His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai, has officially launched “The Emirates: The Startup Capital of the World,” a landmark national campaign designed to cement the UAE’s status as a premier global hub for entrepreneurship and innovation. The strategic initiative aims to cultivate a robust ecosystem for Emirati youth, providing them with comprehensive support to launch and scale their ventures.
The campaign is supervised by the Ministry of Economy and Tourism, in a collaborative effort with the UAE Government Media Office and the UAE Entrepreneurship Council. It unites a powerful network of over 50 incubators and accelerators, along with key partners from the public and private sectors, to create an integrated environment that nurtures entrepreneurial talent and drives economic diversification.
A Strategic Vision For Entrepreneurship
The campaign’s primary objective is to train and develop 10,000 Emirati entrepreneurs, generate thousands of economic opportunities, and enhance community awareness about the importance of entrepreneurship. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum highlighted the nation’s strong economic foundation, noting that SMEs contribute over 63% of the non-oil GDP and that the UAE is home to 50 business incubators.
“The overarching goal is to inspire more young people to establish their own companies, play an active role in advancing economic development, and seize the vast opportunities offered by the UAE’s dynamic national economy,” His Highness stated. The campaign will roll out a series of initiatives calling for broad participation from all national institutions.
The StartupEmirates.ae Digital Platform
A central component of the campaign is the launch of the StartupEmirates.ae digital platform, developed in partnership with the New Economy Academy. This hub will offer free mentorship programs and connect aspiring entrepreneurs with established startups. The platform aims to attract 10,000 entrepreneurs and create 30,000 new jobs by 2030 by providing shared workspaces, networking events, training, and cross-border partnerships to position the UAE as a gateway for global startups.
Specialized Training and Incubation Programs
To equip entrepreneurs with the necessary skills, the campaign includes several targeted programs:
- Entrepreneurship Programme: A unified curriculum to train 10,000 Emiratis with foundational knowledge and practical skills, featuring beginner and advanced tracks covering the entire business lifecycle from setup to global expansion.
- Specialized Content Creator Program: An initiative to train 50 Emirati content creators to specialize in economics and entrepreneurship, raising public awareness.
- Project Management Experts Programme: A program to qualify and license 500 Emiratis in residential construction project management.
- UAE Tax Agent Programme: A three-year intensive program, in collaboration with the Federal Tax Authority, to license 500 certified Emirati tax agents.
- Emirati Real Estate Companies: A program to incubate and support the launch of 250 full-time Emirati real estate agencies.
Expanding Market and Procurement Access
The campaign will also focus on creating tangible market opportunities. The Young Entrepreneurs & Graduate Business Expo will be organized across educational institutions in partnership with the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, allowing young founders to showcase their projects to investors and partners. Furthermore, a key initiative will enable startups to participate in federal government procurement. This move, managed under the Ministry of Finance, will prioritize national entrepreneurs in federal tenders, streamline procedures, and provide training to help them successfully navigate the government procurement system.
About The Emirates: The Startup Capital of the World
“The Emirates: The Startup Capital of the World” is a national campaign launched by the UAE government to reinforce its position as a global leader in entrepreneurship. Supervised by the Ministry of Economy and Tourism, the initiative brings together over 50 public and private sector partners to train 10,000 Emirati entrepreneurs, create new jobs, and provide a comprehensive support ecosystem through digital platforms, specialized training, and market access programs.
Source: Zawya
