Majid launches ‘Tejar Dubai’ initiative for young entrepreneurs

Sheikh Majed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, launched ‘Tejar Dubai’, the entrepreneur development programme, at a high profile ceremony at Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai on Thursday.

A joint effort between Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Private Office of Sheikh Majed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the initiative is in line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, which states that the shortest path to a brighter future is that of entrepreneurship.

The programme is dedicated to providing a tailored individual learning experience to selected aspirant entrepreneurs and to arm them with the knowledge and skills necessary to ensure the success of their innovative ideas and creativity as well as their smooth entry into the world of business with their SME projects.

The launch ceremony was attended by a group of senior business leaders, Dubai traders and school students and graduates of universities and colleges in the emirate.

The Entrepreneur Development Programme aims to foster the next generation of entrepreneurs by developing their skills and expertise through professional training while also cultivating a culture of entrepreneurship in the country.

The programme will provide a tailored individual learning experience and internship placement to selected aspirant entrepreneurs and is aimed at further maturing the entrepreneur’s business idea while supporting the enhancement of Dubai’s position in the global economic landscape.

Sheikh Majed  bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum stated that Tejar Dubai is one of the leading initiatives that will inspire the youth in the emirate to move forward towards development and progress required in various sectors.
It will also lead to the empowerment of national entrepreneurs cognitively and practically and encourage them to establish small and medium-sized enterprises.

Initiative to create a new generation of entrepreneurs

In his welcome address, Hamad Buamim, Director General of Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry stated that Tejar Dubai comes as part of the Chamber’s commitment to developing national talent and to offer them job opportunities and to open up avenues for their entrepreneurial projects in SMEs while also enhancing the reputation of Dubai in the world business arena.

He further stated that in order to create a new generation of entrepreneurs, Dubai Chamber has joined hands with the Private Office of Sheikh Majed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to launch Tejar Dubai in order to raise private sector participation of Emiratis which is vital for a sustainable and profitable future of the emirate and its economy to flourish for years to come.

Acknowledging the contribution of the SME sector to the emirate’s economic growth, Buamim said that SMEs constitute over 90 per cent of Dubai companies and contribute 30-35 per cent to the UAE’s GDP which shows the significant role they play to employment and economic activities in the country, yet they get only financial assistance of no more than 5 per cent.

This is why Dubai Chamber recognises the importance of this sector and the need to assist with its innovation and growth through young national talent, added Buamim.

The Director General of Dubai Chamber pointed out that the initiative provides national youth access to an extensive entrepreneurship development program where they can present their innovative ideas in front of a panel of expert committee as Dubai Chamber and the Private Office of Sheikh Majed  bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum seek to leverage existing Emirati entrepreneurial expertise and offer a dedicated program under the expert committee comprising of successful entrepreneurs and CEOs.

This will not only provide young entrepreneurs entry into the extensive development programme but also access to events, workshops and conferences where they will get the opportunity to meet first generation of local business leaders, gain knowledge from their experience as well as seek advice from established businessmen.

Shedding light on the programme, Buamim informed that Tejar Dubai is open to young Emiratis in the age group of 15 to 35 years to put forward innovative business ideas online on the website www.tejardubai.ae following which selected candidates will be interviewed by the panel of experts committee who will hand pick the finalists for the Entrepreneurs Development Programme.

He said the selected candidates of Tejar Dubai Entrepreneurs Development Programme will be committed to a six-month extensive training depending on the individual needs and involves a comprehensive program that instils competitive behaviour in participants and demands a substantial commitment from the selected candidates to build relationships and develop a full business plan.

The launch ceremony also announced the names of the panel of experts committee which is made up of six prominent Dubai business leaders and CEO’s headed by Hisham Al Shirawi, 2nd Vice-Chairman, Dubai Chamber, and Chief Executive Officer of Oasis Enterprises, and includes Yahya Lootah, Vice Chairman, S.S. Lootah Group, Abdulfattah Sharaf, CEO of HSBC Bank Middle East Limited, Dr Amina Al Rostamani, Group CEO of Tecom Investments, Vijay Malhotra, Chairman and CEO, KPMG, and Nilesh Ved, Chairman, Apparel Group.

The headline panel is supported by a sub-panel composed of technical experts who will evaluate and provide guidance to selected participants while also providing extensive knowledge and mentorship to the burgeoning Emirati entrepreneurs.

In his address to the gathering, Hisham Al Shirawi stated that the onus is on all of us to foster nascent entrepreneurs amongst UAE nationals and their respective promising business ideas which are economically feasible and able to withstand the tests of the marketplace.

He added that the first in the UAE entrepreneurs development program will go a long way in attracting sons of the soil to hone their talent by acquiring the knowledge and skill to help them establish their own small-to-medium-sized businesses and to support enhance Dubai’s position in the global economic landscape.

The 2nd Vice-Chairman of Dubai Chamber expressed his pleasure for being selected as the head of the panel of experts committee responsible for assessing the ideas of applicants and their selection for engaging in the program as he said that the first step is the hardest for every businessman as this decides the success or failure of a business idea.

He added that this program developed by Dubai Chamber aims to foster the development of a more diverse, knowledge-based economy and called upon the young nationals to participate in the program which he said has been created to support the development of their skills and expertise while cultivating a culture of entrepreneurship in the country.

Juma Al Majed ’s words of wisdom

In a conversation session moderated by Ali Obaid Al Hamili, Head of the News Center, Dubai Media Incorporated, Juma Al Majed , Chairman of Juma Al Majed  Establishment, called upon the youth to be innovators and not imitators stating that innovation and not imitation is the best way to succeed in life as he asked them to work hard to realise their goals. He also said that success starts by rising early in the morning because business demands you to be proactive as you should be the first to open your shop in the morning and the last to leave in the evening.

He said that the responsibility is on us as traders to train the youth and freshmen and provide them the opportunity to prove themselves while on their part the youth have to give back to the community as he cited the example of the previous generation who he said started from scratch.

The Chairman of Juma Al Majed  Establishment urged the young generation to benefit from the opportunities available to them in the present times as in the past opportunities were scarce, the market was small and the first time traders lacked business background but Dubai businessmen managed to turn things to their favour and moved forward in their endeavours.

Al Majed  further said that the initial stages will always be difficult for the beginners but if the youth practised patience and honesty they will achieve success.

Sheikh Mohammed’s new book distributed

The launch ceremony also hosted seven interactive stands which dispersed information about the requirements of the program and its participation and online application procedures which were displayed through iPads at one of the booths for the attending students from various UAE schools and universities while copies of "Flashes of Inspiration" by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, were also distributed.

Also on the side lines of the launch ceremony, a Memorandum of Understanding (Moue) was signed between Dubai Chamber and Bayed University on strengthening bilateral cooperation for the Tejar Dubai initiative under which the university will offer training courses to selected students of the program who will be offered consulting services, guidance and training for setting up a small-and-medium-sized enterprise.

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