Etisalat’s newly launched Hello Business Hub caters to the needs of SMBs by offering comprehensive integrated propositions, ranging from company setup to company registration, banking to insurance, office leasing to furniture, combined with the latest telecom products and services from Etisalat and more. Industry reports estimate more than 100,000 new businesses to set up shop in the UAE over the next three years. Initiatives such as the World Expo 2020 in Dubai will further drive substantial development of the country’s SMB segment. Etisalat aims to capture the majority of new start-ups in the UAE, and forge long-term relationships with new customers coming on board.

Esam Mahmoud, Acting Senior Vice President, Small and Medium Business, Etisalat said: “Small and medium businesses are important contributors to the UAE’s economy today and with the digital evolution are set for further growth in the country. At Etisalat, we work closely with SMBs and startups by enabling them with the right tools and services to drive into this digital future. The launch of Etisalat’s Hello Business Hub today reaffirms our strong commitment towards this goal of supporting this strategic community who are the key drivers of growth and development.

Whether one is starting a new business or expanding operations in the UAE, Etisalat’s Hello Business Hub is committed to providing owners with tailored advanced solutions that increase their productivity and profitability. At Etisalat we are always striving to add value through innovation, driven by our service mantra for small and medium businesses which is ‘Your Business Grows with Us’.”

Etisalat currently serves more than 300,000 SMB customers in the country, working closely with them in their digital transformation journey. The specialised business hub located at One JLT, Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai offers latest telecommunications solutions tailored for SMBs and an extended platform offered by its strategic business partners that include the host Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) as well as Virtuzone,  Oman Insurance, National Bank of Ras Al Khaimah (RAKBANK), Sharaf DG, Amer for Government services, Skylines Tax Consultancy, CBRE, Advanced Business Concept (ABC), The Ambassador, Leader Consulting, in addition to Etisalat solutions and Digital Marketing services for SMBs.

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The two-day event will be held the first weekend of SXSW Conference & Festivals, Saturday, March 10 and Sunday, March 11, in Austin, USA. The Accelerator will feature finalists across the following 10 categories: Augmented & Virtual Reality, Enterprise & Smart Data, Entertainment & Content, Health & Wearables, Hyper-Connected Communities, Payment & FinTech, Security & Privacy, Social & Culture, Sports & Performance Data, and Transportation.

“Pawame is electrifying off-grid communities with our clean, affordable and distributed solar solutions, having changed the lives of over 20,000 people in just a year and a half. Our ability to provide consumer financing and use of mobile money for repayment enables us to serve even poor customers in frontier markets. Using the data collected from digital payments, we can create credit profiles for our customers, enabling us to deepen our financial relationship with them by offering them other life-enhancing products that they wouldn’t otherwise be able to access or afford,” said Maurice Parets, CEO of Pawame.

“There are few bigger stages than SXSW to reach the financiers, partners and other supporters that we will need to be successful, and few with an audience as likely to be sensitized to the importance of what we are trying to achieve.  The chance to be part of such a landmark cultural event and to compete alongside other amazing companies is icing on the cake,” he added.

“For the past decade, we’ve had the honor of offering a platform to some of the most cutting-edge global technologies and innovations – allowing CEOs and developers to present their solutions to investors, potential partners and key targets,” said SXSW Accelerator Event Producer Chris Valentine. “Of those who’ve presented on stage, over 70% have gone on to receive funding in excess of nearly $4.63 billion. In addition, 16% of these companies went on to be acquired. We look forward to once again being a launching pad for startups to achieve some of their greatest successes. All of us with SXSW Accelerator are proud and impressed by the companies who are truly changing industries and changing the world.”

For more information about SXSW Accelerator and to view the complete list of finalists, visit: http://www.sxsw.com/interactive/awards/accelerator.

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Stage’s deployment with BKT is the first time AI will be used in a Bike Share Scheme in Mexico. BICO will enable BKT to rapidly and efficiently distribute cycles across the city and ensure that riders have bikes and docks available when and where they need them.

“BKT and Stage have a shared vision for simple, efficient and user-centric transportation. Together, we are bringing innovation to Guadalajara’s Bike Share Scheme and using AI to give riders the best possible Bike Share experience,” said Tom Nutley, Head of Operations at Stage Intelligence. “AI makes it simple to grow a Bike Share Scheme and provide services that create life-long riders. This is a great opportunity for Guadalajara to innovate in clean and sustainable transportation.”

