Dubai SME provided AED170m worth of incentives, services to 3871 entrepreneurs in 2019 – Saudi Gazette

Dubai SME provided AED170m worth of incentives, services to 3871 entrepreneurs in 2019 – Saudi Gazette

DUBAI “” Dubai SME, the agency of Dubai Economy, mandated to develop the small and medium enterprise (SME) sector and entrepreneurship continued to expand and diversify its advisory and support programs in 2019 with an added emphasis on enhancing SME competitiveness and strengthening Dubai as a hub of innovation and entrepreneurship.

The past year saw 3,871 Emirati entrepreneurs benefit from the start-up advisory services of Dubai SME, with nearly AED170 million of exemptions and incentives to launch and grow businesses in diverse sectors.

Overall, local entrepreneurs received over AED630 million worth of incentives and support from Dubai SME since its inception in 2002. The total number of Emirati entrepreneurs supported to date by Dubai SME also increased to 38,565 by the end of 2019.

Abdul Baset Al Janahi, CEO of Dubai SME, stated that 2019 was a challenging but remarkably successful year for Dubai SME in its efforts to align with the diverse SME capabilities and entrepreneurial talent available locally with the ambitious growth strategies in Dubai as well as the UAE, and the vision of the leadership to make the country an innovation-driven, knowledge-based economy.

"The year, in general, has been exciting for Emirati entrepreneurs considering the regional and global economic challenges, especially