19 February 2015 - Entrepreneurs from seven countries will descend on the United Arab Emirates next month for a four day roadshow to create connections and help to stimulate entrepreneurship in the region.
 
The initiative, organised by Youth Business International and supported by Barclays, will culminate in the crowning of the Young Entrepreneur of the Year, part of Youth Business International’s global awards programme for young people.
 
Entrepreneurs from Canada, Hong Kong, India, Jordan, Kenya, Peru, Russia and Saudi Arabia will attend the roadshow, which will start in Abu Dhabi before moving to a series of events in Dubai. The roadshow will take place from 8-11 March.
 
Highlights include:

•         The final of YBI's globally-recognised Young Entrepreneur Awards, hosted by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce
•         Bringing entrepreneurs together to discuss the importance of collaboration, at the In5 Innovation Centre
•         A mentoring masterclass workshop in Dubai for successful business people who are interested in developing their mentoring skills
 
"Young entrepreneurs can help tackle many of the world's challenges by developing products that make life better, in addition to creating jobs and wealth," said Andrew Devenport, Chief Executive of Youth Business International. "Our roadshow aims to share success stories and inspire others in order to stimulate entrepreneurship, in the United Arab Emirates and further afield.”
 
Kathleen Britain, Head of UK Community Investment at Barclays said: ‘We understand that entrepreneurship is a vital component of a successful economy and have made a thoughtful decision to invest in the area, helping it progress and develop.  We also believe that there is no better start on the path to success than access to enterprise, employability and financial skills training.  That’s why we are proud to work with Youth Business International as part of our overarching commitment to change 5 Million Young Futures.’  
 
In addition to support from Barclays, partners on the roadshow include Accenture, Dubai Chamber of Commerce, Dubai SME, the Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development, Falcon & Associates and the Young Arab Leaders.