DUBAI, UAE — Dubai Startup Hub, an initiative of Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, in cooperation with Virtuzone, recently kicked off the fifth edition of its weekly networking series, which brings together stakeholders from the Dubai startup ecosystem and features inspirational talks led by successful entrepreneurs and industry innovators. The 10-week series, comprising virtual sessions running between Oct. 7 and Dec. 16, 2020, puts the spotlight on a wide variety of sectors and timely topics, including global expansion, fintech, healthcare, delivery, logistics and transportation, food and beverage, talent, education, social impact, sustainability, and travel, tourism and hospitality. Held recently, the first networking event delved into the topic of international expansion with guest speakers Anjani Kumar, head of partnerships and overseas expansion of Turtlemint and Abdulrahman Ehalafawy, COO and Co-Founder of Cup MENA and Paul Bryson, director of domestic structuring at Virtuzone who shared their insights, experiences and entrepreneurial lessons The series devotes special attention to practical aspects of setting up and doing business within various economic sectors in Dubai, through informative guides developed and distributed by eco-system partner Virtuzone. Natalia Sycheva, manager of entrepreneurship at Dubai Chamber, described the Dubai Startup Hub Networking Series as a platform for startup ecosystem players in Dubai such as incubators, co-working spaces and accelerator programs to engage directly with the entrepreneurial community and provide them with the tailored support. Over the last two years, the series attracted the participation of more than 1,300 aspiring entrepreneurs, she revealed, adding that the current edition takes a slightly different format as discussions are focused around smaller groups, where panelists and participants can delve into the deeper nuances of various sectors and connect with like-minded people who are passionate about business innovation. ”The networking series has created new channels for constructive dialogue and collaboration between various stakeholders that make up Dubai’s startup eco-system. We were very encouraged by the positive response to the first virtual event and look forward to hearing from other successful entrepreneurs and industry experts who will offer our participants new perspectives, valuable lessons and practical guidance,” said Sycheva. In addition, she explained that the launch of the fifth edition of the series comes at a pivotal time for startups in Dubai as the sector is currently at the forefront of Dubai’s digital transformation, adding that the virtual series complements Dubai Startup Hub’s wide variety of programs and initiatives designed to support entrepreneurs throughout their startup journey. For his part, Neil Petch, chairman and co-founder of Virtuzone, said: “It is our privilege to share the market insights we have gathered through years of empowering and enabling entrepreneurs, and we are excited to continue our work with the Dubai Startup Hub in finding and creating opportunities to drive the local economy forward. “We are at a crucial point where the way we do business requires a sweeping digital transformation and Virtuzone is honored to help be the catalyst in activating that change across all sectors, locally and globally.” Established by Dubai Chamber in 2016, Dubai Startup Hub is the first initiative of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa region. The initiative is designed to emphasize the value of public and private sector collaboration and embodies the aim of encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship as a main driver of the economy of Dubai and the UAE. — SS