09-March-2021
marked a Dubai Entrepreneurship Academy (DEA), which is the educational
arm of Dubai SME, the agency of Dubai Economy mandated to develop the small and
medium enterprise (SME) sector, has launched a series of programs for the
first half of 2021 following on from its
novel initiatives launched last year, enabling small and medium
enterprises (SMEs) and future entrepreneurs to successfully navigate and
overcome unprecedented challenges.
As COVID-19 struck the Academy stepped up its efforts through a series
of remote training programs and online consultations to support aspiring
entrepreneurs and enable business continuity among start-ups. Overall, 11,264
people were trained by DEA in 2020, a 70% increase compared to 2019, and 92% of
them were satisfied with the programs. The number of programs also increased
to 135 last year, compared to 124 in 2019.
For the next six months the Academy has charted out a series of
programs aimed to impart education and training on pursuing innovation and
positioning start-ups for sustainable growth. A highlight of the calendar is a
three-month ‘Certified Professional Entrepreneurship Diploma’ program being
launched in partnership with the
American University in Dubai (AUD).
DEA, along with the Commercial Compliance & Consumer Protection
(CCCP) Sector in Dubai Economy, had also launched a ‘Masters’ Program in
Intellectual Property Management and Innovation’ in partnership with AUD in
2020 to empower aspiring entrepreneurs to transform their ideas into
sustainable business and attract more investment into such ventures.
The Academy will also continue to conduct varied programs to identify
entrepreneurial talent and promote
entrepreneurship as a career alternative among younger generations in
partnership with higher educational institutions, ministry of education,
ministry of human resources and Emiratization and Federal Youth Authority.
Saeed Matar Al Marri, Deputy CEO of Dubai SME, said: “The Dubai Entrepreneurship Academy continues to
draw inspiration from the vision and directives of the wise leadership in providing
an incubating environment for entrepreneurial talent and accelerating start-up
growth. The Academy is also committed to providing a set of specialized
knowledge and skills that meet the needs of the community and enable it to
promote economic development in Dubai and enhance the emirate’s position as a
vibrant business centre.”
Ibtihal Al Naji, Director of Dubai Entrepreneurship Academy, added that the goal of DEA is to equip aspiring
entrepreneurs with the capabilities required to launch their projects and grow
them in a way that shapes the future of business locally, regionally and
internationally. “We have had a hectic year engaging with the start-up
community and entrepreneurs despite the COVID-19 crisis. The online
consultations and training programs we offered in 2021 significant step in
the digital transformation of the SME ecosystem in Dubai. Dubai
Entrepreneurship Academy seeks to empower SMEs and consolidate smart practices
for their advantage.”
The 2021 calendar of the Academy includes diverse programs with focus
on nurturing future entrepreneurs and equipping start-ups to identify
opportunities in the new normal and foresee challenges. Th training programs
scheduled for the first half of the year include ‘Business optimization in an
uncertain world, and Reset: Adjust your strategy now for renewed future state (in
partnership with Amity University),’ ‘Rethinking financial planning for SMEs (in
partnership with PWC),’ ‘Innovation in the face of disruption: How to lead from
the modern future,’ ‘Towards an Ideal supply chain management,’ Customer
service secrets in the survival market,’ ‘,’ ‘Strategic thinking & digital
solution,’ and ‘Flexible leadership & strategic foresight
development tools.’
The Academy will also offer a course in ‘The perfect funding pitch’ and
continue its ‘Professional Certificate in Tender Management’ program during the
first half of 2021. The program in tender management takes SME owners through
the most important steps in managing tenders, preparing technical and
financial presentations efficiently, and marketing their capabilities in
addition to identifying the procurement procedures and contracts of government
agencies.
DEA focuses on programs specifically designed to meet the needs of
entrepreneurs in the country, including citizens and residents, in addition to
establishing innovative platforms that bring together business leaders and aspiring
entrepreneurs to share knowledge and best practices. The Academy has been able to contribute
substantially towards creating a new generation of entrepreneurs and inspiring SMEs
in Dubai to grow and participate actively in developing a stable and
sustainable economy in the emirate.
Programs conducted by the Dubai Entrepreneurship Academy in 2020
included:
Training
for entrepreneurs in the Northern Emirates in co-operation with the
National Program for Small and Medium Enterprises and Enterprises (remote training),
to enable entrepreneurs to start and manage their projects
A 4-week Shadowing
initiative allowing entrepreneurs to benefit from corporate experience
in long-standing businesses, in addition to learning real-life business
management experience from a successful businessman
The ‘Entrepreneurship
in Crisis’ initiative (during the COVID-19 period), which included training
programs and advisory sessions to meet the needs of entrepreneurs, equip
them to face the crisis and ensure the continuity of their projects
‘Stay
Strong,’ an initiative (during the COVID-19 period) that saw
distinguished speakers and international businesses sharing inspiring
experiences and insights with entrepreneurs on overcoming the pandemic crisis
An ‘Entrepreneurs
and the Challenge of Change’ online camp, which introduced trainees to
the basics of entrepreneurship and innovation through practical workshops
in the latest domains including artificial intelligence
‘Unleash
Your Entrepreneurship’ online training with Zayed University to
introduce the youth to basics of entrepreneurship and the process of generating
ideas
Summer
Academy (remote) to introduce youth to the basics
of entrepreneurship and modern concepts in innovation, artificial
intelligence and digital transformation
Medyaf Camp (online) to
introduce the basics of entrepreneurship and the mechanism of generating
ideas to enable the youth to launch their projects
Braiem Camp (online) to
promote skills in agricultural production and investment towards creating a
generation that loves the environment and contributes achieving food
security in the UAE
Training
(remote) for inmates of penal institutions in entrepreneurship and digital
transformation
Entrepreneurship
Path initiative (online) to promote the entrepreneurship culture among
the participants
Retreat for
students as part of the National Science and Technology Festival to refine
their skills through a set of courses in innovation and entrepreneurship
For more information on the Dubai Entrepreneurship Academy and its
programs, contact dea@smae.ae