Dubai Startup Hub, an initiative of Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry, and Dubai Technology Entrepreneur Campus (Dtec), a wholly owned tech co-working space by Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority (DSOA), Wednesday announced the winning candidates of the first phase of the Emirati Development Program (EDP). Sultan Alhosani and Fahad Alzarooni of TutorMe, a platform connecting highly qualified tutors to students; Alanoud Mubarak of CoDevelop, a provider of digital services and products; Hassan Kiyany of Editvid, an on-demand video creation service platform powered by humans and artificial intelligence; Latifa Bin Haider of Baytuki, an AI-driven smart real estate platform; and Roudha Alawadhi of Mzarrai; a fashion retailer, were selected as the top 5 winners of the pitch competition. The winners will receive one-on-one mentorship support to grow their business ventures. During the first phase of the program, 30 Emirati entrepreneurs took part in the EDP Training & Mentorship Academy, a four-week training program hosted by Dubai Startup Hub and Dtec, designed to help aspiring entrepreneurs learn about pitching, business canvassing, customer validation, sales and other topics of importance for startups. The training sessions were followed by a pitch competition, in which participants presented their business concepts to an expert panel of judges. The panel of judges was joined by Ghanim Al Falasi, senior vice president – People Happiness & Innovation, Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority; Hans Henrik Christensen, vice president of Dtec; Natalia Sycheva, manager of Entrepreneurship at Dubai Chamber; Mohamed Sabouneh, program director, Startupbootcamp and Dr Ihab Fikry, CEO of Almentor FZCO; Speaking on the participants that took part in the program, Christensen said: "It's refreshing and reassuring to witness such talented entrepreneurs develop and present innovative solutions to real-world challenges. We are proud of the extent of research the participants did to reach their final proposition, the enthusiasm in which they presented, and the flexibility to adjust as they progressed. "Their one-of-a-kind businesses, coupled with the ambition these entrepreneurs hold, is a formula for success. As a tech-focused coworking space, Dtec is always on the lookout for individuals of this caliber with unique business ideas, to nurture them to realization and support them in reaching new horizons of achievement." Addressing the winning candidates, Christensen added: "Congratulations on the successful completion of the Emirati Development Program, and we look forward to hosting you at Dtec for continued mentorship. We are keen on witnessing the next phase of your businesses' growth." Sycheva said the first phase of the Emirati Development Program achieved its objectives as the participants gained valuable knowledge and skills needed to launch successful businesses and join existing startups. "We are very encouraged by the high calibre of participants who participated in the first phase of the program. Over the last four weeks, these aspiring entrepreneurs have gained new perspectives, fostered collaborations and built a solid foundation for innovative business concepts that show true potential. We look forward to seeing these unique ideas develop further into thriving businesses," said Sycheva. The EDP aims to encourage UAE nationals to participate in the private sector by identifying and developing their skills through specialised training and providing them with the necessary knowledge and experience in entrepreneurship. — SG