The Guadalajara Bike Share Scheme is the second largest and the most important Bike Share Scheme in Mexico serving estimated population of over five million people. “The rebalancing is one of our biggest challenges in the operation of the public bicycle system in Guadalajara. BICO has allowed us to take better advantage of our resources to improve our service. We focus our efforts on achieving user satisfaction. BICO is an essential part to provide a better service and now satisfaction is also for our staff,” said Noé Santana, Operation Manager at BKT bicipública.

Stage’s AI-based BICO platform uses citywide data and the leading AI-technology to provide actionable insights for operators and addresses some of the biggest challenges in Bike Share. Stage recently implemented its internationalisation process that enables the BICO platform to be easily deployed in cities like Guadalajara and cater to the specific needs of its citizens.

“BICO has been very useful for the improvement of our services, the performance of our staff and the understanding of the system. We are very happy to have integrated it into our tools for the operation” said Mario Delgado, Director at BKT bicipública.

The talks between BKT and Stage kicked off as part of the i-Mobility Week in 2017. The Department of International Trade (DIT) in Mexico facilitated the trip to Mexico and helped organise the talks with BKT. The DIT enables UK companies to trade overseas and supports new innovations abroad. It was critical in setting up initial meetings with MIBICI operators and providing guidance throughout the contract process.

“The partnership between Stage Intelligence and BKT demonstrates how organisations in the UK and Mexico can collaborate to create greener cities and happier citizens. Thanks to the support of the British Embassy in Mexico, Stage and BKT have shown that innovation doesn’t have borders. We are very proud to have joined this partnership and we look forward to Stage and BKT growing their partnership and enabling each other’s success in the long term,” said Manuel Mandujano, Trade and Investment Officer at British Embassy Mexico.

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GSEA is EO’s premier awards program for students who own or operate a business while attending college or university. Globally, every year more than 2000 students from more than 56 countries enter the global competition. The UAE qualifier competition hosted by GSEA UAE saw the participation of 11 student finalists from colleges and universities across the UAE. The UAE competition was organized and headed up by esteemed Middle East e-commerce and technology entrepreneur Paul Kenny, Managing Director of AYM Commerce and former CEO and founder of Cobone. Mr. Kenny led the judging panel of UAE business leaders and students, where the young entrepreneurs competed against peers to win a place in the global final.

The UAE winner, Shammi Kapoor now makes his way to the global finals being held on April 14^th in Toronto, Canada. Sharing his excitement about the win, Shammi Kapoor said, “I am so thrilled to win the UAE final of the GSEA competition. The platform provides an exceptional opportunity for young entrepreneurs. I have worked hard to get my business up and running and this recognition will give me a leg up in my entrepreneurial journey. Having access to mentorship from established entrepreneurs at EO is a huge advantage.”

Paul Kenny, GSEA UAE mentor and Managing Director, AYM Commerce, commented; “The GSEA aims to inspire students to become change makers, to fully explore their potential and achieve their goals. The standard of entries at the UAE finals was very high.  The competition provides a platform and access to an entrepreneurial community that aims to support and nurture the students’ entrepreneurial ambition. As a mentor, I seek to be part of the movement that enables young entrepreneurs reach their full potential,” highlighted

The UAE winner, Shammi Kapoor’s business is called Brain Abilitiez and is based in Dubai, UAE. The center provides brain training with proven results to enhance mental performance and offers personalized programs designed to help improve individuals’ cognitive abilities through brain training. Shammi who has autism and ADHD, could not read four years ago, but after completing a full-time brain training program, he successfully overcame his learning challenges. After interning at the same brain training center, he undertook cognitive training and tests from the US-based company which bore the concept, and in 2016 he opened Brain Abilitiez.

The Entrepreneurs’ Organization’s Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA) is the premier global competition for student entrepreneurs who actively run a business. EO GSEA nominees compete in qualifying competitions for the chance to advance to the Global Finals, held in April 2018 in Toronto, Canada. EO GSEA is an exclusive opportunity for student entrepreneurs to make connections, find resources, and grow their businesses!

