DUBAI — To ensure the success rate of scalable companies conceptualized by both tech and non-tech entrepreneurs and to strengthen the emerging startup ecosystem in the UAE, Strategi Advisors announces a joint venture with T9L Studio of Singapore, an entity that has operations in Asia Pacific with a focus on India. As a co-founder, T9L’s Plug and Play model provides an intimate support system that brings together the product, brand, design and data skills with a syndicate of partners and investors that support entrepreneurs under Strategi Advisors Startup Studio initiative. T9L have created more than 50 startups with a success rate of 80% and cumulative portfolio value of $600 million. Mana Sultan Al Suwaidi, founder of Strategi Advisors and Strategi Startup Studio said, “T9L, as the complimentary skill partner for the upcoming UAE Startup Ecosystem will act as our initial Technology Co-Founder and subsequently help form a technology team and leadership to further scale the new ventures ads as well as offer technology infrastructure and efficiency in all areas of business. Fahad Moti Khan, founder & CEO of T9L said, “Startup Studio is a more intimate engagement model compared to conventional accelerator/incubator setups leveraging strategy, product execution skills and access to network. It mitigates known risks for the entrepreneurs and they have a much better likelihood for success. It is specially effective in nascent startup markets like SE Asia and UAE. We value the deep understanding Strategi has of the operating markets, brand building, and their grasp of how startup ecosystems work thus we are excited to partner with Strategi to bring this vision to life.” “If you look at the growth of big startups hubs, what is common to them is access to market, availability of talent and institutional support. UAE is the most cosmopolitan nation in the region with a wide pool of home-grown and expat talent. There is a big addressable business and consumer market around the nation,” added Fahad. “Institutionally, the various governments in the region have taken encouraging steps to help entrepreneurs operating from the region. With all the ingredients in place, we feel that a potent spark is all that is needed to kick-start a very interesting phase of the region. It is a phase where the economy takes it"s first step towards innovation led growth evolving from the current asset and services driven approach. Together with Strategi we realised that the time is right to start that process and hopefully play a key role in this exciting new phase of the nation,” Fahad enthused. The joint venture between T9L and Strategi Startup Studio will support innovative and forward-thinking visionaries to be part of the entrepreneurship ecosystem in the UAE and will encourage startups to aim higher in terms of visibility and impact on the global stage. To investors, UAE’s strategic positioning as a vibrant hub for trade, finance, media, tourism, hospitality, talent and technology offers great potential for investment opportunities across multiple sectors. The country is evolving into a knowledge economy offering the perfect platform to connect startups, investors and enablers with relevant resources, accessibility and opportunities. — SG