The Next Founder

An initiative by Ministry of Education
In Partnership with DubaiNext

HEY, YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS! This is YOUR moment to SHINE!

Got a sustainable business idea that could be the next big thing?
Want to be part of the UAE's most important event in 2023, climate change conference Cop 28?
Need valuable support, guidance, and direction to kickstart your entrepreneurial journey?

This year, we’ve partnered with the Ministry of Education and again with the UAE’s first crowdfunding platform DubaiNext, to support the next generation of innovators and budding business builders through our exciting competition - The Next Founder and WE ARE CALLING ALL YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS!

Thank you for your interest in The Next Founder Competition.

Unfortunately, we have closed the applications for this year. However, you can still register to attend as a guest and enjoy Ru’ya 2023!

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Whether you go solo or team up with a power-packed trio, the choice is all yours! This is your opportunity to work with the Ministry of Education for unbeatable support, turning your vision into reality!

The best submissions will be invited to take part in our Start-Up bootcamp taking place during Ru’ya from 19-21 September 2023, where experts will guide you with your business plan and other areas of your startup.

At the end of each day, you’ll pitch your idea to a panel of experts, with the five best pitches winning startup funds and support in setting up a crowdfunding campaign on the DubaiNext platform.

THE PRIZE

We've got some awesome prizes for you!
1st place - AED 3,000
2nd place - AED 2,000
3rd place - AED 1,000

The winning campaigns will be featured on DubaiNext platform and if they successfully achieve 100% of the crowdfunding campaign they will receive the below prizes:

1st winner: AED 20,000
2nd winner: AED 15,000
3rd winner: AED 10,000

But hold up, that's not all! The top five winners will work closely with specialised mentors, creating their presentations for final pitching at Cop 28, which takes place in Dubai in November 2023!