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Innovators will be heading to Ras Al Khaimah in the coming week as the Emirate hosts the UAE’s first Seaside Startup Summit. Running from the 8-12 of February, the event is being held under the patronage and presence of His Highness Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, and will include representatives of governmental bodies and ministers from Armenia. The summit is being jointly arranged by the Startup Armenia Foundation and Ras Al Khaimah’s Incubation and Accelerator unit.

The Startup Summit concept has been operating successfully in Armenia for several years, originally as a response to the less effective gatherings of innovators and entrepreneurs that used more traditional formats. Organized in a form of a tented camp set by the sea, the Summit engages the participants in a far more intense communal experience that ensures that mixes entrepreneurs, startups and investors in an environment that forms lasting bonds and connections – far removed from the mechanical business card swapping that happens elsewhere. Ras Al Khaimah is the first venue outside Armenia, but the programme will continue on to Goa and Singapore later in the year.

Dr. Abdul Rahman Shayeb Al-Naqbi, Director General of the Department of Economic Development (DED), said, “The RAK Seaside Summit aims to provide entrepreneurs with an opportunity to demonstrate innovative business solutions, provide an opportunity to communicate with decision-makers and social networking sites, as well as compete for the opportunity to win funding. The number of visitors is expected to reach more than 1500 people from the MENA region, Europe, USA, Russia, Armenia and other countries.”

Startups representing different countries will take part in competitive battles and brand battles based on their development level and operating field. A prize fund of $50,000 is available for those that are victorious. Participants will also have the opportunity to engage in matchmaking sessions with investors and make campfire pitches for funding.

Commenting on the event, Ramy Jallad, Group CEO of RAKEZ, RAK Free Trade Zone and RAK Investment Authority, said: “It is always exciting to witness startups gather under one roof, ready to pitch in their original business ideas. Their belief and passion for their concepts are truly inspirational and this is the kind of energy we want to cultivate in and outside of RAKEZ. We are truly happy to be a part of this pioneering Seaside Startup Summit in the country, which is perfectly coinciding with the UAE Innovation month. Over the years, we have shown great support to startup companies and this is just one of the many events and initiatives that we plan to take part of to promote the entrepreneurial spirit in the emirate.”

Workshops, campfire talks, brand battles and networking sessions with international mentors and industry experts are all part of the 5 day summit process, with a focus on connecting people, helping startups to learn, broaden their outlook and gain insights – all of which takes place in a fun and collaborative atmosphere.

Hakob Hakobyan, Founder of Sevan Startup Summit Armenia, said: “Sevan Startup Summit was organized for the first time in 2016 in Armenia and became one of the most significant events of Armenian startup ecosystem. This year we have enlarged the borders of the summit starting from the number of participants to the funding prize. We are very proud to contribute in organizing this event. When you are watching from outside and see how one lecture or one investment can change the whole worldview of the team, you understand how important it is to continue what you are doing and involve as many people as possible.”

The event is sponsored by Ras Al Khaimah Department of Economic Development, RAKEZ, RAK PSD, Al Marjan Island, with Ras Al Khaimah Media Office acting as a Strategic Partner and organized by Startup Armenia Foundation together with the local partner RAK Incubator and Accelerator.

Dr. Hisham Safadi, Co. Founder and CEO, RAK Incubator and Accelerator said: “RAK Seaside Startup Summit is a global event that brings together young people, entrepreneurs, innovators, experts and investors in innovation and technology to share experiences, views and best practices to support a diversified knowledge and technology industry with more than 60 emerging digital, innovative and creative companies from the Arab world, Asia and Europe.

Safadi added: “RAK Incubator and Accelerator, with the support of the Department of Economic Development and RAKEZ, aims to build a healthy system of entrepreneurship and innovation that compete with existing global systems in the region and contribute to transforming the community in Ras Al Khaimah into a ‘smart’ society.”

Through its pioneering initiatives the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah will join the list of ground-breaking cities in this arena, and the innovation index at the global level.Which is an embodiment of the UAE leadership’s vision and clear directives to transform the country into an open global laboratory for innovation.

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Tell us about Bebuzzd.
Bebuzzd is a customer engagement and retention platform. We started as a loyalty program, but over time we saw us being more of a customer engagement and retention platform. We are also a marketplace loyalty program and a neighborhood loyalty program, all added into one platform. The way we are different is that each company that partners with us will have their own space in the program and their loyalty program will be setup as per their preferences.

