The Mohammed Bin Rashid Establishment for SME Development has announced the launch of the sustainable national initiative “Future Leaders,” developed in collaboration with the Emirates Foundation for Youth Development. This program aims to integrate university entrepreneurship with the real economic and institutional needs, creating a direct pathway from academia to business and accelerating the establishment of scalable Emirati ventures.
This initiative facilitates communication between academic circles and the business sector by providing talented Emirati university students the opportunity to tackle real-world challenges faced by government, semi-government, and private companies. It also supports the joint efforts to achieve the goals outlined in the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, which aims to double the emirate’s economy by 2033 and enhance its status as a competitive and attractive hub for small and medium enterprises and Emirati businesses.
Ahmed Al-Roum Al-Muhairi, Acting CEO of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Establishment for SME Development, stated that the launch of the “Future Leaders” program aligns with the vision of the wise leadership and represents another strategic step in strengthening Dubai’s position as a prominent center for entrepreneurship and innovation. The initiative will provide a practical pathway from education to empowering entrepreneurs to transform their ideas into successful projects, enhancing the Emirati talent pool engaged in the entrepreneurship ecosystem in the emirate. This initiative reflects the collaboration between the public and private sectors that characterizes Dubai’s approach to economic transformation, showing our commitment to ongoing governmental support for entrepreneurs and aligning with one of the main priorities of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 to support a new generation of innovative Emirati entrepreneurs with forward-thinking in the competitive global landscape of small and medium enterprises.
Razan Bashiti, CEO of the Emirates Foundation for Youth Development, remarked that the “Future Leaders” program epitomizes their commitment to converting the potential of Emirati youth into tangible economic impact. By connecting university innovations with real challenges from government and private sector entities, the program offers a direct pathway from education to establishing scalable businesses. In partnership with the Dubai SME Development Foundation, they aim to empower the next generation of Emirati entrepreneurs to build market-ready solutions that align with the objectives of the Dubai Economic Agenda.
The program allows Emirati students and emerging ventures within universities to work in interdisciplinary teams to address urgent needs across various key sectors, collaborating with government, semi-government, and private entities to provide effective solutions and deliver meaningful economic value. The Emirates Foundation for Youth Development offers practical guidance through structured frameworks, mentoring programs, and learning sessions to identify challenges and devise solutions, helping students elevate their ideas into practical and commercially viable outcomes. The Mohammed Bin Rashid Establishment for SME Development embraces promising solutions to continue developing them, facilitating their market entry, and providing opportunities for funding and business expansion expertise.