• Home
• /
• KT Network

The UAE earned the esteemed entrepreneurship champion title at the Global Awards Ceremony in Melbourne, Australia

The UAE is proud to have been honoured with the Entrepreneurship World Cup (EWC) Campaign Compass Award by the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN). GEN, a global organisation active in 200 countries dedicated to simplifying the process of starting and scaling businesses, bestowed this recognition on the UAE among 18 other GEN Compass Award recipients.

In addition to clinching the EWC Campaign of the Year award, the UAE received two more nominations. Startupscale360, a Startup Ecosystem Builder, and Desert Control, a ClimateTech startup, were both nominated for the GEN Rookie of the Year and GEN Starter awards.

The GEN Compass Awards are designed to acknowledge excellence in various facets of entrepreneurship, including policy development, support programs for investors, and research initiatives. They aim to celebrate the achievements of individuals and organisations that are actively contributing to the advancement of entrepreneurship on a global scale.

The winners were celebrated during a prestigious ceremony in Melbourne, Australia, as part of the Global Entrepreneurship Congress (GEC). This event brought together champions of entrepreneurship from around the world, all united in their mission to foster innovation and economic growth in cities and countries globally.

[Information about the Award, is available at https://www.genglobal.org/compassawards].

“The winners of the Compass awards are heroes who have gone to extraordinary lengths in challenging conditions to remove barriers to entrepreneurship and create opportunities in their communities,” said Jonathan Ortmans, president of the Global Entrepreneurship Network. “They are leaders locally and role models for peers around the world.”

“As a first-time national organizer of the Entrepreneurship World Cup UAE final, it brings us immense joy that the United Arab Emirates received the prestigious title of "EWC Campaigner of the Year". This achievement is akin to winning an Oscar award in the startup ecosystem, and we are thrilled to contribute to the pride of our nation, the UAE,” said Swethal Kumar, CEO, Startupscale360 FZE. “We created a global impact as all three finalists of the UAE final advanced to the global final in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This includes Emirati female founder Reem Al Junaibi's startup, Tripp and cyber security startup Ahad. Desert Control was recognized as the best startup in the Environment and Sustainability category and secured $10 million in funding after their success in the Entrepreneurship World Cup.”

The success of the UAE final of the Entrepreneurship World Cup can be attributed to its unique governance structure, which ensured fair competition. The event received invaluable support from key sponsors and partners, including In5 Tech Dubai, Al Dafrah TV, WeWork, Intelak, Meraki Global Energy, Kapturise, BiteMeBurger ME, Koinonos Capital, and ServiceMyCar. Additionally, volunteers from the University of Birmingham Dubai, over 20 alumni from the London Business School, and top executives from large corporations like KPMG, Alvarez and Marsal, Microsoft for Startups, Al Ghurair Investment, Virgin Hyperloop, Tencent, leading venture capital firms, and many more, lent their support to the EWC final. Their collective effort was instrumental in achieving this remarkable feat.