Dubai Chamber launches second smartpreneur competition

Dubai:The Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry in cooperation with the Smart Dubai Office is holding its second edition of ‘Dubai Smartpreneur Competition’ in a bid to give a boost to start-up community.

Hisham Al Shirawi, second vice-chairman at Dubai Chamber, said that the competition gives entrepreneurs the opportunity to become part of Dubai’s transformation into a smart city, supporting the vision of Smart Dubai to make Dubai the happiest city on earth through technology innovation.

He said that the competition is open to all entrepreneurs based in the UAE whose entries will be critiqued by a high-level judging panel.

Participants are required to submit their business ideas in line with the Smart Dubai dimensions that include smart economy, smart living, smart mobility, smart governance, smart environment, and smart people.

Participants who qualify will attend two full-day workshops on sector-specific training, mentorship, building relationships, and developing a full business plan.

Winners will receive cash prizes worth Dh150,000 and an opportunity to join the Chamber’s Tejar Dubai programme for a year to help them turn their business ideas into reality.

“The benefits of this competition go far beyond financial rewards. Participants also get a unique chance to network with industry influencers, interact with mentors, and gain valuable feedback needed to improve and grow their businesses,” Al Shirawi said.

A panel discussion was held during the event, focusing on the progress achieved by the UAE government on smart city and innovation-focused initiatives, as well as the initiatives and engines are expected to drive sustainable growth in the future.

Last year, Dubai Chamber received 350 innovative ideas during the first cycle of the Dubai Smartpreneur Competition. The competition calls for smart business ideas to support any one of the following dimensions: smart economy, smart living, smart mobility, smart governance, smart environment, and smart people.

The competition this year will take place under the umbrella of Dubai Start Up Hub, the official online hub of the Dubai start-up and technology ecosystem, managed by the Dubai Chamber in collaboration with IBM.