The programme will provide a platform to developers and entrepreneurs in smaller cities to hear from experts and gain access to direct mentoring and support from Google.

Google aims to reach over 10,000 developers and entrepreneurs this year alone through the programme.

The company will also share product usage insights and help the entrepreneurs build solutions across areas like agri-tech, healthcare, transportation, education and sanitation, among others.

The focus will also be on developing mobile first solutions with strong offline and language capabilities.

Google will take the initiative to cities like Pune, Jaipur, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Kochi, Indore, Nagpur, Nashik, Madurai, Kanpur and Chennai.

There are growing number of entrepreneurs in smaller Indian cities who are focusing on building solutions that caters to the real needs of India, Google India Programme Manager Lead Karthik Padmanabhan said in a statement.

“Through this initiative, we want to bring the best of Google under one programme and join forces with them to help create solutions that serves the needs of a billion Indians,” he added.—PTI

Image: Reuters

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Adi is the founder and CEO of Basmaty World , an Arabic-language cooking channel on YouTube that she is transforming into a network that brings cooks from across the region under one brand. Basmaty generates around 1 million views per month on YouTube and has more than 300,000 followers on Facebook.

She is part of a growing group of entrepreneurs who have chosen Dubai as a ground for growing their business. Two of the region’s biggest success stories are based in Dubai. Valued at some $1 billion, ride-hailing app Careem and Souq.com, which was acquired by Amazon last month, have given the local entrepreneurship scene a boost.

Adi started her business in 2011 in her hometown of Damascus, Syria, working with a small team of videographers and Syrian chefs, known in the Middle East for producing some of the most complex and delicious Mediterranean dishes.

“As I was searching for recipes in Arabic, I saw that there was a gap, there was not much out there, so the idea emerged this way, “she said. “I decided why don’t I do a website that provides reliable and high-quality recipes in Arabic to serve the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region.”

Soon after the war erupted in Syria that same year, Adi left Damascus. To keep her business running, she quickly taught herself how to shoot and edit videos featuring herself as a passionate cook.

For Adi, cooking means potentially big business with lucrative deals. In 2014, Japan’s recipe portal Cookpad acquired Lebanese cooking site Shahiya for a reported $13.5 million.

Adi’s videos take hard work behind the scenes, including collaborating with brands for recipe creation and product placement.

She spends hours shooting video and photos of her recipe creations, before editing and posting the mouth-watering final results for her more than 180,000 subscribers on YouTube.

On this particular shoot, Adi whips up a popular Levantine dip called lebnah, made fresh from yoghurt she strained overnight. She chops pistachios and apricots before drizzling honey on one lebnah dish. On another, she adds chopped olives, sun-dried tomatoes drenched in olive oil, and more olive oil for good measure.

Adi says she has saved thousands of dollars in licensing fees and other government-related costs for her business thanks to help from In5, a government-backed incubator that assists entrepreneurs. In5 also offers Dubai-based entrepreneurs access to work space, training and mentorship programs, networking events and investors.

“I think one of the major challenges for young entrepreneurs here is related to funding… because ideas, there are a lot of ideas. There’s a lot of creativity,” she said.

Adi initially relocated to London after leaving Syria, but despite it being easier and cheaper to establish her business there, she settled on Dubai to be closer to her customers and clients.

“Dubai for me was the best location to do that. It’s the country that provides most value for me, as a startup,” she said. “Leaving Syria, I was looking for somewhere stable where I could continue and grow my business so Dubai was definitely the number one option.”—AP

Image: AP

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The two-day event will see Emirati university students from all over the country take part in plenary sessions and various other activities that inspire students to become entrepreneurs and innovators. Students will engage in discussions related to technology and responsible citizenship that will help align their aspirations with the strategic interests of the nation.

The event will serve as a platform that highlights the strategic imperatives of the nation in tandem with the critical role the future generations play in shaping the UAE’s post-oil economy.

“In a world where learning curves are constantly changing, the students of today and tomorrow require new skill sets,” said Mohamed Khalifa Al Neaimi, Director of Education Affairs at the Crown Prince’s Court.

“The demands of yesterday’s job market are not the same as the requirements of today or five years from now. To compete and survive in the digital era, people and companies need to continue evolving and innovating,” he added.

“Our founding father, late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, emphasised the important role of education and ensuring it remains at the forefront of the country’s strategic imperatives. The UAE and its wise leadership continue to heed this guiding principle as we recalibrate our educational strategy in the 21st century. The ‘Mohamed Bin Zayed Majlis for Future Generations’ embodies the UAE leadership’s commitment to youth development, which stems from the belief that when we invest in our youth, we invest in our future,” he noted.

“A country’s future depends on its youth. With ambition running in their DNA, ours is poised to make a tremendous impact,” said Dr. Ahmad Belhoul, Minister of State for Higher Education.

“Their pride in and sense of responsibility for our great nation that has provided them with immeasurable opportunities make the Emirati students a force to be reckoned with. The combination of their knowledge, dedication and passion will enable them to be tomorrow’s leaders, driving the nation towards continued success and prosperity,” he added.

