Dubai's Intelak Hub offers programme to support aviation and tourism start-ups

Dubai's Intelak Hub - a regional platform offering aviation, travel and tourism start-ups access to entrepreneurship programmes and mentorship - is acquiring new applications beginning with June 13.

Local, regional and international early-to-late stage start-ups can make an application for the 2021 programme, where they are able to opt to enter among three tracks: an incubator, an accelerator or the Intelak Idea Lab targeted at developing young Emirati talent, according to a Dubai Tourism statement on Sunday.

Intelak Hub has partnered with Dubai Tourism, Emirates Group, Accenture and Microsoft to mentor the programme participants.

"We welcome applications from all over the world and are excited at the chance of engineering new ideas and aspirations to spur new growth and innovation over the industry," Yousuf Lootah, executive director of tourism development and investments at Dubai Tourism, said.

Dubai - already a global aviation hub and home to long-haul giant Emirates - is wanting to spur innovation, spend money on technology, support start-ups and attract skilled talent.

The Intelak Hub is in its second year, after launching through the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. It aims to develop start-ups at all stages of growth.

Applicants can be considered for all programmes and start-ups need not be based in Dubai so as to apply, in line with the statement. All programmes could have a hybrid structure comprising in-person and digital components.

The UAE has among the world's most effective vaccination programmes and Dubai has been one of the primary cities to restart international tourism after it reopened its borders in July 2020.

Over the past five years Intelak Hub, previously known as Intelak Incubator and Futurism Accelerator, has worked with programme participants from a lot more than 20 countries. Since 2016, previous programme participants have been awarded Dh1.4 million in equity-free seed funding, in line with the statement.