DSOA, Dubai Chamber join hands to attract startups, entrepreneurs

Business Bureau, Gulf Today

Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority (DSOA) has signed a strategic agreement with Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Dubai Chamber) to support start-ups and entrepreneurs in Dubai. The agreement was signed between Dubai Technology Entrepreneur Campus (Dtec), the largest tech hub and coworking space in the Mena region, wholly owned by Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority (DSOA), and Dubai Startup Hub, an initiative of Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Dr Mohammed Al Zarooni, Vice Chairman and CEO of DSOA, and Hamad Buamim, President and CEO of Dubai Chamber, signed the one-year agreement at Dtec in the presence of several officials from the two entities.

Under the terms of the partnership, DSOA and Dubai Chamber will produce an annual report on start-ups in Dubai in a bid to attract business and direct investment, through Dtec and Dubai Startup Hub. Presenting a clear overview and accurate statistics on the economic landscape in the UAE and the wider GCC region, the report aims to motivate startups as well as small and medium-sized enterprises in the technology sector to establish an operational base in Dubai.

The agreement will also offer startups access to the “Soft Landing Program” that facilitates business setup in the emirate. In addition, they will have the opportunity to participate in the quarterly Dtec Forum that seeks to address key issues of the startup ecosystem, and other entrepreneurship-focused workshops organised by Dtec.

Furthermore, the two entities plan to organise joint roadshows for international firms that will highlight the enabling environment the emirate provides for entrepreneurship as well as the number of foreign companies with regional headquarters in Dubai.

Dr Al Zarooni said: “DSOA works under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to position Dubai as a leading destination for business setup and investment through offering world-class services to diverse sectors, especially in the technology field.”

He added: “In this context, DSOA is keen to build strategic synergies with leading entities, such as Dubai Chamber that shape the economic landscape. Through this agreement, startups can develop their projects at Dtec and attract foreign direct investments to support them in doing so.”

Dr Al Zarooni stressed the importance of Dtec in attracting talented entrepreneurs from various sectors through providing the full spectrum of services to startups and enabling them to translate their innovative ideas into successful projects.

For his part, Buamim said: “Our cooperation with DSOA marks the beginning of a new phase of Dubai’s endeavors to establish itself as the global startup capital. As entrepreneurs are the driving force of the future economy, the partnership aligns with this year’s theme ‘2020: Towards the next 50’.”

He added: “We plan to work closely with DSOA to raise Dubai’s profile as an exceptional destination for startups from around the world seeking to enter the region via Dubai. We are confident that sharing comprehensive data, reliable statistics, and current reports will go a long way in supporting our efforts.”

Buamim noted that through its Dubai Startup Hub, the official online platform of the emirate’s startup and technology ecosystem, Dubai Chamber aims to launch new initiatives to facilitate entrepreneurship and enhance ease of doing business in partnership with Dtec.

Dubai Technology Entrepreneur Campus serves as an operational base for more than 800 startups from 72 countries. The quarterly Dtec Forum seeks to address key issues of the entrepreneurial ecosystem, as well as help startup founders expand their knowledge in secondary areas and adopt a more holistic approach to business.

Launched in 2016, Dubai Startup Hub is a key part of Dubai Chamber’s Entrepreneurship Strategy 2021, which operates under the umbrella of Smart Dubai and aims to develop Dubai’s entrepreneurial eco-system and foster a culture of innovation among youth and startups within the emirate.

Dubai Silicon Oasis is a globally recognised free zone and an integrated technology park that allows people to live, work, and play. Hosting modern technology based industries and an urban master-planned community in an iconic location, DSO offers state-of-the-art infrastructure and in-house business services