Dubai has emerged as a prominent hub for start-ups, driven by strong government backing through various initiatives. Bloomberg
Dubai has emerged as a prominent hub for start-ups, driven by strong government backing through various initiatives. Bloomberg
Dubai has emerged as a prominent hub for start-ups, driven by strong government backing through various initiatives. Bloomberg
Dubai has emerged as a prominent hub for start-ups, driven by strong government backing through various initiatives. Bloomberg

Dubai unveils Ignyte to empower 100,000 start-ups


Alkesh Sharma
  • English
  • Arabic

Dubai has launched a new digital platform to accelerate the growth of more than 100,000 start-ups and entrepreneurs, the Dubai Government Media Office announced on Tuesday.

Ignyte, launched by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, was developed by the Dubai International Financial Centre and is a key component of the Dubai Digital Economy strategy.

It will connect founders with a global network of investors, mentors, and corporate and government bodies, aiming to attract 5,000 venture capitalists, 5,000 vetted mentors and 500 corporate and government partners, with perks saving start-ups in excess of $100 million, a statement said.

The move aligns with a core pillar of DIFC’s Strategy 2030, which is centred around enabling companies to grow faster than the market by focusing on innovation, DIFC governor Essa Kazim said.

“By providing a global platform for start-ups to connect, innovate and grow, DIFC is reinforcing Dubai’s position as a leading hub for entrepreneurship and technological advancement,” he said.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, launched the new digital platform to boost start-ups. Photo: Dubai Media Office
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, launched the new digital platform to boost start-ups. Photo: Dubai Media Office

Start-ups play a crucial role in economies, as they can provide smart services that are essential to daily business and personal activities, tapping into the latest technology to reach a wider set of users.

Dubai has emerged as a prominent hub for start-ups, driven by strong government backing through initiatives such as business accelerators, financing options and sponsorship programmes designed to attract global entrepreneurs.

The emirate was ranked second for ecosystem value within the Middle East and North Africa region and fifth among top-10 emerging ecosystems by early-stage funding amount in the global start-up ecosystem report 2024. Dubai also achieved a perfect score of 10 in terms of funding, emphasising its strong early-stage funding and investor activity.

“Ignyte is the latest initiative that reflects our commitment to Dubai’s Digital Economy strategy, which aims to double the digital economy’s contribution by 2032,” said Arif Amiri, chief executive of DIFC Authority and member of the Dubai Higher Committee for Future Technology and Digital Economy.

“Through Ignyte, we will empower start-ups to have a greater economic impact and equip them to take on a larger role in shaping a digitally driven future.”

Ignyte will support start-ups from development to global expansion stage by connecting founders with experienced mentors, investors and networking opportunities.

It also features an artificial intelligence-powered marketplace that offers exclusive perks and deals tailored for start-ups. With plans to expand this selection to 5,000, the marketplace provides personalised recommendations, helping start-ups to find offers not available elsewhere.

Ignyte introduces ‘Ignyte Challenges’, competitions for data scientists, AI enthusiasts and innovators to showcase their skills in sectors such as AI and machine learning. Participants can collaborate globally to win prizes.

Ignyte allows investors to receive direct pitches from start-ups, building connections with entrepreneurs, mentors and corporate leaders while streamlining networking and due diligence.

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MATCH INFO

Manchester United 6 (McTominay 2', 3'; Fernandes 20', 70' pen; Lindelof 37'; James 65')

Leeds United 2 (Cooper 41'; Dallas 73')

Man of the match: Scott McTominay (Manchester United)

The biog

Name: Abeer Al Shahi

Emirate: Sharjah – Khor Fakkan

Education: Master’s degree in special education, preparing for a PhD in philosophy.

Favourite activities: Bungee jumping

Favourite quote: “My people and I will not settle for anything less than first place” – Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid.

Our family matters legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

Classification of skills

A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation. 

A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.

The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000. 

Jigra
Director: Vasan Bala
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
Rated: 3.5/5
The specs

Engine: 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder turbo

Transmission: CVT

Power: 170bhp

Torque: 220Nm

Price: Dh98,900

Earth under attack: Cosmic impacts throughout history

4.5 billion years ago: Mars-sized object smashes into the newly-formed Earth, creating debris that coalesces to form the Moon

- 66 million years ago: 10km-wide asteroid crashes into the Gulf of Mexico, wiping out over 70 per cent of living species – including the dinosaurs.

