Canadian University Dubai has successfully concluded its groundbreaking Entrepreneur Mentorship Series, marking a significant milestone in bridging academic theory with practical entrepreneurial execution. This cross-campus initiative, designed to foster purpose-driven ventures with tangible real-world impact, aligns with the UAE’s national ambition to maintain its top global ranking as an entrepreneurship and innovation hub.
Under the leadership of President and Vice Chancellor Professor Karim Chelli, the program embodied CUD’s position as a downtown university integrated within Dubai’s innovation ecosystem. The series supported ongoing efforts by the UAE’s Ministry of Economy and Ministry of Investment to advance entrepreneurship through strategic national partnerships and innovation frameworks.
The comprehensive program featured four intensive sessions where students engaged with distinguished industry leaders. The inaugural session welcomed Mohamed Jassim Al Rais, Executive Director of Al Rais Group, and Rayan Chelli, former CSO of Zip Trust FZCO and McGill University PhD candidate, who shared invaluable perspectives on innovation and business success.
Subsequent sessions addressed critical entrepreneurial fundamentals: legal foundations for UAE startup establishment with experts from Dubai Economic Department and Habib Al Mulla & Partners; customer behavior and brand storytelling insights from Moaza Buti Alyouha, VP of Brand and Event Marketing Operations at Dubai Economic Department & Tourism, and Mahmoud Bartawi, founder of Under500; and financial strategy guidance from Amer Al Ahbabi, Group Chairman of Vertix Holdings, and business strategist Jad Jubaili.
The series culminated in two prestigious pitch competitions. At the Brand Me Summit, students presented their concepts before an elite jury including Dr. Mohammed Naji (MonaJi Group founder), Matthias Mende (Bonuz Market founder), Jeremy Schneider (musician and creative entrepreneur), and Ghazy Al Yaman (Brand Me Summit CEO). Team EVENTA secured the AED 3,000 CUD Prize for their outstanding concept and presentation.
A separate ENT 242 Final Pitch Competition saw shortlisted teams demonstrating innovative ideas developed through weeks of applied learning, with AR Robot claiming an additional AED 3,000 prize for their creative and feasible entrepreneurial solution.
Chancellor Buti Saeed Al Ghandi emphasized: “Dubai moves at the speed of the future, and so do we. Our downtown incubator prepares students to think boldly, act entrepreneurially, and lead with the same unstoppable energy that defines Dubai’s success.”
Professor Chelli highlighted the university’s role in cultivating founders: “By bringing industry directly into the classroom, we’ve helped students build the aptitude, mindset, and networks to transform ideas into ventures with real-world impact.”
Dr. Khulood Shebib Khansaheb, Assistant Professor and Incubator Manager, noted the program’s alignment with UAE’s vision to establish the Emirates as the region’s entrepreneurship capital, providing students direct engagement with founders and industry leaders throughout the entire startup journey.