The event will also bring together industry leaders, senior representatives of the country’s leadership and leading personalities from around the world who will share their professional insights that can help students develop the tools and skills critical to navigating a fast-paced global economy.

Confirmed speakers at the event include members of the Council of Ministers, notably Dr. Thani Bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment; Reem Bint Ibrahim Al Hashemi, Minister of State for International Cooperation, and Shamma Bint Suhail Bin Faris Al Mazrui, Minister of State for Youth Affairs.

Students will also have access to The Hub, an interactive exhibition area developed in collaboration with business partners, educators, entrepreneurs and non-profit organisations, that will highlight future skills required, provide advice for career planning, and showcase opportunities for giving back to their nation and community development.—WAM

Image: Alamy

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Arcadia teamed up with the UK-based ideas company 7billionideas to teach young children the basics of entrepreneurship. Students, parents and top educationists from different nationalities engaged in the highly informative first workshop, spearheaded by 7billionideas CEO David Harkin. Rabea Ataya, CEO of the leading job portal Bayt.com, Navin Valrani, CEO of Arcadia Preparatory School, and Founding Principal Graham Beale interacted with all attendees.

Ataya delivered the opening speech to a packed auditorium and said, “The UAE has always had a long legacy that encourages young businessmen and women. The growth of this great nation is the direct result of a thriving entrepreneurial spirit. Programmes like 7billionideas will foster this spirit and give birth to the next generation of entrepreneurs in the UAE.”

Commenting on the long-term benefits of the programme on students, Harkin said, “Arcadia is the first school in the Middle East to work in partnership with 7billionideas. The programme prepares students for long-term academic excellence and motivates them to work towards career achievements.”

The students attended a session hosted by Harkin and were encouraged to participate in several other activities designed to develop teamwork, presentation skills, public speaking and listening skills by combining idea generation and development. The event was open to students from across the Emirates.—WAM

Image: http://www.7billionideas.com/

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The legal system was formulated through a joint effort from the Government Accelerators team, comprising the Ministry of Economy and the Securities and Commodities Authority, SCA, and involves necessary regulations and obligations governing venture capital funds.

It also seeks to facilitate the work of innovators and attract venture capital funds to the country to bolster the UAE’s innovation enablers and strengthen its position in the international innovation index ranking.

Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Minister of Economy, explained that the adoption of regulations and obligations related to the legal system of venture capital funds is the result of close cooperation and partnerships between the public and private sectors to boost opportunities for financing innovation-based projects in the UAE, which is essential in achieving the country’s vision of a diversified and competitive knowledge-based economy, and leadership in innovation.

The minister added that this decision is a step in the right direction to further promote the competitiveness of small and medium-sized businesses, as well as national companies focused on technology and innovation and contributing to achieving the government targets set in the national agenda, while placing the UAE among the top 10 countries in the world in innovation by 2021.

The legal system was signed by Dr. Obaid Saif Hamad Al Zaabi, Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Securities and Commodities Authority, SCA, in the presence of Abdullah Sultan Alfan Al Shamsi, Assistant Undersecretary for Industrial Affairs at the Ministry of Economy; Huda Al Hashimi, Assistant Director General for Strategy and Innovation at the Prime Minister’s Office; and Ohood bint Khalfan Al Roumi, Minister of State for Happiness.

Dr. Obaid Al Zaabi said that the new system contributes towards the completion of the regulations and decisions that strengthen the investment climate in local capital markets, as well as the development of the legislative system, in accordance with best international practices. This has helped qualify the capital markets in the country to upgrade them into advanced markets.

He explained the importance of the decision in providing a clear and transparent mechanism to support other systems recently issued by the SCA, primarily on investment funds and investment management systems. It will raise the market size of institutional and individual investments for its efficiency and attractiveness to local and foreign investment, as well as private investment, as it complies with the standards and criteria of the International Organisation of Securities Commissions, IOSCO, and the European Securities and Markets Authority, ESMA,

Sultan Alfan Al Shamsi noted that this decision comes as part of the on-going efforts to develop and institutionalize the financial markets in the UAE, in line with best international practices.

He added that the legal system for venture capital funds represents a form of funding for leading and innovative projects, including industrial projects based on modern technology. It opens the door for financing small and medium-sized projects and investing in the knowledge economy.

Al Shamsi further pointed out that the formulation of specific bylaws for the legal system for venture capital funds, and setting performance indices that measure the extent of its impact in the UAE, is fundamental for the development of a knowledge economy based on creativity and innovation.—WAM

Image: WAM

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Her small honey-making business provides not only an income, but a sense of pride.

In the mountainous central province of Bamiyan, one of the country’s least developed but most liberal regions, beekeeping complements its only other commercial crop, potatoes, and gives rural women the chance to become entrepreneurs.

Four beekeeping cooperatives have been set up here in recent years, backed by NGOs and foreign aid. Starting from scratch, they now employ around 400 people, half of them women, and produce 14 tonnes of honey a year.

