In a virtual meeting led by HE. Khalfan Juma Belhoul, Chair of the Dubai Future Council for Entrepreneurship and Innovation Ecosystems, the council members highlighted that the UAE is at the forefront in launching packages of incentive initiatives for startups and entrepreneurs, as well as providing them with support to overcome the challenges amid the global COVID-19 outbreak crisis.

The meeting discussed the role of the Council in providing efforts to develop projects and immediate solutions to the challenges faced by small and medium enterprises and innovative companies in a way that enhances the process of innovation and the sustainability of the entrepreneurial sector in Dubai and the UAE.

Council members emphasized the importance of activating the initiatives that were discussed immediately in coordination with the government and private sector, in order to reduce the negative effects imposed by the global pandemic on vital economic sectors, as well as to maintain Dubai's position as a leading city in attracting startups and entrepreneurs.

Members of the council, additionally highlighted the need to take advantage and make use of the reports issued by the Dubai Future Research, the research arm of the Dubai Future Foundation to better understand and anticipate the future of the entrepreneurship sector, as well as to make proactive choices to address challenges in light of the spread of the COVID-19 crisis.

The Council also discussed a range of topics related to the entrepreneurial and innovation system in Dubai, including recent government decisions and incentive initiatives, business licenses and visas, cash flow management and an increasing reliance on the concept of remote work, and the rapid developments in the technology and innovation sector.

The Council will work closely with Dubai Future Research in producing a report on what the entrepreneurship landscape will look like post COVID-19. The forward-looking report will be part of a series of reports titled “Life After COVID-19” launched by the Dubai Future Foundation to anticipate and foresee the future of vital sectors in the UAE and the region amid COVID-19.