'Silicon Oasis Founders' to Support and Encourage Technology Entrepreneurs
Dubai-UAE: 10 April, 2012 - Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO), the integrated free zone technology park, today announced the launch of Silicon Oasis Founders (SOF), a technology incubation centre wholly owned by Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority (DSOA).
SOF has been set up with a strategic commercial ambition and long-term vision to position itself as a leading incubator that supports high potential technology ventures in the seed phase.
SOF focuses on fostering local entrepreneurial talent in the information technology, internet, ecommerce technology and mobile. The centre's expertise will help emerging entrepreneurs refine their business proposals, execute plans and accelerate growth. SOF will guide and assist new businesses through providing services such as business set-up support, workspace facilities, networking opportunities with other IT professionals, VCs and business consultancy as well as financial, technical and marketing mentorship.
Hans Christensen, Director of Silicon Oasis Founders at Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority, said: "The incubation centre has been set up in response to market indicators that businesses which have been through an incubator programme are far more likely to succeed in the long term. We believe that our holistic incubation approach is especially well suited to achieve this and is needed by the market.
"We are confident that Silicon Oasis Founders' services will improve entrepreneurs' chances of receiving venture capital, lower risk of personal liability and provide them with the emotional benefit of working in a team, in addition to benefitting from the know-how of seasoned business persons. We look forward to helping aspiring entrepreneurs in the region set up high-potential ventures and achieve success."
SOF aims to support Dubai Silicon Oasis-based ventures in the seed phase that prefer co-investment from regional investors for business models in the mobile e-commerce, apps or internet technology space. The centre will additionally offer support to technologies that need short incubation time from 3 to 12 months, and low investment or to support existing business models in the market; which posses the potential for further growth. As part of the selection criteria, new ventures should be scalable with a capacity to generate a minimum turnover of AED20 million.
Entrepreneurs with an existing business looking to boost performance or even seeking partial or complete funding are welcome to contact SOF on bizplan@dso.ae
A wholly-owned entity of Dubai Government, Dubai Silicon Oasis operates as a free zone technology park for the semiconductor, microelectronic and other high technology-based companies looking to set up their regional headquarters and R&D facilities in the Middle East and Africa region.
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About Dubai Silicon Oasis:
Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority (DSOA), a 100% owned entity by the Government of Dubai is a free zone, strategically placed on the Emirates road. DSOA's urban master-planned community spans 7.2 square kilometers of state of the art office towers, R&D and industrial zones, educational institutions, luxury apartments, villas, hotels, healthcare and a full range of lifestyle facilities which translate into a dynamic commercial and social environment. Businesses can flourish under the unrivalled package of incentives, including 100% ownership, and high end IT infrastructure that allows companies to begin operating immediately.
For further information, please contact:
Mazen El Dirany
Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority
Associate Manager - Corporate Communications
Tel: (+971 4) 5015102
Fax: (+971 4) 5015350
Mobile: (+971 50) 2266956
Email: meldirany@dso.ae
Mathilda Saad
APCO Worldwide (JiWin Public Relations)
Tel:+9714 361 3879 (direct)
M:+97155 699 9890
Fax:+9714 388 8001
Email: msaad@apcoworldwide.com
Razi Hassan
APCO Worldwide (JiWin Public Relations)
(T): +971 4 3613598
(M): +971 553786543
(F): +971 4 3688001
rhassan@apcoworldwide.com
© Press Release 2012
