TECOM Investments - China Office Facilitates MoU between Mohammed bin Rashid Est. and Shenzhen SME

Notes and media contacts

TECOMInvestments

TECOM Investments develops and manages businesses that support the growth of knowledge-based industries in Dubai. Presently, TECOM has interests in five industry clusters: information and communication technology (ICT), media, education, biotechnology, and energy. TECOM's first brand, Dubai Internet City, was established in October 2000, to support and develop a cluster for the ICT sector. Dubai Media City for the media cluster, and Knowledge Village for the education cluster, were set up in January, 2001 and October, 2003, respectively. The phenomenal success of the publishing and broadcasting segments of the media cluster at Dubai Media City led to the launch of more specialized projects: International Media Production Zone (IMPZ) and Dubai Studio City. To harness value from the burgeoning business process outsourcing sector, TECOM launched Dubai Outsource Zone (DOZ) in March 2004. Dubai's contribution to the life sciences area is the Dubai Biotechnology and Research Park (DuBiotech). These initiatives are part of Dubai's long-term vision of diversifying its economy from oil-based industries to knowledge-based ones. TECOM Investments offers significant incentives for locating businesses in TECOM's business parks. Foremost is a clustered environment where businesses in the same general industry category share the same work campus. This environment puts equipment vendors, for example, next door to systems integrators in Dubai Internet City for convenient coordination. This environment also encourages networking, such as between advertising agencies and creative freelancers in Dubai Media City or between generalist academia and specialized training companies in Knowledge Village. Businesses have a wide array of options, from long-term leases of land and putting up their own facilities to shorter-term leases of a fully-equipped desk or two for start-up operations. Through its internal departments, sister companies and subsidiaries, TECOM Investments further supports businesses with services such as telecommunications (including managed and secure hosting by eHosting DataFort), facilities management by Idama, district cooling by Empower, hospitality services ( e.g. booking of hotels, meeting rooms, car rentals, etc.), on-site and expedited issuance of business licenses, visas, etc. In addition, companies in TECOM Investments get free zone benefits of 100% ownership, no corporate and personal income taxes and customs duties, and no restrictions on repatriation of capital and dividends in whatever currency. Apart from spurring cluster development by creating purpose-built facilities and by working with the Dubai government to develop business-friendly policies, TECOM Investments also builds "pure play" businesses. TECOM provides managed hosting and security services through eHosting DataFort (EHDF). TECOM's Arab Media Group broadcasts radio programs through eight stations, publishes two daily newspapers, and has outdoor advertising and events management capabilities. In a joint venture with the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), TECOM Investments has also set up Empower, an energy efficiency company that currently provides district cooling services. TECOM Investments takes corporate social responsibility seriously by operating, with the support of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the IT Education Project (ITEP), an initiative that seeks to raise IT literacy in the UAE. Another TECOM concern is Tamkeen, a training centre for the visually impaired.

The Mohammed Bin Rashid Establishment for Young Business Leaders (SME):
The institution was launched on 12th June 2002 as the first initiative of the Dubai Development and Investment Authority. The vision of the SME is to nurture the domestic entrepreneurial spirit in Dubai and catalyze the development and growth of a key sector of the economy, the Small and Medium Business sector. SME's core mission is to encourage and facilitate the development of local businesses and entrepreneurial activity in Dubai. To this end, the SME offers various incentives and well co-coordinated programmes to the local business community. The services of the SME extend to both entrepreneurs with an existing business and budding entrepreneurs. Its core activities include facilitating access to Government procurement activities, facilitating access to capital, promoting entrepreneurship in Dubai and facilitating access to business services.

Shenzhen Promotion Association for Small & Medium Enterprises (SME Shenzhen):
The Shenzhen SME was created in May 1999 as a comprehensive public institution. It has about 2,000 members from IT, electronics, communication, medicines, chemicals, building materials, printing, garments, times pieces, foodstuffs, artwork and gifts industries. They have made significant contribution to the growth of small and medium enterprises in Shenzhen through their professional and comprehensive services in terms of policy consultancy, market exploration, funding, communication, business training, and management improvement support.

For further information, please contact:
Rami Adwan
Senior PR Executive
JIWIN,
The Public Relations arm of Dubai Press Club
Dubai Media City
Tel: +971 4 3613333
Fax: + 971 4 3888001