50,000 years ago: 50m-wide iron meteor crashes in Arizona with the violence of 10 megatonne hydrogen bomb, creating the famous 1.2km-wide Barringer Crater

1490: Meteor storm over Shansi Province, north-east China when large stones “fell like rain”, reportedly leading to thousands of deaths.  

1908: 100-metre meteor from the Taurid Complex explodes near the Tunguska river in Siberia with the force of 1,000 Hiroshima-type bombs, devastating 2,000 square kilometres of forest.

1998: Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 breaks apart and crashes into Jupiter in series of impacts that would have annihilated life on Earth.

-2013: 10,000-tonne meteor burns up over the southern Urals region of Russia, releasing a pressure blast and flash that left over 1600 people injured.

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The specs

Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors

Power: Combined output 920hp

Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic

Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km

On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025

Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000

The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
Other ways to buy used products in the UAE

UAE insurance firm Al Wathba National Insurance Company (AWNIC) last year launched an e-commerce website with a facility enabling users to buy car wrecks.

Bidders and potential buyers register on the online salvage car auction portal to view vehicles, review condition reports, or arrange physical surveys, and then start bidding for motors they plan to restore or harvest for parts.

Physical salvage car auctions are a common method for insurers around the world to move on heavily damaged vehicles, but AWNIC is one of the few UAE insurers to offer such services online.

For cars and less sizeable items such as bicycles and furniture, Dubizzle is arguably the best-known marketplace for pre-loved.

Founded in 2005, in recent years it has been joined by a plethora of Facebook community pages for shifting used goods, including Abu Dhabi Marketplace, Flea Market UAE and Arabian Ranches Souq Market while sites such as The Luxury Closet and Riot deal largely in second-hand fashion.

At the high-end of the pre-used spectrum, resellers such as Timepiece360.ae, WatchBox Middle East and Watches Market Dubai deal in authenticated second-hand luxury timepieces from brands such as Rolex, Hublot and Tag Heuer, with a warranty.

Mina Cup winners

Under 12 – Minerva Academy

Under 14 – Unam Pumas

Under 16 – Fursan Hispania

Under 18 – Madenat

Quick pearls of wisdom

Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”

Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.” 

Other key dates
  • Finals draw: December 2
  • Finals (including semi-finals and third-placed game): June 5–9, 2019
  • Euro 2020 play-off draw: November 22, 2019
  • Euro 2020 play-offs: March 26–31, 2020
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Poland Statement
All people fleeing from Ukraine before the armed conflict are allowed to enter Poland. Our country shelters every person whose life is in danger - regardless of their nationality.

The dominant group of refugees in Poland are citizens of Ukraine, but among the people checked by the Border Guard are also citizens of the USA, Nigeria, India, Georgia and other countries.

All persons admitted to Poland are verified by the Border Guard. In relation to those who are in doubt, e.g. do not have documents, Border Guard officers apply appropriate checking procedures.

No person who has received refuge in Poland will be sent back to a country torn by war.

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Tickets

Tickets start at Dh100 for adults, while children can enter free on the opening day. For more information, visit www.mubadalawtc.com.

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RESULTS

Tottenham 1

Jan Vertonghen 13'

Norwich 1

Josip Drmic 78'

2-3 on penalties

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Museum of the Future in numbers
  •  78 metres is the height of the museum
  •  30,000 square metres is its total area
  •  17,000 square metres is the length of the stainless steel facade
  •  14 kilometres is the length of LED lights used on the facade
  •  1,024 individual pieces make up the exterior 
  •  7 floors in all, with one for administrative offices
  •  2,400 diagonally intersecting steel members frame the torus shape
  •  100 species of trees and plants dot the gardens
  •  Dh145 is the price of a ticket

The Beach Bum

Director: Harmony Korine

Stars: Matthew McConaughey, Isla Fisher, Snoop Dogg

Two stars

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Updated: October 22, 2024, 5:09 PM