APCO Worldwide today announced the launch of ignite, a scalable, dedicated integrated communications offering for startups, entrepreneurs and SMEs that will facilitate market entry, drive business growth and help open high-potential investment opportunities for the growing number of new businesses in Dubai.
Mamoon Sbeih, president of APCO in the MENA region, said “It is a proud moment for us at APCO Worldwide as we roll out ignite, our latest innovative offering for Dubai. It is through our diverse set of clients that our team noticed the growing number of startups and entrepreneurs in Dubai, and their need for PR and digital, creative, storytelling, insights support at accessible rates. ignite is our response to this widening gap in the market.” The offering will be available, via an application process, to up to 10 organizations or individuals per year.
The launch of ignite comes at a time when the startup ecosystem continues to gain momentum in the Middle East region, registering a record year of funding in 2018 with $893 million invested in 366 startup deals, according to Magnitt’s 2018 MENA Venture Investment Report. Closer to home, the UAE Cabinet’s latest visa and investment policies have made the country even more welcoming to entrepreneurs seeking to set up new ventures.
ignite has already been effectively applied for an APCO client Mums@Work to develop and execute strategies to create brand awareness, expand network exposure and generate investment opportunities. ignite will be led by Rakhee Raval Shepherd, account director, Client Servicing, who already manages a portfolio of clients with entrepreneurs, startups and SMEs across the UAE for APCO in Dubai.
“With the current landscape continually evolving for startups and entrepreneurs, we have closely studied and identified the communication challenges they face,” said Shepherd. “We believe that by creating a model specifically designed for individual businesses, we will bring value to an area that is still in its nascent stage of growth. We are keen to work with the leaders of tomorrow to help envision and build a future together.”
