlighted important legal aspects related to selecting a co-founder, such as guidelines for drafting contracts, agreements and best practices when sharing work and dividing priorities among the company’s founding partners.

The workshops were followed by networking and mentorship sessions, joined byseveral entrepreneurs who have built successful businesses. Joining the session were Katharine Budd, Co-founder & CEO of NowMoney, Rodrique Nacouzi – Founder of Transcorp, Anna – Liisa Goggs- Co-Founder and COO of Consult and Coach for a Cause (C3), and Ihab Fikry – CEO of Al Mentor. The speakers shared their experiences and lessons learned from their entrepreneurial journeys. In addition, they shared their advice on selecting the right business partner and explained how they overcame challenges throughout this process.

For his part, H.E. Majid Saif Al Ghurair, Chairman of Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, explained that recent research conducted by the Chamber found that selecting a co-founder remains a key challenge for startups and entrepreneurs. He noted that the Co-Founder programme was established to address such obstacles by connecting startups with prospective co-founders and providing the right level of support and guidance during this crucial stage, with the aim of improving the success rate of startups in the region.

H.E. Al Ghurair noted that Co-Founder Dubai, launched under the Dubai Startup Hub platform earlier this year, connects entrepreneurs and business leaders in the UAE with the right co-founder who can support the company’s growth plans. He highlighted the far-reaching benefits of startups and co-founders participating in the first-of-its-kind programme, including comprehensive training, a dedicated curriculum and high-caliber talent, and valuable support. He added that the programme supports Dubai Chamber’s entrepreneurship strategy which is structured around the evolving needs of startup and SMEs in Dubai.

A total of 10 startups were shortlisted and selected for the programme over the past month, with three co-founder candidates will be selected for each. The selected startups are: Shala Online DMCC, Pacific67 Innovation Studio FZ-LLC, Hayya Middle East, YAH Capital Financial Services LLC, alBeqsha Gifts Trading, whspot, Deliver 2 Mum, ChannelPro, Darb Technologies and Tracking Systems LLC, and Solarino Energy Solutions.

Dubai Chamber launched Dubai Startup Hub in 2016 as an online platform to connect startups, entrepreneurs, developers, venture capitalists and students, enabling them to learn about new opportunities and create new partnerships that stimulate economic growth.