Tapping the UAE’s digital opportunities
Arabnet, the region’s hub for digital investment and innovation in the UAE, will host the ArabNet Digital Summit 2014 from June 3-5 at Atlantis the Palm, Dubai, to explore the latest opportunities shaping the Arab digital industry.
One of the summit’s highlights is the Digital Showcase, which exposes more than 70 fast-growing digital SMEs to global and regional influential investors who will help them take their business to the next stage of development.
The summit will feature more 130 international and regional speakers, with an expected attendance of about 1,000 executives, investors, entrepreneurs and media.
“The digital opportunity in the GCC is undoubtedly here and that’s precisely the opportunity we’ll be exploring at the ArabNet Digital Summit in Dubai,” said Omar Christidis, CEO and founder of ArabNet.
“The UAE has built the backbone for a sustainable entrepreneurship ecosystem with its world class infrastructure,” he added.
The UAE has proven itself to be the region’s most competitive environment for businesses. It rose five places in the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report 2013 to 19th place, and was listed as the 22nd easiest place in the world and first in the Arab region for starting investment projects, according to the World Bank’s Ease of Starting Business Index 2013.
“The Emirates has positioned itself as the Middle East’s business hub by creating the bridges for global investors to connect with regional markets. It is where investors will come to do business and where entrepreneurs will begin to scale their startups” Omar said.
Dubai and Abu Dhabi, in particular, were found to be the best cities to invest in, leaping over other cities like New York, Zurich, and Geneva, according to the Reputation Institute.
As of 2013, the value of foreign direct investment inflows to the UAE grew by 25 per cent to reach $9.6 billion. Together with Saudi Arabia, the UAE investments inflows accounted for 83 per cent of the total foreign direct investment inflows to the GCC region.
One particular industry demonstrating significant growth in the UAE is the ICT and technology industry, with expenditures in these sectors forecast to grow to $15 billion in 2014, up by 5 per cent that last year.
2013 also saw significant developments within the industry with more than 180 new companies registering in Dubai Internet City and Dubai Outsource Zone over the past year. Shaikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum has also announced that Dubai would be developed into a smart city to further drive the digital industry in the country.
Arabnet, the region’s hub for digital investment and innovation in the UAE, will host the ArabNet Digital Summit 2014 from June 3-5 at Atlantis the Palm, Dubai, to explore the latest opportunities shaping the Arab digital industry. One of the summit’s highlights is the Digital Showcase, which exposes more than 70 fast-growing digital SMEs to global and regional influential investors who will help them take their business to the next stage of development. The summit will feature more 130 international and regional speakers, with an expected attendance of about 1,000 executives, investors, entrepreneurs and media. “The digital opportunity in the...
Arabnet, the region’s hub for digital investment and innovation in the UAE, will host the ArabNet Digital Summit 2014 from June 3-5 at Atlantis the Palm, Dubai, to explore the latest opportunities shaping the Arab digital industry.
One of the summit’s highlights is the Digital Showcase, which exposes more than 70 fast-growing digital SMEs to global and regional influential investors who will help them take their business to the next stage of development.
The summit will feature more 130 international and regional speakers, with an expected attendance of about 1,000 executives, investors, entrepreneurs and media.
“The digital opportunity in the GCC is undoubtedly here and that’s precisely the opportunity we’ll be exploring at the ArabNet Digital Summit in Dubai,” said Omar Christidis, CEO and founder of ArabNet.
“The UAE has built the backbone for a sustainable entrepreneurship ecosystem with its world class infrastructure,” he added.
The UAE has proven itself to be the region’s most competitive environment for businesses. It rose five places in the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report 2013 to 19th place, and was listed as the 22nd easiest place in the world and first in the Arab region for starting investment projects, according to the World Bank’s Ease of Starting Business Index 2013.
“The Emirates has positioned itself as the Middle East’s business hub by creating the bridges for global investors to connect with regional markets. It is where investors will come to do business and where entrepreneurs will begin to scale their startups” Omar said.
Dubai and Abu Dhabi, in particular, were found to be the best cities to invest in, leaping over other cities like New York, Zurich, and Geneva, according to the Reputation Institute.
As of 2013, the value of foreign direct investment inflows to the UAE grew by 25 per cent to reach $9.6 billion. Together with Saudi Arabia, the UAE investments inflows accounted for 83 per cent of the total foreign direct investment inflows to the GCC region.
One particular industry demonstrating significant growth in the UAE is the ICT and technology industry, with expenditures in these sectors forecast to grow to $15 billion in 2014, up by 5 per cent that last year.
2013 also saw significant developments within the industry with more than 180 new companies registering in Dubai Internet City and Dubai Outsource Zone over the past year. Shaikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum has also announced that Dubai would be developed into a smart city to further drive the digital industry in the country.