The district of Yakawlang, around 100 kilometres (60 miles) from the famous giant Buddhas destroyed by the Taliban, sits around 2,600 metres (8,500 feet) above sea-level. Residents are worried the arrival of winter will kill off their bees.

Bundled up tightly, they walk for more than an hour in the snow to fill their pots with honey and fix labels on them, though few know how to read.

Jamila got her start a year ago thanks to her neighbour, Siamui, a pioneer of the cooperative five years ago who gave her her first colony.

“It was in April and I remember that day perfectly. I was so happy: when I was done with my housework, I could spend the whole day watching my bees and how they work!” she confesses, making the other women around her laugh.

This cooperative has collected about 400 kilogrammes (880 pounds) of honey this year, according to its supervisor Habitullah Noori. Each kilo fetches 800 Afghanis in Bamiyan and 1,000 in Kabul — about $15.

Jamila is a grandmother whose children have left the home; Siamui is raising eight of her own; Siddiqa, an orphan, takes care of four brothers and sisters.

Each of them maintains one to four hives on average — the few thousand Afghanis earned supplements their household incomes.

“I can pay for the bus when I want to visit my daughter, I can buy her chocolate,” says Jamila.

“I can buy notepads for the kids,” adds Halima, who is in her twenties with two children.

For widowed Marzia, the honey is key to her very survival. She hails from the village Qatakhan, 30 minutes from Yakawlang. It was an area overrun by the Taliban in early 2000, with many of its residents butchered after one commander instructed his charges “to kill everyone, even the dogs and chickens”.

Her husband was pulled out of his mosque and shot dead on January 19 that year.

She keeps four hives, explaining: “Earlier I started farming, sewing, reaping weeds in the mountains. My brother assisted me but I was mostly on my own.

“Now with the honey I can support my family, I am my own boss.”

“When you invest $100 in the first year you will make $100 in the next,” says Daud Mosavi, director of agricultural programmes for New Zealand’s foreign aid agency in Bamiyan.

Further down the hill, Fatima and her daughters, wearing beekepers hats and visors, adjust the honeycombs in their beehives on the slopes of Qatakhan. Her husband, Ahmad Hossaini, is helping his wife by bringing the bees their sugar.

“It’s the first time we’ve worked together!” he smiles.

“When they get a revenue for the first time it helps to establish their position better in the household”, especially girls who are otherwise seen as potential burdens on their families, explains Sadia Fatimie, a consultant for international institutions.

Fifteen years after the fall of the Taliban regime, Afghanistan remains a harsh place for women: in 2016, only 10 percent of salaried female employees worked outside the agricultural sector, earning 30 percent less than their male counterparts.

In the countryside, they constitute an ignored, exhausted and poorly paid workforce.

“Only 34 percent of women in this country say they are allowed to spend the money which they earn,” emphasises Fatimie.

“There was no tradition of beekeeping here until the 1960s, when it was launched by King Zahir Shah,” says Marc Jeanjean, a French beekeeper sent by AFD, the French aid agency, to help revive the sector.

“When we started working in 2005 there was nothing left, but things really began to take off in 2012 when the ministry of agriculture began pushing it,” he adds.

“It is widely accepted here by the society that women can be at the frontline to support the family,” says provincial agricultural official Abdul Wahab Mohammadi. “It’s increasing — people see it as a success story and they are copying it.”—AFP

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“The creation of the new cadre and change in structure will not only strengthen the organisation, but will help achieve the vision of Startup India, Stand-up India and Make in India,” an official statement said.

“The measure will enhance the capacity and efficiency of the organisation and also help in achieving growth in the MSME sector through a focussed and dedicated cadre of technical officers.”

The decision was taken at a meeting of the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi here.

“The Service has been created by absorbing 11 trades, recruitment to which had been done differently, following different rules,” Union MSME Minister Kalraj Mishra told PTI.

“All these trades were created in the 1950s and 1960s when industries got developed under the regulation regime. The work of the officers of the department has changed over the years and there is need to have a cadre which works for the development of enterprise and thinks holistically.”

The Indian Enterprise Development Service, to start with, will have a cadre strength of 617 officers, 6 of which will be at the level of joint secretaries.

These officers will man 72 field offices of the Development Commissioner and the headquarters in Delhi. Out of the 72 field offices, 30 are MSME development institutes and 28 branch institutes.—PTI

Image: Official website

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A Canadian entrepreneur is offering a new style: boots with a button on the heel that triggers pop-out cleats on the sole. Click the button again and the cleats retract.

Darrell Bachmann has opened a store in Anchorage that sells his Kickspike boots.

Other Anchorage stores offer running shoes with cleats, overshoes with cleats or cleats that strap onto regular shoes.

The shoe buyer for Anchorage athletic store Skinny Raven says Alaskans embrace any tool that allows them to not only survive longer winters, but to conquer them.—AP

Image: Vimeo

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