EGA Launches Third Season of ‘Ramp Up’ for UAE Entrepreneurs

Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) has launched the third season of its entrepreneurship development programme, ‘Ramp Up’, designed to empower young business leaders in the UAE. This year’s edition is being held in partnership with social enterprise C3 and Microsoft UAE, with support from the Ministry of Economy.

The ‘Ramp Up’ initiative focuses on providing aspiring entrepreneurs with access to expert-led workshops, one-on-one mentorship, and networking opportunities. In line with the UAE’s broader vision for economic diversification and innovation, this year’s programme emphasises sustainable business models and tech-enabled strategies.

Participants will benefit from training that helps them develop scalable solutions with social and environmental impact. Microsoft UAE’s involvement will focus on capacity-building in digital tools, while C3 will deliver sessions on sustainable growth, impact measurement, and investment readiness.

Since its inception, ‘Ramp Up’ has drawn hundreds of young entrepreneurs, with over 1,000 jobs created by participating start-ups. More than 35% of past participants have been female entrepreneurs, reflecting the programme’s inclusive approach. Notably, several former finalists have been featured in the Ministry of Economy’s Future 100 list of promising companies.

EGA continues to support previous participants through ongoing partnerships. One standout example is Nadeera, a start-up from the first season that now collaborates with EGA on recycling initiatives near the company’s Jebel Ali facility.