Dubai SME to host UAE chapter of World Entrepreneurship Forum

Region’s first-of-its-kind Forum will gather diverse stakeholders in SME and entrepreneurship development to discuss how entrepreneurship can offer solutions to challenges facing the world

Dubai SME, the agency of the Department of Economic Development (DED) in Dubai mandated to develop the small and medium enterprise (SME) sector, will be hosting the World Entrepreneurship Forum – UAE chapter on the 8th and 9th of December at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

First of its kind in the Arab world, the Forum is an expanding community of entrepreneurs worldwide united to leverage the power of ideas to promote entrepreneurial spirit in all fields of society and find solutions to the economic and social challenges facing the world.

Dubai SME will be responsible for co-ordinating the local chapter through co-shaping policy ideas with key regional stakeholders to influence change and advance entrepreneurship as a core strategy for socio-economic development.

“SME development is moving up priority lists across public and private sectors worldwide especially amidst the challenges facing the need to grow sustainably. The World Entrepreneurship Forum is an effort towards helping the region’s SME community and their support systems to remain interconnected so that they can share global best practices and avoid pitfalls,” commented Abdul Basit Al Janahi, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai SME.

The Forum brings together key actors of the entrepreneurial ecosystem from a pool of entrepreneurs, entrepreneur interest groups, service providers, experts, academics, and investors selected for their contributions to the society.

The central theme of the Forum is Entrepreneurs: navigating change for sustainable growth. The Forum will ensure active networking and sharing amongst participants so that they take back new perspectives and practical solutions.

Workshops on investment and entrepreneurship promotion attended by companies and potential investors will be the highlight of the first day of the forum. The second day will witness four ‘Policy Labs’ dedicated to the development vision and strategic solutions required for entrepreneurship development over the next few years.

Building on Dubai’s position as a hub of innovation and entrepreneurship, Dubai SME and the World Entrepreneurship Forum will put together a well-rounded local chapter that will advance the Forum’s mission and help entrepreneurship in the Middle East move to the next level.

About 400 entrepreneur stakeholders from the UAE and the region are expected to attend to discuss the themes and topics defining the workshops.