Dubai Internet City has signed a strategic partnership with German Entrepreneurship GmbH to strengthen the start-up and entrepreneurship ecosystem in the UAE and beyond.

On behalf of Dubai Internet City, Ammar Al Malik, Executive Vice President – Commercial at TECOM Group, signed the agreement with Dr. Thomas Mack, Head of Scouting & Advisory at German Entrepreneurship GmbH.

Under the terms of the agreement, Dubai Internet City will support German start-ups with the data, insights, and resources needed to enter the UAE and new regional markets. German start-ups will also be invited to establish a base at Dubai Internet City and access its rich network of industry peers, corporates, potential investors, universities, and public sector specialists.

Commenting on the agreement on behalf of Dubai Internet City, Ammar Al Malik, Executive Vice President – Commercial at TECOM Group, said: “In today’s dynamic global economy, start-ups expanding to new markets need seamless entry points that facilitate smoother transitions and alleviate cultural differences to foster an environment supportive of business growth and innovation.

“Dubai Internet City’s ecosystem provides invaluable opportunities for start-ups, who gain access to mentorship, potential collaborations, and a diverse talent pool through our network, which is aligned with the structural priorities of the Dubai Economic Agenda ‘D33’ vision. As the home of international technology giants, our district nurtures collaboration and peer learnings, and is the ideal launching pad for companies looking to start- or scale-up from Dubai into new regional and global markets.”

Germany is an important trading partner of the UAE, and non-oil trade exchange between both countries was valued at $9.6 billion in 2022. Germany is the UAE’s second-largest trading partner in the European Union, accounting for 17% of the UAE’s total trade with the bloc last year, while the UAE was Germany’s largest Arab trade partner in 2021.

“We are pleased to sign this agreement with Dubai Internet City, a regional leader for the technology sector,” said Dr. Thomas Mack, Head of Scouting & Advisory at German Entrepreneurship GmbH. “The memorandum provides German companies with not only the opportunity to gain a smooth entry into a new market, but also to swiftly collaborate with global industry leaders that have a home at Dubai Internet City and engage with its wide entrepreneurial network of investors, accelerators, and other start-ups across the region.”

The agreement was signed as Dubai Internet City and in5, TECOM Group’s start-up incubator that has nurtured over 850 enterprises since its inception in 2013, participate in the GITEX Global 2023 and Expand North Star 2023 events in the city this week.

Dubai Internet City is Innovation Partner for GITEX Global 2023, which is being held at Dubai World Trade Centre on 16-20 October. The district is the region’s largest tech hub and has led Dubai’s digital transformation strategy for over two decades, serving as a platform for global tech brands, start-ups, and innovators to work, connect, and innovate. It is home to more than 3,000 customers, including Fortune 500s and SMEs such as Google, 3M, Microsoft, and Careem, in addition to over 29,000 professionals and entrepreneurs.

Dubai Internet City is part of TECOM Group’s portfolio of business districts that includes Dubai Design District (d3), Dubai Science Park, Dubai Media City, Dubai Studio City, Dubai Production City, Dubai Knowledge Park, Dubai International Academic City, and Dubai Industrial City.

About Dubai Internet City

Dubai Internet City, member of TECOM Group PJSC, is the largest technology hub in the MENA region. Home to Fortune 500 companies, SMEs, start-ups and entrepreneurs, Dubai Internet City is the cornerstone of UAE’s economic diversification and digital transformation strategy for 20+ years.

For more information, please visit www.dic.ae.

About TECOM Group PJSC 

TECOM Group has been developing strategic, sector-focused business districts across the emirate of Dubai since 1999. TECOM Group is well-positioned to continue playing an integral role in cementing Dubai’s status as a global business and talent hub. 

The TECOM Group portfolio consists of 10 business districts catering to 6 vital knowledge-based economic sectors, including design, education, manufacturing, media, science, and technology. The Group provides a varied and tailor-made leasing portfolio – which includes offices, co-working spaces, warehouses, and land – to over 10,000 customers and more than 105,000 professionals.  

TECOM Group offers additional value-added services to deliver a competitive and attractive environment for businesses and entrepreneurs to thrive in and to facilitate engagement between the districts’ community members. Government and corporate services are made available through an integrated smart services platform, “axs”, which enhances ease of doing business and provides community members with a seamless experience. 

TECOM Group also provides industry specialised facilities, including media production studios, laboratories, and higher education campuses. in5, its enabling platform for entrepreneurs and start-ups, offers innovation centres supporting tech, media, and design start-ups and SMEs. Its future-focused co-working spaces D/Quarters deliver stimulating work environments for tenants, and the “Go Freelance” package serves freelance talents. 

For more information, please visit www.tecomgroup.ae.

About German Entrepreneurship

German Entrepreneurship is an innovation services provider that facilitates global market expansion for startups and develops them into internationally recognized and successful ventures. Among others, German Entrepreneurship runs the German Accelerator, which s is proudly financed by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action. Their Scaler8 programs supports startups and SMEs from around the globe to explore, prepare and access new markets in Asia, Europe, North and South America with bespoke international expansion strategies and cross-border open innovation where corporates collaborate with startups and SMEs to develop innovative solutions jointly.  Since its foundation in 2008, the team has accompanied more than 730 startups on their way, including industry giants such as Flixbus, Foodora, Celonis, N26, and Signavio.