By Desmond Nleya
The United Arab Emirates has launched a major national initiative to train and empower 1,000 entrepreneurs from Emirati families, as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s startup ecosystem and boost sustainable local enterprises.
The programme, introduced by the Ministry of Economy and Tourism in collaboration with the Ministry of Community Empowerment, falls under the campaign “The Emirates: The Startup Capital of the World”—an initiative championed by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
Implemented through the New Economy Academy, in strategic partnership with the National CSR Fund (Majra), the initiative was announced at a high-level meeting in Dubai attended by senior officials including Abdullah Ahmed Al Saleh, Aisha Ahmed Yousef, Sara Shaw, and Dr. Laila Faridoon.
Minister of Economy and Tourism, Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, said the initiative reinforces the UAE’s vision to nurture innovation and entrepreneurship, empowering Emirati families to contribute to the nation’s growing small and medium enterprise (SME) sector. Over the next five years, around 200 families will benefit annually through comprehensive training in business setup, project management, marketing, and technical development.
Al Saleh emphasized that the programme aims to build market-ready entrepreneurs equipped for self-reliance and sustainable growth. Meanwhile, Aisha Ahmed Yousef noted that the initiative supports the Ministry of Community Empowerment’s “From Care to Empowerment” strategy, aligning with the UAE Centennial 2071 objectives.
Majra CEO Sara Shaw and New Economy Academy CEO Dr. Laila Faridoon highlighted that the training will focus on equipping participants with advanced knowledge economy tools, sustainable production models, and competitive market standards.
According to official figures, the number of Emirati family entrepreneurs reached 3,307 in 2024—a 4.5 percent increase from the previous year—demonstrating the growing importance of family entrepreneurship in the UAE’s economic diversification agenda.
Source: Emirates News Agency
