C3 chosen to be part of Youth SME Network launched by the Emirates Foundation

We are very excited to have been chosen to be part of the Youth SME Network recently launched by Emirates Foundation [http://www.emiratesfoundation.ae/en/] . As described in the article below, the Youth SME Network was announced during a great event organized by Emirates Foundation and was created to coordinate all efforts done by multiple stakeholders to develop an entrepreneurial ecosystem that fosters entrepreneurs and social entrepreneurs in the UAE. We are looking forward to further contributing to our country entrepreneurial sector!

Article published in Linkedin Pulse

YOUTH SME NETWORK launched by the Emirates Foundation 16 May 2016: Social Enterprise: Building the Ecosystem for Success

Arab world displays one of the highest youth unemployment rates in the world. The lack of youth engagement, available jobs and high quality jobs is often cited as a contributor to the region’s instability and social unrest. The need for rapid and high volume job creation has long been cited as a key factor to stabilizing and bringing prosperity to the region. As the future of the region’s youth lies on the ability to create tens of millions of new jobs in the coming

decades, understanding how we build entrepreneurial capacity and create viable social enterprises, is increasingly critical to the future of the region’s prosperity and stability. The UAE has played a key role in promoting entrepreneurial spirit and culture with start-up capital, incubators and mentors all readily available. But is this enough to secure a critical mass of new businesses that really deliver a more prosperous future for Gen Y? What are those ‘critical factors’ challenging the growth of a social enterprise?”

Panelists held a highly interactive challenging conversations on this topic and then held meetings with attendees from a wide range of businesses, sponsors, government departments and individuals who are interested in how they can contribute to the long term establishment of a SOCIAL ENTERPRISE

ECOSYSTEM. Panelists were: Saeed Matar Al marri – Deputy CEO, Dubai SME; Noor Sweid, Board Member, MIT Enterprise Forum Pan Arab; Kamel Al Asmar, Founder & CEO, Nakhweh and Ali Al Janabi, Country Chair, Shell Abu Dhabi. The panel was moderated by Clare Woodcraft-Scott, CEO, Emirates Foundation.

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