Page 398 - INVESTOPIA ENGLISH PR REPORT FEBRUARY - MARCH 2025 (International)

3/19/25, 12:38 PM Future100 initiative discusses fostering innovation in tech and sustainable ventures and enhancing UAE's entrepreneurial ecosyst…
enablers for their success. SMEs currently account for 94% of all businesses in

the UAE, with 25,000 SMEs founded by Emirati youth in 2024 alone. The UAE

is home to over 50 government and private business incubators and accelerators,

contributing to its recognition as the best global destination for business and

economic activities in 2024, according to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor

(GEM). The UAE also ranked first globally in the GEM Entrepreneurship Index

for 2023-2024 for the third consecutive year, excelling in key indicators such as

financing, market accessibility, and government support.

H.E. Al Mazrouei underscored that developing national entrepreneurship is a

strategic priority for the UAE. It forms a core pillar of the country's economic

agenda, led by the Ministry of Economy, in collaboration with federal and local

government entities, the private sector, and academic and research institutions.

She outlined the UAE's new entrepreneurship ecosystem initiatives, designed to

enhance the country's competitiveness and increase the success rate of

entrepreneurs from 30% to 50% by the next decade. Notable initiatives include

Riyada Fund, which allocates AED 300 million to support entrepreneurial

ventures and the UAE Entrepreneurship Council, which aims to unify national

efforts to accelerate SME growth and strengthen collaboration between key

stakeholders. In this context, she encouraged entrepreneurs and startups to

leverage these enablers and incentives, along with the Future100 initiative.

The Future100 session concluded by highlighting inspiring investment stories

from companies in the Future100 initiative, where entrepreneurs reviewed their

investment journeys and the strategies that enabled them to obtain funding and

accelerate their growth. The stories presented emphasized that investment opens

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