UAE world's top hotspot for hundreds of startups, indicate studies

Agencies

March 27, 2019

Mar 27: Studies indicate that the UAE is the world's top hotspot for hundreds of startups followed by New Zealand, Singapore, Norway, Germany, Japan and Sweden.

It is observed that startups in the country are mainly involved in e-commerce, marketplaces, and infrastructure/software as a service, which account for 69 per cent of the total number of startups. About 52 percent of these startup companies are B2C ventures, in addition to the fact that 93 percent of them are headquartered in Dubai.

This was released ahead of this year's AIM Startup, an initiative of UAE Ministry of Economy's National Programme for Small and Medium Enterprises and Projects that aims to connect promising startups with investors and business partners from all around the world. AIM Startup will take place in Dubai on 8th-10th April in conjunction with Annual Investment Meeting (AIM).

"The UAE, which ranked 26th globally and third in the MENA region in the 2018 as per the Global Entrepreneurship Index, remains one of the most favoured destination for startup investments. Strong government support for innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship is a key driving force behind the growing startup eco-system in the country, backed by advanced infrastructure, business-friendly environment, political and economic stability, and cosmopolitan lifestyle," said Dawood Al Shezawi, Chairman of the Organising Committee of AIM Startup.

A recent report indicated that startups and companies in the Middle East bagged $610.3 million in total funding from external investors, with 93 percent of them securing more than $1 million each.

"Over the years, we have witnessed an overwhelming investment in Middle East startup companies, particularly the UAE as a result of the growing confidence of regional and global investors in their potentials and growth capacity. To sustain this momentum, we are holding AIM Startup to provide companies with a rare opportunity to raise capital, enter into new markets, and build new alliances with key investors and business leaders from the government and private sectors. It will be an ideal platform to generate new leads, interact with their like-minded peers, and connect with potential investors from around the world," added Shezawi.

At the upcoming AIM Startup, which will run under the theme 'Harnessing Global Digitisation to Empower Startups and SMEs', more than hundreds of Startups are joining the 2019 edition to engage with investors, government representatives, corporate executives, and industry experts. The international event will not only enable the participants to showcase their unique products and services, but it will also give them a chance to take part in a number of learning and networking events.

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Syrian Town erupts after Israeli forces enter Beit Jinn; heavy casualties reported

News Network

November 28,2025

Several Syrians were killed and more than two dozen others injured in Israeli strikes on the outskirts of Damascus, amid intensified incursions by the occupying regime since the fall of former president Bashar al-Assad and the rise of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) rule.

Syrian state TV reported that the casualties occurred during an overnight Israeli assault involving helicopters and drones on the town of Beit Jinn in the Damascus countryside. The attack followed an Israeli military unit’s entry into the town, where they were surrounded by local residents, leading to gunfire and direct confrontations.

According to the report, “The occupation army’s helicopters and artillery shelled Beit Jinn, located at the foothills of Mount Hermon, resulting in 13 martyrs and 25 injured civilians.” The broadcaster did not specify the full extent of damage.

Al-Ikhbariyah Syria confirmed that the shelling coincided with Israeli soldiers entering Beit Jinn, while artillery pounded surrounding areas. The broadcaster stated that the escalation began after local residents clashed with an Israeli patrol that had infiltrated the southern town and “kidnapped” three young men.

Following a two-hour exchange of heavy fire, Israeli forces withdrew and repositioned on the hill of Butt al-Warda at the town’s outskirts.

Israeli media acknowledged that six soldiers were wounded in the clashes—three of them seriously—describing the confrontation as a “sudden ambush” that forced the deployment of reserve units and air support to secure an exit route. No further details were provided.

The aggression has fueled renewed displacement from Beit Jinn, with residents fleeing to nearby villages amid increasingly frequent Israeli attacks.

The raid came just a day after Israeli troops carried out another ground incursion into Umm al-Luqas village in Quneitra province. According to SANA, an Israeli unit in four vehicles entered the village, raided several homes, and later withdrew.

Syria condemned the repeated incursions as violations of the 1974 Disengagement Agreement and UN resolutions, urging the international community to enforce compliance and pressure Israel to halt its operations and withdraw fully.

Israel has expanded its attacks across Syrian territory following the collapse of the Assad government last year. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly instructed his forces to push deeper into Syrian territory and seize strategic positions.

Meanwhile, critics say the HTS-led interim government’s inaction and growing normalization gestures toward Israel have emboldened Tel Aviv to intensify its military operations. HTS, formerly linked to al-Qaeda, seized control of Damascus last December, formally ending Assad’s rule.

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