How is Dubai’s strategic location serving start-ups?

Location is important to the success of a start-up; it dictates the staffing pool, the price of premises, in addition to native taxes and authorities incentives, together with enterprise help and funding. A strong infrastructure with good transport hyperlinks can also be key to succeeding in enterprise.

International start-up analysis centre StartupBlink publishes the annual Startup Ecosystem Rankings Index. The index ranks 1,000 cities and 100 international locations worldwide, monitoring each momentum and developments inside the start-up ecosystem. In 2021, the highest 10 international locations are america, the UK, Israel, Canada, Germany, Sweden, China, Switzerland, Australia and Singapore.

The report additionally states that the UAE is now a prime 25 international nation and had one of the crucial spectacular rank will increase this 12 months, leaping by 18 spots to rank twenty fifth. Providing each airports and seaports, Dubai's infrastructure and placement between east and west make it a strategically sound base for import and export.

Squat Wolf co-founders Wajdan Gul, CEO, and Anam Khalid, CPOEuronews

In October, Dubai Worldwide Airport was ranked because the world's busiest, and Jebel Ali, Dubai's greatest delivery port, boasts the world's greatest artifical harbour, three terminals and a million sq. metres of container yard. Established in 1979, it is linked to greater than 150 ports throughout the globe at the moment, making it one of many prime 10 most essential ports for enterprise.

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Exports from Dubai can attain two-thirds of the world inhabitants in eight hours

Squat Wolf co-founders Wajdan Gul, CEO, and Anam Khalid, CPO, selected to begin their enterprise and set up headquarters in Dubai due to the emirate's dynamic location.

The 2 company professionals shared a ardour for health and trend. Their shared frustrations over not with the ability to discover high-quality fitness center apparel that regarded good led them to launch their very own enterprise. With the motto "Good issues come to those that sweat", Squat Wolf was born. With the logistical capabilities of Dubai, the model has unfold past the UAE so far as America and Australia.

"We're delivery into the GCC, to the UAE, Saudi, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain – these are our huge markets," says Wajdan Gul, "however 55% of our enterprise is now coming from outdoors of the GCC. The US is our greatest market outdoors of the GCC, then the UK, Europe, Canada and Australia."

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From garments and medication to processed meals, between 80% and 90% of the world's shopper items are carried by ship

Delivery freight charges surged throughout the pandemic. Worth hikes and container shortages stay a difficulty, however Squat Wolf has been capable of proceed delivery out and in of Dubai.

Squat Wolf's Dubai workplaceEuronews

"For some enterprise, it is unattainable to get [container] house proper now," says Wajdan. "If you wish to transfer your objects out of your manufacturing hub, you must pay 4 occasions or 5 occasions extra in some locations, however Dubai presents a novel location. It is on the centre of the world. There are much more connecting ships and connecting flights going out of and into Dubai, so we're at all times capable of get extra flights, and we're at all times capable of get extra ships to herald our merchandise."

Delivery is not the one problem confronted by start-ups. Discovering the proper workers aligned with the model imaginative and prescient who're ready to go the additional mile was additionally tough for the Squat Wolf founders.

"There are such a lot of challenges for a start-up. In a extra established [business], everybody has their job description. In a start-up, it isn't that clear since you're rising on the similar time," says Squat Wolf's Anam Khalid. "Now we have a saying in our workplace that we're making the airplane whereas flying it. It is not straightforward, and you actually need to make use of the correct of individuals."

Having secured the expertise to propel the model, Anam and Wajdan at the moment are targeted on future progress and worldwide advertising.

"We're going after our prime 10 markets and rising these markets," says Anam. "They're enormous, so we will undoubtedly develop them extra. We're going one after the other, typically specializing in influencer advertising in a single particular market, and different occasions utilizing digital promoting, attempting various things. That is how we experiment and continue to grow."