Hundreds of Emiratis are to receive training under an initiative aimed at improving productivity and building resilience in the national economy.
The Entrepreneurs from Emirati Families programme, which has a target of training about 1,000 Emirati entrepreneurs by the end of 2030, will offer support to 200 citizens a year.
The programme is part of The Emirates: The Start-up Capital of the World campaign, launched last year by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President, and Ruler of Dubai. The drive was established in collaboration with the New Economy Academy, Majra.
Majra chief executive Sarah Shaw said the launch of the programme reflected the UAE’s economic resilience in the face of the regional conflict and was inspired by the legacy of UAE Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
"They told Sheikh Zayed the desert can never be green. Do you think that stopped him planting trees? No, he kept going," she told The National. "If you stop at every crisis, you would not continue in life. This is what makes us different. I have never seen a private sector economy as trustworthy as the one we have built here in the UAE."
She added that long-term stability requires support for smaller businesses. "International companies have taken the brunt of [the war] and have been very resilient," she said. "If we want to be resilient as a nation and ensure sustainability, small businesses are it and, more importantly, families are it."
Ms Shaw said there was a "huge opportunity" for Emirati families to be "part of an economy that is ever changing and evolving".
Opportunity for growth
She explained how the Ministry of Community Empowerment holds a database of Emirati families who "have ideas and want to establish something". She pointed to its work at Global Village through the 971 platform, a UAE initiative that showcases and supports businesses owned by citizens.
“At the same time, the Ministry of Economy knows where the future direction of the economy is, where we need more businesses and where we need more focus,” she said. “So they said, 'Let’s come together and create a programme to help establish and promote family businesses in priority sectors.'”
These include tourism, food processing, food manufacturing and technology. After graduation, Emiratis who enrolled in the programme will receive continued support.
What is the programme?
The initiative is to be delivered in a hybrid format, six days a week, with four days of remote work and two days of in-person teaching at the start and end of each week.
Those who wish to enrol are to present their idea to a jury, with 50 participants making up four cohorts each year. That will bring the annual total to 200 graduates.
The programme is also entirely funded through private sector contributions. It includes several phases, extending beyond initial training, and participants are matched with mentors through an AI system. "A family member can write a prompt saying they are looking for a mentor in a specific business in the UAE, and they will be matched," Ms Shaw said. "They then go through a 30-day programme with that mentor to help move their business forward."
The mentor will be based locally and will have already established a business in the country, she added.
Long-term growth
The programme is led by instructors, experts and consultants specialising in entrepreneurship, self-development, economy, finance and technology.
Participants are also given access to wider opportunities, including within the 10 per cent quota for government procurement. They will also be provided opportunities to be part of Ministry of Economy exhibitions.
Ms Shaw described the initiative as a co-ordinated effort across government, aiming to reduce dependency and enable long-term growth. "We do not want dependent families," she said. "We want families that can flourish and thrive in this economy."
