Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai, has launched “The Emirates: The Startup Capital of the World”, a national campaign to strengthen the UAE’s position as a global centre for entrepreneurship and innovation.
The initiative is overseen by the Ministry of Economy and Tourism, in cooperation with the UAE Government Media Office and the UAE Entrepreneurship Council.
It brings together more than 50 incubators, accelerators, and strategic partners from both the public and private sectors.
The campaign seeks to encourage Emirati entrepreneurship, support the growth of SMEs, and contribute to economic diversification.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid said:
“Our goal is to train and nurture 10,000 Emirati entrepreneurs, create thousands of new economic opportunities, and raise community awareness on the importance of entrepreneurship as a driver of the future economy.”
Planned programmes under the campaign include StartupEmirates.ae, an Entrepreneurship Training Programme, and measures to integrate startups into federal procurement.
Targets include the creation of 30,000 jobs by 2030, the incubation of 250 Emirati real estate firms, and the licensing of 500 Emirati tax agents and project managers.
According to official figures, SMEs already account for more than 63% of the UAE’s non-oil GDP, with the country ranking among 56 global economies in terms of SME support.
Featured image credit: Wamda
