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MIDDLE EAST

As part of the Scale-Up track , SMEs from across the UAE will have the opportunity to participate in the Cisco Product Innovation Lab and develop their capabilities by benefitting from Cisco ’ s digital and smart solutions . The second initiative , titled Cisco Expert Insights , falls under the Skill-Up track and aims to leverage Cisco ’ s expertise in the areas of digital innovation , business development , sales , leadership and marketing .

HE . Abdullah Ahmed Al Saleh , Undersecretary of the Ministry of Economy , highlighted : “ The UAE , thanks to the vision and directives of the wise leadership , has placed great importance on the development of businesses , as they are a key driver in supporting the country ’ s efforts to transition towards a new economic model based on knowledge , innovation and sustainability . In line with the country ’ s outlook for the next 50 years , SMEs are well placed for further growth and expansion .”

He added : “ We recognise the importance of partnerships between the private and public sectors as they are crucial in providing more opportunities and supporting SMEs in executing their business operations . Our collaboration with Cisco signifies our on-going commitment in this direction , as we seek to build the digital capabilities of growing businesses and in turn , consolidate the UAE ’ s position as a global destination for entrepreneurship .”

Abdelilah Nejjari , Managing Director for the Gulf Region at Cisco , commented : “ The UAE , under the directives of its wise leadership , has for a long time placed great importance on the country ’ s goal to become one of the most prosperous nations and a global hub for entrepreneurship . We are honoured to launch the digital initiative to support the growth of SMEs in co-operation with the Ministry of Economy , which directly aligns with the government efforts . We seek to motivate businesses of all sizes to innovate and develop solutions using digital technologies to support their growth on a local and global scale .”

The Ministry of Economy has outlined the criteria for enrolling in the Product Innovation Lab programme . The requirements include being registered in the UAE , employing between 10 and 250 employees , operating within the IT or programming industries and having a specialised software team . Through this programme , the ministry will select 15 companies , which will receive a set of training courses in joint workspaces and mentoring workshops , led by a group of experts specialised in entrepreneurship , in addition to benefitting from the services of Cisco ’ s digital laboratory and its advanced platforms .

The requirements for participating in the Cisco Expert Insights programme include being registered in the UAE and employing a minimum of five employees . Participants will have access to the recently renewed Cisco Digital Transformation Centre ( DTC ) in Dubai . SMEs will also benefit from Cisco ’ s expertise as one of the leading global companies in the field of technology , providing new opportunities through reimagining applications , securing data and transforming infrastructure and empowering teams for a global and inclusive future . �

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