- AstroLabs and the Italian Trade Agency, the government agency which promotes the globalization of Italian firms under the aegis of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, have partnered to launch the UAE edition of the Global Startup Program.
- For the 2nd edition of the Global Startup Program in the UAE, AstroLabs has tailored a comprehensive 2-month market entry program to strengthen the technical, organizational, and financial abilities of the participating startups maneuvering in various technology-driven sectors including AI & data, foodtech, medtech, circular economy, green economy, e-commerce, and more.
Dubai, United Arab Emirates: AstroLabs and the Italian Trade Agency, the government agency which promotes the globalization of Italian firms under the aegis of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, have partnered to launch the 2nd edition of the Global Startup Program in the UAE. The program will support the business acceleration and expansion of 12 technology-enabled Italian startups to the UAE, as a launchpad for expansion into MENA and beyond.
For the 2022 edition of the Global Startup Program, AstroLabs is commissioned by the Italian Trade Agency to tailor a comprehensive market entry program that will accelerate the expansion of its top emerging businesses into the UAE. With over 10 years of active ecosystem building in MENA, working closely with global and regional governments on expanding businesses into the UAE and Saudi Arabia, AstroLabs remains the region’s default market entry partner. Over the span of 2 months, the AstroLabs team will work closely with founders, partners, and experts to strengthen the technical, organizational, and financial abilities of the participating startups, as well as front-run their go-to-market strategy in the UAE with unrivaled navigation of its key stakeholder landscapes.
The Global Startup Program 2022 edition encompasses 120 innovative Italian startups offering solutions across a various range of sectors including AI & data, foodtech, medtech, circular economy, green economy, e-commerce, and more. Through this newly formed strategic partnership, the UAE is one of 8 countries around the world to host a cohort of emerging Italian startups participating in the program, in addition to France, Germany, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America.
While global markets face fluctuations, the UAE has been observing exponential growth and has become a top attractor for global players eyeing expansion. This program will capitalize on existing capabilities and relationships to drive accelerated synergies between both business ecosystems as Director of ITA Dubai, Amedeo Scarpa highlights “Italy and the UAE enjoy a strong trade relationship. Innovation is high on the agenda for the Italian internationalization strategy which has pointed out sustainability, ecological transition, support for startups, digitalization, and competitiveness as the key areas to focus on in the international economic scenario. The UAE is the most dynamic hub in the region and a global hub for innovation. Italy is the 2nd manufacturing country in Europe and the 8th global exporter. Our reputation is there. Italy has a tradition of innovation and following the success of last year’s program, we are glad to boost more win-win cooperations with Emirati and GCC partners.”
While this provides an invaluable market expansion opportunity for the cohort of emerging startups, this also invites new innovations, business approaches, and technologies to the UAE as Christina Andreassen Head of Programs at AstroLabs reflects “We’ve been working with various government stakeholders globally on running market entry and expansion programs across MENA over the past years, and we’ve seen first-hand the impact of building effective local networks in scaling within hypergrowth markets like the UAE. The opportunity at hand is one-of-a-kind given the conducive market conditions and exponential growth we’ve been observing across the region. Surely, with the support our cohort will be receiving from the Italian Trade Agency, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the AstroLabs teams and entrepreneurial communities, these emerging businesses will not only be able to thrive, but rather partake in shaping an exciting future for the UAE’s digital economy.’’
The Global Startup Program in partnership with ITA is one of many national-scale initiatives hosted and designed by AstroLabs to elevate innovation capacities in the UAE and beyond. While the ITA proposition will bank on the knowledge exchange between Italian and UAE-based entrepreneurs, the AstroLabs team will support the startups with the acquisition of new managerial techniques in line with the latest local & global market trends, curate engagement opportunities with commercial partners and investors, as well as introduce the startups to government innovation programs, in addition to fully servicing their local setup process.
Aside from business, financial feasibility, and UAE-driven market entry consultations, AstroLabs will be hosting the teams at their coworking spaces in Jumeirah Lake Towers (JLT) which will also act as a soft landing platform for startups ready to enter and operate in the market. The program will kick off on October 4, and spanning 2 months will welcome the following Italian startups on their market entry journey to the UAE:
- Service Biotec Srl
- Clentech
- Green Independence
- Green Kitchen
- Myndoor
- Mapskin Srl
- Senior srl
- Threebot
- Wym Srl – Ya Be
- Your Call System
- Trading and Marketing
- IBC Corp Srl
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Press contact : Lara Fakih, director of communications – lara@astrolabs.com
The Global Startup Program
The Global Startup Program involves 120 Italian innovative startups in various technical expertise, such as AI & Data, Food Tech, MedTech, Circular Economy, Green Economy, E-commerce, and more. The UAE is one of the 8 countries around the world that will host the startups participating in the program, in addition to France, Germany, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. The list of companies hosted by AstroLabs are: Clentech, Green Independence, Green Kitchen, IBC corp, Mapskin, Myndoor, Senior, Service Biotech, Threebot, Trading and Marketing, WYM, Your Emotional Sales.
About AstroLabs
AstroLabs is a technology ecosystem builder that enables the growth of people, companies, and innovation capacities on a regional level. With 10 years of active building in MENA and a vibrant community across 3 coworking spaces in the UAE & KSA, AstroLabs is MENA’s trusted partner in solving the innovation challenges of tomorrow by navigating the technology landscapes of today.
Partnering with key industry shapers including governmental entities, corporates & enterprises, and the entrepreneurial ecosystem, AstroLabs designs and facilitates digital transformations through business expansion and market entry operations, effective upskilling programs for emerging & established teams, as well as a value-focused talent recruitment practice.
About Italian Trade Agency – ITA
The Italian Trade Agency is the Government agency which promotes the globalization of Italian firms under the aegis of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. ITA helps to develop, facilitate and promote Italian economic and trade relations with foreign countries, focusing on the needs of SMEs, their associations and partnerships. ITA sustains Italian firms in their internationalization process, promoting the marketing of Italian goods and services as well as the image of “Made in Italy” products around the world, while facilitating outward Italian investments and encouraging FDI attraction into Italy. ITA provides information, support and consultancy services to Italian companies on foreign markets, in order to foster exports and economic cooperation in all sectors, with the objective of increasing the effectiveness of their presence on international markets. ITA’s headquarters are based in Rome and it works through a large network of offices around the world which are acknowledged as “Trade Promotion Offices” of the Embassies or Consulates of Italy. https://www.ice.it/en/markets/united-arab-emirates
LinkedIn: ITA – Dubai office
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