Which markets do you currently focus on?
We focus on all major industry verticals that offer services and products. These could be supermarkets, hypermarkets, salons, hotels, restaurants, and so on. We work with brands and companies that want to retain their valued customers by offering something unique. We started in 2011 and at that time we were engaged in market studies and so on. Gradually we built up the platform, you can see today.

What is your company’s plan for 2018?
In 2018, we are going to launch a payment platform through our app. Consumers can use the app to get the deals from outlets we tie up with and also sign up for loyalty programs from our partners. In addition, users will be able to recharge services such as Salik, mobile top ups, recharge their subscriptions to multiple services, and so on.

We are currently speaking to partners to launch this service. We have already signed a deal with Mashreq Bank and we are speaking to RTA to integrate their top up services with our app for recharging Nol cards, for instance. The testing of the new service is complete and we will do a soft launch in the next three months.

What is your target audience?
We initially started with small and medium retailers such as salons and so on. We then gradually started adding restaurants and hotels. Today, around 60 percent of our business comes from the services industry. We recently signed a deal with the cosmetics company called Exquisite who have around 30+ outlets in major shopping malls in the local market. This deal was done for a specially tailored loyalty program.

Many times loyalty programs as used as a scheme by companies to increase prices of frequently purchased products. Do loyalty programs really work the way they were intended to work in the first place?
There are many companies on the market that use the customer data captured through loyalty programs to increase prices, position products in specific areas of the store, provide discounts on slow moving goods and so on. Our customer loyalty program in fact works the other way. It helps both companies and their customers to have a better buying experience.

We do not share customer details with multiple partners. It’s all an opt-in procedure – so if a customer signed up for a particular loyalty program, his/her details will only be visible to that particular company. For companies it is always better to retain customers by offering better rates and better products and that is what Bebuzzd helps them with.

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New and existing members of the Dubai Chamber can receive assistance in getting their business listing by visiting the website or a dedicated booth at the Chamber’s HQ in Deira. Businesses will also be able to instantly convert their business listing into a free mobile-friendly website in English and in Arabic.

Online search has become an essential part of people’s daily lives in the UAE. According to a new research by Ipsos, 1 in 3 searches in the UAE are about locations of local businesses; 95% of mobile users first turn to Google search (and 88% on Google Maps) for information regarding their purchase. Additionally, purchasers who see complete listings for businesses on Google Search and Maps are 20% more likely to say the business is reliable, well-established and offers quality products and services. According to another research by Alpha Beta, people who visit digital maps looking for business information have an 82% purchase conversion rate.

H.E. Hamad Buamim, President and CEO of Dubai Chamber, said: “We are excited to launch this game-changing program with Google which will help our members realize the value and benefits of building and managing their digital presence. It has become apparent that consumers are increasingly turning to online channels to access information, products and services, which is why it is absolutely crucial that businesses of all sizes invest in this area and leverage the right tools to boost their online reach.”

H.E. Buamim noted that he is optimistic about the program’s outcome after the results of the pilot conducted in 2017 exceeded the Chamber’s expectations, adding that the project will promote smarter practices among businesses in Dubai and open the door to new growth opportunities in the UAE and beyond.

Lino Cattaruzzi, Managing Director for Google in MENA, said: “We’re very pleased to partner with the Dubai Chamber to help put businesses in Dubai on the map. As more people in the UAE are looking for information online, businesses need to move fast to meet their customers and show up in the moments that matter. Now is the time to experiment and to use the digital tools out there to help make businesses smarter, and to measure results. This is just the beginning. We plan to roll out the same program with local partners across the region.”

The event was held at the Dubai Chamber’s headquarters, and brought together business owners in Dubai, media, and representatives from Google and Dubai Chamberi. During the event, owners and founders of businesses like 800flower, Re-Urban Studio, Gravity Gym and The Healthy Home discussed the value of online presence. Google executives demonstrated the features of Google my Business, a free tool that allows business owners to publish their business listings on Google Search and Maps, receive customer insights, and create free and instant mobile-friendly websites. Across the UAE, tens of thousands of Arabic and English websites have been created over the past six months using Google my Business.

