Business Bureau, Gulf Today

Dubai Startup Hub, the entrepreneur initiative by Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry, has launched the Smartpreneur 5.0 Online Pitch Bootcamp. This, first-of-its-kind 10-week training programme is for the 50 finalists who qualified for the second phase of the fifth Dubai Smartpreneur competition.

The specialised online training programme will run from April 19 to June 30, 2020. This programme has replaced the traditional two-day training to ensure that these promising ventures are supported in the current difficult times, and that they are able to sustain and grow their business in 2020.

Entrepreneurs will benefit from more than 100 individual and group online training workshops, which will be organised throughout the two and a half month programme.

On the sidelines of the training programme, Dubai Startup Hub also launched the Startup Pitch Guide 2020 on how to deliver an impactful investor pitch.. Dubai Chamber has prepared this guide based on global best practices that are compatible with the business environment in the emirate. Participants in the competition and other entrepreneurs can benefit from the guide to achieve positive, encouraging results when presenting their ideas to investors.

The training programme also includes 4 weeks of one-to-one work with startup business coaches to improve business and financial models of the startups and running a simulation of the contest with the finalists as judges.

Natalia Sycheva, Manager of Entrepreneurship at Dubai Chamber pointed out that this training programme is the first of its kind, innovative training model that takes into account the exceptional circumstances we are in and how to enhance the capabilities and skills of the entrepreneurs and startups to sustain and grow in such situations. It also demonstrates the pioneering role of Dubai Chamber in providing innovative support for entrepreneurs in uncertain times rather than stopping these services.

She stressed that the Smartpreneur entrepreneurs are different as they are vetted, well-trained, and are guided to build a real business.

Sycheva also remarked on the launch of the Guide which is prepared by experts and is a training and educational tool for entrepreneurs and startups on how to present their ideas.

The Smartpreneur competition aims to assist technologyentrepreneurs to be part of Dubai’s strategic initiatives, in addition to enhancing the role of these entrepreneurs in the evolving business ecosystem of the Emirate and its position as the global hub for innovation.

Dubai Startup Hub provides a multi-programme platform for entrepreneurs from around the world to explore business opportunities in Dubai, while benefiting from a set of programmes and services such as Market Access Programme, Emirati Development Programme, Dubai Smartpreneur Competition and Co-Founder Dubai Programme, among others.

Meanwhile, ‘UAE Logistics Sector – Connectivity and Resilience,’ the Analysis by Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Dubai Chamber), highlights the country’s busy air cargo routes, high maritime freight connectivity, well-established warehousing network and strong logistical system as key elements that are enabling communities to weather the restrictions being created by the current situation.

Focusing on air cargo, the Dubai Chamber Analysis found that Middle Eastern cargo carriers, led by Emirates Airline, are showing resilience to early disruptions caused by the COVID-19 crisis, with Middle East-North America, Africa-Middle East, Europe-Middle East, and Middle East-Asia routes all experiencing annual year on year (y-o-y) growth between 2.5 per cent to 9 per cent during February 2020 compared to 2019. This bucked the trend that saw global carriers’ international activity drop by -0.9 per cent y-o-y, with around half of their global cargo routes experiencing weakness.

The Analysis also highlighted the latest data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) that showed that international cargo tonne kilometres (CTKs) - a measure of air cargo traffic - Analysised by carriers in the Middle East grew 4.3 per cent y-o-y in February 2020 as they expanded their cargo capacity by 6 per cent y-o-y. From a maritime perspective, the Dubai Chamber Analysis found that the UAE’s connectivity has been a key factor in ensuring that vital supplies reach global markets. Highlighting the Liner Shipping Connectivity Index (LSCI) – a widely used barometer of countries’ accessibility to global trade – it revealed that the UAE has the highest connectivity to global maritime trade networks among all countries in the Middle East and neighbouring Africa, West Asia and South Asia regions - a strong indication of its global trade hub status.