The Dubai Knowledge Village Business Centre officially opened Phase Two yesterday, creating new opportunities for independent professionals and entrepreneurial ventures in the region.

The Business Centre is a unique facility for freelancers and start-up entities in knowledge-focused professions.

The event was attended by diplomats, Business Centre partners and other prominent representatives of the local business community.

It served as a valuable networking event for like-minded professionals in the knowledge sector.

Since its inauguration, the Business Centre has been the springboard to success for more than 114 entrepreneurs and, with the expansion, it hopes to help turn even more business dreams into reality.

The centre provides a state-of-the-art business environment in the heart of the Dubai Knowledge Village.

It began operations in October 2003 with nearly 27 business partners and just 16 months later, due to overwhelming demand, expanded its operations to a second site in the village.

"The Business Centre is one of the only incubators dedicated to education start-ups in the world," said Dr Abdullah Al Karam, CEO of the Dubai Knowledge Village.

"Companies in the Business Centre demonstrate that you don't have to be a large operation to make a contribution to the region's growing education sector.

"With tools such as the internet, knowledge no longer has a fixed location, allowing many start-ups to provide online training courses from their workstations to professionals across the world.

"In addition, the centre's pool of training, HR and research consultants provide an invaluable on-hand support for other segments in the village community," he said.

The Business Centre has helped nine freelancers upgrade their operations to launch their own companies.

One of those freelancers is Judith Mary Barton, a professional trainer, who was with the Business Centre from the beginning and moved into phase two when she launched her company in January.

The Business Centre's licensed activities include training, human resource development, e-learning and research and development.