4 entrepreneurs to represent Dubai at Paris conference
ChangeNOW is largest international gathering of brightest minds that hope to change the world
The world’s brightest entrepreneurial minds, including those from the UAE, are convening in Paris this weekend to present viable solutions to global problems.
Four entrepreneurs with businesses that were initiated in Dubai will represent the emirate at the second ChangeNOW conference happening in Paris on Friday and Saturday.
Emirati Ashwaq Al Hashmi from Omniyat Prosthetic Arts Centre, Italian expatriate Assia Riccio from Evolving Women, Indian expatriate Ehteshamuddin Abdul Hameed of Junkbot, and Mohammad Elayyan from Jordan of Beta IT will showcase their innovative solutions which are apt for this year’s theme ‘Business For Good’.
The theme focuses on businesses that are operating not only for profit but also supporting good causes.
Organised by INSEAD, ChangeNOW pools together concrete actions and innovations that address global problems such as climate change, plastic pollution, the refugee crisis, among others.
The four entrepreneurs are attending the conference supported by the Dubai Government as part of the ‘Proudly From Dubai’ initiative. ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
Ashwaq Al Hashmi from Omniyat Prosthetic Arts Centre:
The project is the brainchild of Brand Dubai, which aims to give Dubai-based entrepreneurs a platform to showcase their businesses and connect them with the right investors and the public.
Nehal Badri, director of Brand Dubai and project manager of Proudly From Dubai, said: “Proudly From Dubai specifically tells a story of entrepreneurship, She but not just entrepreneurship. It specifically targets businesses that were born and initiated in Dubai. It has no gender, no age, no nationality. But so long as you have something special, innovative and creative to offer, and it was born in Dubai, then you fit our ‘Proudly From Dubai’ umbrella.”
All the entrepreneurs have “amazing stories” to tell, Badri said. “Ashwaq is not a doctor. She specifically said ‘I’m a medical sculptor’. That’s a very interesting field to be in. What she does is she provides prosthetic parts for people who need it at reasonable prices, sometimes for free. One of the examples was when she helped a burns victim from Pakistan who had half the face burnt in an acid attack,” she said.
Badri said she is hopeful that the entrepreneurs’ efforts will pay off and that they will be able to pitch their businesses and get connected with international investors.