Ten start-ups have made the cut for the first Islamic Lifestyle Mini Bootcamp that will run from November 12 to 16 at the Dubai Technology Entrepreneur Centre (Dtec). This is the largest technology incubator in the Middle East within Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO), the integrated hi-tech park.
Organizers of the mini bootcamp, including Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority, Dubai Islamic Economy Development Centre, Dubai Culture and Rainmaking Innovation conducted the review of submissions and selection of finalists. As part of the five-day bootcamp, international trainers and serial entrepreneurs will mentor the selected start-ups on the main pillars of accelerating a business.
Alongside interactive and hands-on training sessions, the program will feature a segment titled Introduction to Start-Up & Business Model Design. This will be followed by dedicated workshops on Customer Development, MVPs & Product Experiments, Growth Hacking, Traction & Metrics, Fundraising, Team & Culture, and Pitch Practice & Industry Day.
The ten selected start-ups come from different parts of the world including the US, the UK, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. These startups operate within various sectors such as media, design, toys, hardware, travel, education, health, food, entertainment, art, and fashion.
Abdulla Mohammed Al Awar, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Islamic Economic Development Centre, said: “DIEDC strongly supports Dubai’s vision to hone the talent and creativity of our youth and encourage entrepreneurship as part of its priority to emerge as the global capital of Islamic economy. Given this mandate, we are committed to contributing to the incubation of diverse innovative initiatives that enrich the culture of Islamic economy.”
He added: “The success of the Islamic Lifestyle Mini Bootcamp and the selected start-ups will serve as a guide for us to step up our efforts in supporting sectors such as art, culture, architecture, trade, fashion and tourism that are making rapid strides and hold the potential to exert tremendous influence on Muslims and non-Muslims alike.”
For his part, Bader Buhannad, Executive Vice President of Strategy, Business Services and Risk Management at DSOA, said: “At DSOA, we prioritize innovation as a core component of all our initiatives in line with the vision of the UAE leadership to position the UAE as a global leader in spearheading innovation. The first-of-its-kind Islamic lifestyle mini bootcamp reiterates our commitment to supporting aspiring entrepreneurs in the lifestyle and cultural domains.
“We look forward to welcoming the ten selected start-ups to learn the intricacies of expanding their businesses first-hand from established founders. We are delighted to witness the increasing interest of international, regional, and local entrepreneurs to venture into the Islamic lifestyle sector that presents multiple opportunities across a wide range of sub-sectors.”
Buhannad added: “As a preferred destination for technology start-ups, Dubai Technology Entrepreneur Centre is proud to host events that support entrepreneurs and boost their business know-how. We are confident that the bootcamp will offer the participants substantial networking opportunities to expand their businesses.”
The Islamic Lifestyle Mini Bootcamp appeals to all start-ups in the Islamic Arts & Culture, Islamic Architecture & Design, Family-Friendly & Halal Tourism, Modest Fashion, as well as Entertainment, Communication and Media domains.
As an official cultural partner, Dubai Culture has supported the call for participants by sharing the initiative via its Creatopia platform that was launched as part of its mandate to motivate, inspire and connect both established and emerging members of the culture, arts and heritage communities by sparking a creative revolution online. The platform has thousands of members or ‘Creatopians’ who are shaping the everyday lives of Muslims and raising awareness on the benefits of leading an Islamic lifestyle.
Saeed Al Nabouda, Acting Director General of Dubai Culture, commented: “Dubai continues to establish itself as the capital of the Islamic economy in alignment with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, which is an endeavor that Dubai Culture is fully committed to supporting by participating in events like the Islamic Lifestyle Mini Bootcamp. We are delighted to be the cultural partner for this event, which reflects our dedication to supporting our leadership’s economic diversification strategy by nurturing local talent and supporting professionals and businesses in the cultural sector.”
