Startups to compete at first-ever Dubai Startup Hub Roadshow

Inayat-ur-Rahman

Innovative startups from India will have an opportunity to pitch and compete for business setup support in Dubai when they gather for the first-ever Roadshow organised by Dubai Startup Hub, an initiative of Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Dubai Technology Entrepreneur Campus (Dtec) a wholly-owned tech-startup hub by Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority.

The roadshow will be held in Delhi and Bangalore on June 24th-26th 2019, and provide a platform for Indian startups to network with key stakeholders within Dubai’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and learn about the competitive advantages that the emirate offers.

Giving innovative Indian technology startups the opportunity to expand their operations into Dubai, the roadshow will also host a pitch competition organised by Dtec, where shortlisted applicants will present in person in front of a panel of judges. The first-place winner will be granted office space at Dtec with company setup support and a complimentary business license. The runner-up will be awarded a flexi-desk space at Dtec, and UAE company setup support with a complimentary business license.

The initiative aims to identify and attract high-potential startups from India that offer cutting-edge solutions that can be adapted in the Dubai market and support the city’s strategic plans to become a global innovation hub and knowledge-based economy.

The three-day roadshow, supported by Startup India and NASSCOM 10000 Startups, will also feature site visits, informative presentations from leading UAE public and private players that support startups in Dubai, namely Dubai Startup Hub, Dtec, STEP Group and Startup Bootcamp, roundtable and panel discussions, and success stories from Indian startups that have benefited from the Dubai Startup Hub platform and built successful businesses in Dubai.

Omar Khan, Director of International Offices at Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry said: “India is not only a market of strategic importance to Dubai and Dubai Chamber, it has also become a key source market for Dubai’s growing startup eco-system. The country has become a testbed for blockchain, artificial intelligence and smart city solutions, and we have seen many Indian startups enter the Dubai market in recent years that have brought with them innovative business concepts.”

Khan noted that Indian businesses are well represented within Dubai’s business community, and revealed that 30% of startups registered with Dubai Startup Hub members are Indian-owned, while more than 38,000 Indian companies are Dubai Chamber members. He expressed his optimism about the prospects of the roadshow and added that attracting Indian startups to Dubai remains one of the key objectives of Dubai Chamber’s representative office in Mumbai.

For his part, Hans Henrik Christensen, Vice President of Dtec, said: “We are delighted to join Dubai Chamber on this overseas roadshow targeting Indian entrepreneurs, following DSOA’s roadshow in April targeting Indian investors and high-tech companies. We look forward to welcoming the qualifying startups of the pitch competition to Dubai’s largest entrepreneur hub in the Middle East where they can benefit not only from the complementary setup, but also from the integrated entrepreneurial ecosystem that offers value-added support such as free mentorship, legal advice, trainings, and workshops, aiding them to succeed and materialize.” 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.

Meanwhile, Dubai was in the spotlight at the 11th World Chambers Congress (WCC) in Rio de Janeiro, the world’s largest gathering of chambers of commerce, as the Brazilian city officially handed over the baton to the emirate as the host city of the next WCC in 2021. A delegation led byHamad Buamim, President & CEO of Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Chairman of the ICC World Chambers Federation participated in WCC 2019 and offered delegates a glimpse of what to expect at the next World Chambers Congress in Dubai, which is set to take place in 2021 and coincide with Expo 2020.

Addressing delegates during the Congress, Buamim said the World Chambers Congress 2021 in Dubai will put the spotlight on a city that is truly embracing the future and using innovative technologies to enhance business and trade.

From forward-thinking strategies to the widespread adoption of blockchain and artificial intelligence technologies, Dubai is positioning itself as a global business hub and knowledge-based economy that continues to transform itself and push the boundaries of innovation. The 12th World Chambers Congress in Dubai will take a closer look at how chambers of commerce are embracing the Fourth Industrial Revolution, adapting to advanced technologies and adjusting their value proposition to their members,” said  Buamim.