The Federal Youth Foundation has launched a series of innovative initiatives under the slogan “Youth Creating the Economy of Tomorrow.” The aim is to empower Emirati youth in entrepreneurship, increase their opportunities, stimulate innovation as a sustainable career option, and facilitate their access to resources and tools necessary for establishing meaningful projects that enhance their active participation in building a competitive national economy both locally and globally. This initiative is part of the national campaign “The UAE: Global Capital for Entrepreneurs,” initiated by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President of the UAE, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai, to solidify the UAE’s status as a global hub for entrepreneurship.
This announcement was made during a press conference organized by the UAE Government Media Office at the Influencers Hub in Dubai, attended by His Excellency Dr. Sultan bin Sief Al-Neyadi, Minister of State for Youth Affairs, Khaled Al-Naimi, Director of the Federal Youth Foundation, along with various officials and decision-makers.
Real Investment
Al-Neyadi emphasized, “This initiative and its unique programs reflect the vision and directives of our leadership aimed at empowering Emirati youth and providing them with the tools and opportunities to build an innovative and sustainable economic future. The UAE believes that real investment begins with individuals, and youth are the cornerstone of this national approach in our developmental framework, as they are the drivers of economic transformation contributing to enhancing the state’s position as a global entrepreneur hub across various future economic sectors.”
He added, “The ‘UAE: Global Capital for Entrepreneurs’ campaign is a strategic step positioning itself as a global platform for entrepreneurship and a nurturing environment for talents. It represents a national interactive model for constructive cooperation between institutions in both the public and private sectors, aiming to integrate efforts and unify energies toward a common goal of activating the role of youth as a fundamental pillar in leading new economic sectors, aligned with national development directions and the country’s aspirations in entrepreneurship and sustainable economic innovation.”
Innovation Culture
In addition, Khaled Al-Naimi stated, “The foundation’s efforts focus on providing training pathways that support youth in developing their ideas and transforming them into scalable projects, as well as building a network of connections that bolster their ambitions. Therefore, we are working directly with youth to equip them with tools that enable them to enter the market, understand operational mechanisms, and make informed decisions based on knowledge and real-life experience, while also embedding a culture of innovation as a key driver for building projects capable of creating tangible economic and social impact.”
During his presentation on the foundation’s participation in the national campaign, Al-Naimi announced the opening of registrations for entrepreneurs to obtain the “Youth Efforts” mark, which aims to highlight national projects led by Emirati youth, recognizing their achievements across various economic sectors. This serves to enhance community and investor confidence in their innovative capabilities and leadership in building quality and sustainable projects.
Activities and Events
The foundation targets engaging over 5,000 young individuals to take part in more than 25 specialized events and 5 initiatives aimed at supporting youth in entrepreneurship. This includes the “Entrepreneurs Caravan,” which will embark on a national tour covering seven locations throughout the Emirates, aimed at documenting and analyzing young entrepreneurs’ aspirations, alongside the “Young Entrepreneurs Forum,” as part of supporting the UAE as the global capital for entrepreneurs.
Featured events include a workshop on “Designing Emirati Cultural Products,” a creative youth initiative structured as a competitive challenge among young Emirati designers. The goal is to develop a unified visual identity for Emirati souvenirs reflecting the authentic local character, offering a platform for young talents to showcase their abilities in merging elements of Emirati culture and identity with contemporary design demands, thereby enhancing the innovative presentation of souvenirs both locally and internationally.
New Horizons
The agenda also includes a range of innovative associated events designed to enhance youth involvement in entrepreneurship and open new avenues for them. Key initiatives include activating incubators within youth centers, allowing aspiring entrepreneurs to establish their projects in innovative workspaces that serve as practical alternatives to traditional offices during early stages. This offers them opportunities to build connections and benefit from workshops and mentoring sessions provided by successful entrepreneurs, which contributes to accelerating their projects’ growth and expansion.
Additionally, the “Foundation Station” allows visitors to explore national initiatives organized by the Federal Youth Foundation and learn about opportunities to participate as supporting partners or active youth in the entrepreneurial journey. A series of “Youth Dialogues” will be held across various Emirates, aimed at documenting and analyzing young entrepreneurs’ experiences, highlighting their needs and aspirations in the business environment, in collaboration with relevant stakeholders in each Emirate.
Launching the “Community Entrepreneurs Platform,” reflecting the spirit of the community year 2025, will allow diverse segments of society, including creative children, productive families, senior citizens, emerging entrepreneurs, advanced project owners, and individuals of determination, to showcase their local products to the public, spotlighting societal diversity and creativity across various capabilities and stages. Meanwhile, the “Present Your Project” event enables entrepreneurs to pitch their projects and services directly to major companies seeking partners and suppliers, opening avenues for securing new deals and building strategic support networks for their business growth.
Opportunities and Challenges
The events will also include the launch of the “Opportunities Map,” an interactive platform showcasing seven stations representing the Emirates, highlighting key opportunities and challenges within each. This will enable youth to explore the business environment more deeply, ensuring that findings are documented to maintain impact and develop initiatives more suited to their needs. Furthermore, a “Dialogue Session” will bring together a select group of Emirati entrepreneurs who will share highlights from their entrepreneurial journeys, impart lessons learned and inspiring experiences with attendees, fostering knowledge exchange and supporting youth in their forthcoming steps toward innovation and leadership.
Additionally, interactive workshops will be organized to create a stimulating environment for youth to develop their ideas within realistic contexts that mimic market challenges and opportunities, focusing on innovation skills, design thinking, and future forecasting. These workshops will cover various topics such as leveraging artificial intelligence in entrepreneurship, product development, and designing solutions that meet community needs. The “Youth Opportunities” event will showcase leading organizations and companies offering quality programs and opportunities, contributing to empowering youth in innovation and development.
The foundation will conclude its activities with the “Young Entrepreneurs Forum,” the largest gathering of Emirati entrepreneurs in the UAE. This aligns with the National Youth Agenda 2031, which prioritizes empowering youth and enhancing their participation in national economic development. The forum aims to provide an interactive platform that unites young Emirati entrepreneurs and those interested in entrepreneurship for a comprehensive day of workshops, panel discussions, and platforms to present projects, share experiences, and build relationships with investors and representatives from both the public and private sectors. This exemplifies the role of the Federal Youth Foundation in supporting the entrepreneurial journey of youth, enabling them to actively contribute to building a sustainable competitive economy.