Dubai - MENA Herald: Dubai SME, the agency of the Department of Economic Development in Dubai mandated to develop the small and medium enterprise (SME) sector, led a delegation of member SME owners to Milan as part of its participation in the Expo Milano 2015 event.
The team of nine SME owners joined the Dubai SME pavilion at the Future Business UAE platform at Expo Milano and interacted with SME businesses in Italy as part of a five-day knowledge exchange programme, designed to help entrepreneurs mutually understand the SME environment, enablers and capacities in both countries.
Dubai SME was officially designated to participate in the expo as a leading government entity in Dubai, and since opening in May 2015 the pavilion received over a million visitors.
The delegation of Dubai SME members toured the expo and also visited seven different small and medium businesses in Parma, Italy. Networking programmes and matchmaking sessions were also held in Parma to enable both sides to explore growth partnerships.
“We aimed to derive optimum benefits for Dubai’s SME community through our participation in Expo Milano 2015. Taking our SME members to Italy during the expo allowed them to be part of a dynamic SME environment, learn best practices and take advantage of opportunities for collaboration,” commented Abdul Baset Al Janahi, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai SME.
Dubai SME made use of its participation at Expo Milano 2015 to promote Dubai’s position as an ideal destination for business start-up and growth. Visitors learned about Dubai SME’s role in spreading an entrepreneurship culture and its exemplary practices in SME sector development.
The support provided by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Fund to SMEs and Emirati entrepreneurs by way of opportunities to exchange experiences and to market their products and services was also highlighted during the interaction with visitors to the pavilion.
“Expo Milano 2015 provided us the chance to showcase Dubai’s success in translating our entrepreneurial culture into a strategic enabler of economic development, as envisioned by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai,” added Al Janahi.
Dubai SME has supported more than 18,500 entrepreneurs and facilitated the launch of over 3,000 SMEs since its inception in 2002, helping aspiring Emiratis realise their dreams and cementing Dubai’s reputation as a hub to launch and grow innovative and smart business concepts.
