Khalifa Fund launches Ibtikari initiative to design smart phones applications in tourism services

This initiative from Ibtikari Program which was attended by more than 200 Emiratis and will continue for more than a month was specialized for the smart applications which can be used in the tourism sectors and the possibility to transform it to small national companies.

"Khalifa Fund is working on implanting the values of entrepreneurship, innovation and creativity for different society segments, and encouraging them to adopt the concepts and to transform them to permanent behavior which they can use when establishing their own businesses," said H. E. Abdullah Saeed Al Darmaki the Chief Executive Officer of Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development.

"During the past few years the Fund was able to achieve important accomplishments in the field of spreading the spirit of entrepreneurship and to encourage the different society segments for innovation and creativity and that were through several programs that were launched and sponsored by Khalifa Fund since its establishment in year 2007. I grantee you that the Fund will continue its efforts to support innovation and to support all functions and activities targeting the Emiratis youths," added Al Darmaki.

"The Fund is very interested in contributing in empowering the Emiratis and motivate their abilities and discover their talents in order to enhance the development process taking place in the country," and he said, "We invest in the human capital which his consider one of the most important investments methods and the most critical to build a bright future," and he encourage the youths to consider establishing a qualified valuable projects which will be an added value to the national economy," added Al Darmaki.

The information technology sector is one of the promising investment sectors despite the hard competition with the foreign big companies. Khalifa Fund is trying to facilitate all the requirements needed to allow success for any technical projects which goes in line with the requirements and funding conditions for Khalifa Fund, and he wishes success to all participants.

"This initiative targets to discover the Emiratis entrepreneurs in the information technology and smart phones applications sector. The first day will contain an intensive training for the participants in the creative thinking and thoughts organizations which will be classified and the groups will be formed which will be work on improving them and implement them," said Fatema Mohamed Al Muhairi, the head of Ibtikari initiative, the Manager in Entrepreneurship Development Department within Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development.

"A panel of experts from Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development and other specialized entities including Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority and Abu Dhabi Technology Development Committee and some other, will evaluate the ideas and choice 20 ideas which will get the chance to be developed and making visibility studies for, and to enter the final competition which will announce the results in a month," added Al Muhairi.

"The winners of the first phase will benefit from the training workshops in different sectors, till they reach the point of making the visibility study based on the requirements of the tourism sector. At the end of the program 10 projects will be selected to be qualified to take advantage of Khalifa Fund's technical and financial support," explained Al Muhairi.

Khalifa Fund addressed the Emiratis employees in more than 43 governmental and semi-governmental entities as well as the students of four national universities to participate in this initiative which received an overwhelmed respond as the number of registered Emiratis is more than 200.