The Zara-TCN combine is also creating a network of wellness communities across the Gulf country, launching a mega awareness programme for its micro-algae-based foods products
A little known campus startup from India wants to massively boost the socio economic productivity system in the UAE and is currently working on an ambitious project for it.
The project, launched by Zara Biotech, and its Dubai-based partner TCN International Commerce, is aimed at helping to create skill-based communities which can convert challenges into business opportunities.
The Zara-TCN combine’s plans also include setting up their business facilitation centres (BFCs) and sustainability engagement platforms (SEPs) across the Gulf country to facilitate creation of an innovative startup ecosystem and a smart economy in the country.
“Zara Biotech will have an integral part in adding value for this master project which will play a pivotal role in bringing the young generation [in the UAE] towards the entrepreneurial journey,” Najeeb Bin Haneef, founder of the startup, told Arabian Business.
Zara Biotech, the Kerala-based startup, forayed into the UAE last year by setting up an equal partnership company – Zaara Biotech International – in Dubai with TCN International Commerce for manufacturing and marketing of the startups micro-algae-based food products.
Zara also finalised a $10 million funding deal with TCN, to be used for Zaara’s proposed research and development projects in bio and nanotechnology areas with some of the leading universities in the UAE.
“The main areas we are working on right now is to enable open reach for business technology for sustainable development, creating cognitive connected communities for a circular economy, e-commerce, research and scientific development,” Bin Haneef said.
Bin Haneef said the thrust of Zara-TCN partnership project would be integration of different disciplines by bringing quantum process and technical know-how planning productivity process (TKP-TechKnowProcess) to enable creating a skill based community which could creatively deal with problems and convert them into business opportunities, which would eventually boost the economy of the country.
Bin Haneef said the Zara-TCN partnership also plans to launch its BFCs to help regional authorities and organisations in UAE add more value to their development efforts, engagement and effectivity in various domains.
The BFCs are also aimed at empowering and enhancing innovative solutions to facilitate a startup ecosystem, he said.
Ajman is understood to be one of the emirates the combine is planning to forge a partnership for its BFC in the initial stage.
Though Bin Haneef declined to confirm any talks with the emirate’s authorities, he pointed out that Ajman is often underestimated by most of the people.
“The introduction of BFC and other various initiatives with the collaboration of entities like ours could bring dramatic changes in the emirate,” Bin Haneef said.
Bin Haneef said their sustainability engagement platforms would be for forming cognitive communities, to create a smart economy in the country.
Bin Haneef also revealed that his venture is looking to collaborate with various universities in the region to coach and consult the young generation to turn their innovative ideas into successful business opportunities with scalable capacity.
The Zara-TCN combine is also working on creating a network of wellness communities across the Gulf country through launching a mega awareness programme for its micro-algae-based new age lifestyle food products.
Bin Haneef said they were planning to launch the first wellness community in UAE by the end of this year, which will target both expats and nationals to bring awareness in the health wellness domain.
Zara, which has finalised a strategic-cum-funding deal with a US-based investor last week to enter that market, pinned its hopes on its UAE operations in a big way to grow its businesses to other parts of the world, according to Bin Haneef.
“Considering UAE as the hub of international trade and commerce, we plan to leverage the potential to spread our reach to various other international markets,” he said.
Bin Haneef said the major potential growth regions for them would be GCC, Africa, CIS countries, ASEAN, India and UK.
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