GCC, ‘smart city’ District 2020 sign partnership to support start-ups

GCC, ‘smart city’ District 2020 sign partnership to support start-ups

RIYADH: The Secretariat General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) announced yesterday the signing of a partnership with District 2020 to provide support to start-up businesses across the region through District 2020's Scale2Dubai global entrepreneur program. The agreement was signed by GCC Secretary General Dr Nayef Al-Hajraf and Reem Al Hashimy, the UAE's Minister of State for International Cooperation and Director-General of Expo 2020 Dubai, said the Secretariat General in a statement.

The alliance underlines the commitment of District 2020 – the future of Expo 2020 Dubai that will evolve into a human-centric smart community and a global innovation ecosystem – to support the growth of entrepreneurship in the UAE and across the GCC region.

"This is an important and strategic collaboration for the GCC's present and future, as we commit to working alongside partners like District 2020. The fact that start-ups and small businesses contribute significantly to the GCC's GDP is well known, meaning such companies are crucial to creating sustainable economic progress in the future," said Hajraf.

"Together with District 2020, we will stimulate the growth potential of the region and enable a start-up ecosystem to flourish. We will do this by identifying the most promising companies and giving