Dubai: The Majid Al Futtaim Group has launched an accelerator programme for startups and SMEs to ‘turbo-charge’ their growth chances. The Group, known more for its malls and residential communities, has set up the Majid Al Futtaim Launchpad that will identify home-grown businesses and those in the health and beauty space.
“The programme brings a host of significant benefits for consumers, employees, business owners, investors and governments across the region, acutely representing our role in supporting and building an open, efficient, effective, and globally integrated business environment,” said Joe Abi Akl, Chief Corporate Development Officer at Majid Al Futtaim – Holding. “As a partner of choice for pioneering initiatives and investments, our long-term ambition is to foster entrepreneurship and knowledge sharing to accelerate economic growth throughout the region.”
Under ‘health and beauty’, the Launchpad will ‘identify startups with innovative products and tech solutions to elevate the customer experience’. A third focus will be proptech, where startus can show how their solutions can optimise the efficiency of construction, digitise property development, residential communities and hotel spaces, and enhance experiences within shopping malls.
“Established organizations can leverage market access, and recognize the need to integrate startups into their value chain to stay ahead of disruption,” said Roland Daher, CEO, at AstroLabs, which will partner Majid Al Futtaim in the initiative. “At the other end of the spectrum, SMEs and startups have a solid grip on digitalization, but find it difficult to infiltrate and grow in their industry. These are two worlds that have cultural and technological differences and organic access between them is still difficult
SME and startups can apply to the programme on majidalfuttaimlaunchpad.com.
