The Ministry of Economy in the United Arab Emirates launched a digital initiative to accelerate the growth of small and medium-sized companies in the country and develop its technical infrastructure, in cooperation with Cisco.
This initiative comes within the framework of the second phase of the Home of Entrepreneurship project, as the initiative includes the Cisco Product Innovation Lab program, which falls under the ScaleUp track, which aims to develop the capabilities of companies, by benefiting from the digital and smart solutions of Cisco systems.
The initiative also includes the Cisco Expert Insights Program within the SkillUp track, providing companies with expertise, knowledge and skills in the areas of digital innovation, business development, sales, leadership and marketing.
Abdullah Ahmed Al Saleh, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Economy, affirmed that the UAE has paid great attention to the development and development of the business sector, as a main engine to support the country’s efforts to shift towards a new economic model based on knowledge, innovation and sustainability, in a way that enhances the competitiveness of small and medium enterprises and national entrepreneurship, in line with With the country’s goals for the next fifty years.
Al Saleh added: “The partnerships of the Home of Entrepreneurship project with the government and private sectors are of great importance in enhancing the entrepreneurship environment in the country, and providing more opportunities and enablers that support the growth of start-up businesses. Cooperation with Cisco is aimed at supporting the digital transformation of small and medium-sized companies, by providing them with solutions, modern technical tools and advanced applications that help them grow, innovate and enhance their competitiveness, thus establishing the UAE’s position as a global destination for entrepreneurship.
For his part, Abdul-Ilah Al-Najari, General Manager of Cisco in the Gulf Region, said: “The UAE, under the directives of its wise leadership, continues to consolidate its position as a global destination for entrepreneurship. We are honored to launch the digital initiative to support the growth of small and medium enterprises in cooperation with the Ministry of Economy, in line with the relentless efforts made by the government to support companies of all sizes. This initiative is based on taking advantage of the latest technological developments to motivate small and medium-sized companies to innovate, in a way that supports their goals to develop their business and expand their reach locally and in global markets.”
He added: “Empowering small and medium-sized companies in the UAE is one of the main pillars of Cisco’s program to accelerate digital transformation in the UAE. Through this program, Cisco is working closely with government agencies, academia and private companies in the country to design and launch initiatives aimed at supporting the vision of digital transformation and accelerating the pace of growth of the digital economy in the UAE.
The Ministry of Economy clarified the conditions for selecting small and medium-sized companies to participate in the Cisco Product Innovation Lab program and its criteria, the most prominent of which is that the company be registered in the UAE, have between 10 and 250 employees, and work in the field of information technology or programming, and the presence of a team specialized in software. Through this program, the Ministry will select 15 companies, which will receive a set of training courses within joint workspaces and mentoring workshops, by a group of experts specialized in entrepreneurship, in addition to benefiting from the services of Cisco’s digital laboratory and its advanced platforms.
The conditions for participation in the Cisco Expert Insights program included that the company be registered in the UAE and have a minimum of 5 employees, as the companies participating in the program receive a number of sessions and trainings at the Cisco Digital Transformation Center (DTC), as it is considered one of the world’s leading companies in the field of technology. That powers the Internet, delivering new capabilities by reimagining applications, securing data, transforming infrastructure, and empowering teams for a global and inclusive future.
The Ministry called on owners of small and medium enterprises working in the field of information technology or programming to participate in the Cisco Product Innovation Lab program here. And for the Cisco Experts Insights program, small and medium business owners can register from here.
It is noteworthy that the Ministry of Economy had launched the second phase of the Home of Entrepreneurship project in October 2022, with the aim of developing tools for developing the culture and practices of entrepreneurship in the country, opening new channels to reach opportunities for entrepreneurs, and supporting the growth potential of etojects. And small and medium enterprises, in order to enhance their expansion and growth of their business from the UAE to the world, in cooperation with a wide and growing group of partners in the public and private sectors, including: business incubators, financing funds, chambers of commerce and companies, and prestigious organizations locally, regionally and globally.
