Dubai StartUp Hub, under Dubai Chamber has launched the Emirati Development Programme to foster the skills of Emirati youth.  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. 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.