Etisalat offers a comprehensive platform for SMBs to innovate, customize and succeed

Etisalat offers a comprehensive platform for SMBs to innovate, customize and succeed

Esam Mahmoud, Senior Vice President, SMB, Etisalat, speaks to My Startup World about the active role played by Etisalat in supporting the SMBs of this region.

How would you describe the startup landscape in the region?
The large young population makes the startup ecosystem in the region most vibrant with one of the highest levels of digital connectivity. In addition, a number of initiatives have emerged in recent years to promote business and social entrepreneurship in the region.

The UAE comes out top of the list driven by advanced infrastructure, high funding levels and extended government support for businesses. The country has been looking to diversify its economy beyond the oil and gas trade for a number of years now, which has facilitated the advancement of the business ecosystem.

The economic diversification drive undertaken by regional governments in the past has given rise to a plethora of startups across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The regional startup ecosystem has grown from strength to strength; the UAE remained the most active startup ecosystem with 26 percent of all deals, as per the report from Magnitt.

The country also accounted for 60 percent of total funding across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). During the COVID-19 outbreak last year, MENA start-ups attracted $1 billion with UAE attracting investments locally and from global markets. This signals high investor confidence despite the global pandemic.

What is the importance of startups to your business?
According to the Ministry of Economy, the SMEs sector represents more than 94 per cent of the total number of companies operating in the country and provide jobs for more than 86 per cent of the private sector’s workforce. In Dubai alone, SMEs make up nearly 95 per cent of all companies, employing 42 per cent of the workforce and contributing around 40 per cent to Dubai’s GDP.

This is an integral component to our overall business and is driven by a commitment to the future of the UAE. It is essential to support the noble vision of the leadership in creating a hub for startups and SMBs encouraging them to come and set up their businesses in the country.

Etisalat has continuously worked to enable these young businesses with all the important elements, first is to be an active participant in enabling UAE leadership’s vision, secondly, it’s definitely a business we can contribute with our enhanced services and solutions. Etisalat over the years has taken care of every business and digital requirement which is a major step in this direction.

Today we are also able to play a greater role in the digital lives of these enterprises with the backbone of a robust and one of the most advanced, fastest and widest network in the region.

What kind of initiatives does Etisalat run for the startups in the region?
Customers today are looking at focusing on achieving their long-term business objectives with minimal hassle on the operational front. They look for a one-stop shop solution where they deal with one single player reducing the hassle of dealing with multiple partners.

Etisalat has been focused on delivering innovative solutions to supporting business needs for many years now, that are delivered majorly from the cloud, removing the need for on-premise deployments and installations, customisable as per the business needs and size and ultimately include bundled offerings that deliver much more value to the business than buying these products from the market.

Etisalat’s main emphasis was always on the aspects that are required for day-to-day business requirements mainly the six pillars which are smart connectivity, unified communications, office productivity, security and analytics, business devices and digital marketing.

Etisalat’s priority has been enabling customers with digital transformation by offering them innovative solutions. Business Edge as an example that focuses on helping SMBs run their business with no upfront capital investments providing the infrastructure and business tools to compete and deliver better services to their clients. This is a comprehensive platform for SMBs built on innovation, customisation and value to meet their varying business needs during a business lifecycle

Etisalat has been leading innovative examples when it comes to empowering SMBs, such as the Etisalat ‘Hello Business Hub’– would you like to share how they can benefit from these?
The opening of the ‘Hello Business Hub’ added value through innovation enabling them with the right tools and services to drive into this digital future. At Etisalat, we are committed to providing start-ups and SMBs with tailored advanced solutions to increase their profitability and productivity.

The specialized business hub located at One JLT, Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai offers the latest telecommunications solutions tailored for SMBs and an extended platform offered by its strategic business partners that include the host Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) as well as Virtuzone, National Bank of Ras Al Khaimah (RAKBANK), Amer for Government services, in addition to Etisalat solutions and Digital Marketing services for SMBs.

This hub serves as a one-stop place designed to help businesses get started by offering unique propositions: company setup, registration, insurance, banking, office equipment, combined with Etisalat’s latest telecom and ICT products and services.

This was a major milestone of Etisalat’s global innovation strategy and commitment to meet the needs of the country’s developing Small and Medium Business Sector.

List Etisalat’s recent initiatives for startups and narrate the response from the startups to your programs in the region?
Etisalat’s ‘Hello Business Pitch’ is one of Etisalat’s strategic initiatives that aimed at supporting entrepreneurs and start-up businesses by providing them with an opportunity to pitch their business ideas in front of an expert panel of judges who assessed their business model through the strength of their pitch for a chance to win grand prizes that help in growing their business.

This platform, in its second year, has received an overwhelming response and is gaining popularity among aspiring entrepreneurs. Hundreds of passionate start-up businesses applied since its launch in December 2019. After an intensive and comprehensive assessment of the applications based on the creativity of the business models, demonstrative scalability, and the ability to effectively portray their potential business growth in a clear and concise way, Etisalat shortlisted 52 candidates who progressed to the latter stages of the competition.

The shortlisted businesses were then invited to pitch their business model online. Twenty-five businesses were selected, who then got into a dedicated training session by Dr Petar Stojanov, Partner, Innovation and Future Strategy at Black, on how to perfect their pitch. Two more pitching sessions were conducted and the jury selected the top three winners, who were announced by Etisalat at a live awards ceremony viewed by the business industry around the globe.

This year’s ‘Hello Business Pitch’ has indeed succeeded in attracting high-potential start-ups and harnessing the potential of aspiring entrepreneurs who are bringing innovative ideas to the market. Etisalat witnessed first-hand the thoroughness and the quality of the content of these pitches and was a great opportunity for us as well to hear about their entrepreneurial journey.

YallaGive won first place for a brilliant pitch and received AED150,000. The second-place winner Key2enable Assistive Technology was awarded AED120,000, while App4Legal placed third in the competition and walked away with AED80,000 for their respective creative pitches.

What advice have you to offer to all the budding startups and entrepreneurs who wish to start a new venture?
SMBs are key to bringing innovation across sectors, so don’t stop experimenting and take up every challenge coming your way that helps you grow, dream and transform.

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