Hub71 signs new academic partnerships to upskill talent in Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi’s tech ecosystem, Hub71, has forged two new partnerships with The United Arab Emirates University’s Science and Innovation Park (UAEU SIP) and INSEAD Middle East to upskill talent in Abu Dhabi and attract new science and technological capabilities to its growing tech community. Through the new academic partnerships, each institution will benefit from the tech ecosystem’s network of partners and expert mentors to support students and alumni in addition to their startups receiving priority access to the Hub71 Incentive Program.
Hanan Harhara Al Yafei, CEO of Hub71, said, “Our partnerships with academic institutions will provide students and entrepreneurs with the tools to develop their digital skills, technological acumen and experiences, so that we foster the next generation of entrepreneurs who will grow to sustain innovation in Abu Dhabi, ensuring we nurture the right skills and develop the talented people needed to cement the longevity of Abu Dhabi’s global tech ecosystem.”
The mutually beneficial partnerships also include innovation workshops, joint programs, events, hackathons and access to Hub71’s vibrant WeWork x Hub71 co-working space. Graduate recruitment and internship opportunities at Hub71 startups will also be facilitated, stimulating job creation and deepening Abu Dhabi’s talent pool.
This upskilling of local talent and attracting top talent from around the world to keep pace with its digital transformation addresses some of the concerns voiced in a 2020 survey by PwC of CEOs in the Middle East. 70 percent of the CEOs surveyed said the availability of key digital skills is a business threat and its GCC Hopes and Fears survey found that only 23 percent of employees are learning new skills through their employer to better understand or use technology.
To provide easier access to a global pool of tech talent, Hub71 has partnered with Yougig to introduce a simple-to-use online marketplace exclusively for its startup community to access more than 1 million high quality tech developers worldwide at exclusive rates. Through software developer companies in Europe, North America, Middle East and Asia, Hub71 startups can now secure a diverse range of remote and on-site developers and on demand, pay-by-the-hour services to enhance their teams.
“As we continue to play a key role in transforming Abu Dhabi’s economy and bolstering innovation in various sectors, we realize that startups will be far better off with easier and reliable access to qualified tech talent, especially when sustaining their growing businesses,” added Al Yafei.
