The Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development (KFED) said that 12 Emirati-led technology-driven projects reached the final round of the third edition of the Pitch@Palace UAE, besting other projects presented during the competition’s ‘On Tour’ events in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

The owners of the top projects will join a two-day boot camp to be held in the UAE capital from October 6 to 7.

The first ‘On Tour’ event was staged at New York University Abu Dhabi and featured a total of 44 entries, meanwhile, the second event held at the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT), Dubai Men's Campus, featured 34 entries. The qualifiers from both ‘On Tour’ events will join the competition’s boot camp. During the boot camp, they will undergo intensive training to learn how to best present their proposals for the final round, which will be attended by influential business personalities and leaders.

The final ceremony where four winners will be selected shall be held on October 9, in Abu Dhabi, which is now being dubbed as a destination of choice for innovative entrepreneurs. Winners will then have an opportunity to represent the UAE at the second Pitch@Palace GCC, which will be organized in Bahrain on November 27.

The four winners will also be given the chance to take part in Pitch@Palace Global, which is being sponsored and attended by Prince Andrew, Duke of York, in December this year in the UK.

Mouza Al Nasri, acting chief executive officer of KFED, said: “Year after year, we get impressed by the extraordinary young Emirati talents that we meet. We annually receive large high-tech and creative entries from Emirati entrepreneurs across the country.”

“These are no ordinary projects because all of them are designed to boost the country’s vital sectors. Our panel of judges is always having a hard time choosing the final winners. Over the past three years, we at KFED have been proud of what we have accomplished through the Pitch@Palace UAE competition. We will continue to work hard to instil the spirit of entrepreneurship in our young citizens and help them become successful business owners. Through the competition and other initiatives, we aim to significantly contribute to the gross domestic product (GDP) of Abu Dhabi and the UAE,” Al Nasri added.- TradeArabia News Service