[Left to right: Omar Khodr (Presenter), Hugh Hall (Chief Operating Officer), Sir Jim McDonald (Vice Chancellor), Nabil Alyousuf (Chairman-Al Jal Capital), Samir Thakran (Presenter), Catherine Demangeot (Sr. Lecturer), Ron Bradfield (Associate Dean)]
The University of Strathclyde in partnership with its Dubai Alumni Chapter successfully launched the first ever Dubai edition of Strathclyde 100 for entrepreneurs on March 16 at Crowne Plaza Hotel, Dubai. At the launch, three successful pitches were presented and it was announced that a Strathclyde Entrepreneurial Network (SEN) would be created and opened to all entrepreneurial champions in the region.
[Left to right: Omar Khodr (Presenter), Hugh Hall (Chief Operating Officer), Sir Jim McDonald (Vice Chancellor), Nabil Alyousuf (Chairman-Al Jal Capital), Samir Thakran (Presenter), Catherine Demangeot (Sr. Lecturer), Ron Bradfield (Associate Dean)]
The Strathclyde 100 Programme was launched by Professor Sir Jim McDonald, Vice Chancellor and Principal of the University of Strathclyde; and Nabil Alyousuf, prominent Emirati investor, and alumnus of Strathclyde Business School. The launch was also attended by H.E Dr. Rashid Ahmed Mohammed Bin Fahad, Minister of UAE Environment & Water, as well as Strathclyde alumni and leading entrepreneur champions in the region.
Professor Sir Jim McDonald said, "The Strathclyde 100 epitomises what the university is all about: enterprise, connecting research to commercial outcomes, giving our students opportunities to translate their learning into useful outcomes and engagement with the business and investment community. Since its launch in 2003, the Strathclyde 100 Programme has been instrumental in creating a number of spinout companies that have secured large scale investments and more importantly access to business advice from influential leaders who can connect them and drive forward their businesses quickly to get a leading market position."
Sir Jim wished for a similar outcome for Dubai and the region and in his concluding remarks said, "We have built a thriving entrepreneurial community in Glasgow and the greater region and I hope that the launch of the Strathclyde 100 Programme in Dubai will lead to the formation of a similar entrepreneurial community in the UAE."
Keynote speaker Nabil Alyousuf, who is also chairman of Al Jal Capital, said, "There is still a gap in the market for early start-up companies who are looking for smaller cash infusions from $100,000 to $5 million. We are actively interested in investing with such visionary entrepreneurs who are creating businesses for this specific region and looking to raise this capital. Such entrepreneurs must have operational superiority, not exaggerate their valuation and understand the subtle differences between the various markets in this region. On a very positive note, the current landscape is very promising with major success stories and programmes such as Strathclyde 100 are bound to boost the entrepreneurial community in the region."
Three new start-ups at Strathclyde 100 pitched for access to new markets, mentorships or further funding for their entrepreneurial ventures. Serial entrepreneur Samir Thakran - who completed the full-time MBA programme last year - shared his vision for a hotel and hospitality venture called AHCM in Africa. The second presentation was from Biogelx, a successful spinout from Strathclyde University and its SEN network. Professor Rein Ulijn and his business partner, Dr. David Lightbody at Biogelx sought commercial partners and second round funding for their patented inventions in cell culture and designer peptide gels; while the third presenter Omar Khodr built up a business case for investing in his oil and gas start-up in Iraq.
Event Chair Garth Mitchell announced that the launch of Strathclyde 100 for entrepreneurs would lead to the creation of a Strathclyde Entrepreneurial Network (SEN). "Our UAE Alumni Association will tap into the expertise and domain knowledge of SEN Glasgow to create our localised version of SEN which will include an annual start-up workshop, a SEN Linkedin Group for all entrepreneurs, the next Strathclyde 100 forum in Abu Dhabi and collaboration and mentorship with SEN Glasgow, among other entrepreneurial initiatives."
Strathclyde Business School has already taken a leading position on entrepreneurship with the introduction of a compulsory module on the Strathclyde MBA called Entrepreneurship Management and Leadership and the full-time appointment of an entrepreneurship academic in the UAE. The Strathclyde Entrepreneurial Network (SEN) has been in existence in Glasgow for many years and supports graduates with interests in entrepreneurship and new venture creation. SEN also spins outs commercial ventures from academics and researchers within the university, while also celebrating entrepreneurial achievement and success.