Sheikh Mohammed launches campaign to train and nurture 10,000 Emirati entrepreneurs

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai, has launched "The Emirates: The Startup Capital of the World” campaign, a strategic initiative aimed at strengthening the UAE’s position as a leading global hub for entrepreneurship and innovation.

The campaign seeks to provide comprehensive support to Emirati youth, enabling them to benefit from the UAE’s unique economic environment through an integrated ecosystem of initiatives, platforms, and specialised programmes designed to foster innovation, accelerate growth, and diversify the national economy.

Supervised by the Ministry of Economy and Tourism, in collaboration with the UAE Government Media Office and the UAE Entrepreneurship Council, the campaign brings together over 50 incubators and accelerators alongside a wide network of strategic partners from the public and private sectors, as well as leading national institutions and academic entities, to create an inclusive environment that nurtures entrepreneurial talent and unlocks economic potential.

Sheikh Mohammed said, "Today, the Cabinet launched the new national campaign "The Emirates: The Startup Capital of the World.”

The campaign brings together more than 50 entities from both the public and private sectors, with the aim of training and nurturing 10,000 Emirati entrepreneurs, creating thousands of economic opportunities, and raising community awareness on the importance of leveraging the economic momentum the country is witnessing. A series of initiatives will be introduced, with a call for all institutions to actively participate in this campaign and support its objectives.

He added, "The UAE is currently home to 50 business incubators spread across the country. Small and medium-sized enterprises form the backbone of the national economy, contributing more than 63% of the non-oil GDP. The UAE also leads among 56 global economies in supporting SMEs and in providing the best possible environment for their growth and success.

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.”

StartupEmirates.ae Digital Platform, an entrepreneurship support platform launched in partnership with the New Economy Academy, providing free mentorship programmes and connecting youth with startups. The platform aims to attract 10,000 entrepreneurs and create 30,000 new jobs by 2030, offering shared workspaces, business networking events, training programs, and cross-border partnerships to position the UAE as a gateway for global startups.

The Entrepreneurship Programme aimed at training 10,000 Emiratis in Entrepreneurship is unified programme that equips 10,000 Emirati men and women with both foundational knowledge and practical skills in entrepreneurship. It includes a beginner track focused on essential concepts and practices for aspiring entrepreneurs and an advanced track covering the full journey from business setup to sustainable growth and global expansion.

The Specialised Content Creator Programme in Economics and Entrepreneurship, a national initiative to raise awareness about entrepreneurship by training 50 Emirati content creators specialised in economics and entrepreneurship.

The Project Management Experts Programme will train and qualify and license 500 Emiratis in residential construction project management. Participants will be empowered to oversee the entire lifecycle of housing projects-from planning to execution-and will be equipped with the skills and knowledge to support homeowners in building their residences.

The UAE Tax Agent Programme will Licence 500 certified Emirati tax agents through an intensive training programme over three years. The programme includes, VAT Diploma, Corporate Tax Diploma, implemented in collaboration with the Federal Tax Authority and the New Economy Academy.

The initiative will support the launch of 250 full-time Emirati real estate companies by incubating and supporting them. These companies will operate as licensed agencies, not just independent brokers.

The Young Entrepreneurs & Graduate Business Expo will include promoting entrepreneurship from an early age by organising a nationwide expo across all educational institutions in partnership with the Ministry of Education. In addition to hosting a dedicated expo for graduate entrepreneurs to showcase their business projects to a wide audience of investors, potential partners, and support organisations, in collaboration with the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.

As for the Entrepreneur Participation in Federal Government Procurement, this move aimed at enabling startups to compete in the federal procurement ecosystem under the Ministry of Finance. This includes, expanding access and competitiveness for startups and encouraging their contribution to innovation and economic growth. It also includes prioritising national entrepreneurs in federal tenders and streamlining procurement procedures, in addition to providing training and awareness programs to help startups navigate and thrive within the government procurement system.

WAM