‘Get Dubai Businesses Online’ is the result of an extensive pilot program that ran in 2017 and that took into consideration the challenges of business owners such as limited advertising budgets and basic understanding of how to reach their customers online.

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Today, Instagram has announced plans to bring its Carousel Ads into Stories. That means the ads in Stories are no longer limited to one piece of media (which could be a photo or a video) — they can now include three. Director of Product Marketing Susan Rose noted that this is something that users can already do with organic (non-ad) Stories, so it seemed like a natural step to incorporate that capability into ads as well.

“It’s a feature that was requested from businesses and advertisers, given the power that they’ve seen through organic stories with multiple pieces of content,” she said. Why three pieces of content, not (say) four or five? Rose said this is “just a starting point.” For advertisers, these kinds of Stories ads aren’t just a way to incorporate multiple types of media.

They also allow them to tell more a little bit more of a (small-s) story in their ads, rather than forcing them to squeeze their message into one image or video. And it gives them an opportunity to incorporate other Instagram features like drawing tools and the ability to pin stickers in videos.

From a user perspective, you can interact with these ads the way you would with any other Instagram Story, pausing or swiping backward when there’s something interesting, or swiping forward when you’re ready to move on. Instagram says it’s starting to test this with a handful of advertisers, including the Gap, Coca-Cola and Paramount, before rolling these capabilities out more broadly. You can see a sample ad from Gap on the Instagram blog.

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Established in 2016 and led by Oxford Alumni and ex McKinsey consultant Vaibhav Doshi and his wife Purvashi, RentSher provides a one-stop-shop renting service so customers can discover and book products online instead of buying products one does not need often.  With over 1000 products across multiple verticals, RentSher provides a seamless renting approach for both short and long term purposes.

RentSher’s online platform provides rental vendors an opportunity to benefit financially by showcasing their inventory and attracting new customers without investing in their own website. “The rental industry is a multi-billion dollar market and we are on a mission to revolutionise the UAE rental market for event furniture and equipment, audio/video, laptops, medical equipment and travel essentials and bring it into the 21^st century,” says Vaibhav Doshi, CEO of RentSher Middle East.

Since its launch, RentSher has recorded double digit growth which has attracted the attention of leading technology investors. The startup is currently in the process of raising seed funding and will be sharing details once the round is closed. “Our goal with RentSher Middle East is simply to make renting as easy and transparent as possible. The feedback from customers and vendors has been very encouraging,” says Purvashi, the Director for Customer and Supplier Happiness.

RentSher was originally founded in India where it is still currently enjoying success and unmatched growth. RentSher’s Middle East operations hopes to replicate and adapt the same business model as it embarks on expansion plans across the region.

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Troels Andersen, CEO and Co-Founder of Mondo Ride: “This funding round will enable Mondo Ride to provide even more rides for busy, active people across the fastest growing cities in Africa. We currently have operations in five cities across Africa, and plan to open six new cities by the end of 2018, significantly increasing ride numbers. We were overwhelmed with interest in the funding round and plan to take many of the positive engagements forward to the Series A round planned for H1 2018”.

“Mondo Ride is one of the most exciting new technology businesses operating in the large and fast-growing ride hailing market in Africa,” said Ramesh Awtaney, Founder and Chairman of iSON Group, one of Mondo Ride’s anchor investors. “What Troels and the Mondo Ride team have developed over the last two years is hugely impressive, and we’re excited to be working together to create an African market leader. Mondo Ride is a great example of the type of founder-led, operationally efficient business that we like to invest in.”

“With a presence in more than 25 countries in Africa, iSON is an ideal partner as we continue to scale our business in Africa,” said Troels Andersen. “We’re excited to have a partner on board that provides us not only capital, but also vast strategic experience in our market.”

Founded in Kenya, Mondo Ride is a home-grown African ride hailing business headquartered in Nairobi. Since officially launching its ride hailing business in January 2016, Mondo Ride has experienced double-digit monthly revenue growth and is now one of the leading ride hailing platforms in Kenya.

Mondo Ride provides an affordable, safe and reliable transport network that is localised for people in Africa. Mondo Ride’s app provides people and corporations access to multiple vehicle categories with over 6,000 drivers. Mondo Ride has offices in Nairobi, Mombasa, Cairo, Dubai, Dar Es Salaam, and India.

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