With a value of 3.7 million dirhams for those granted grants within the «Expo Live»
"Expo Dubai" launches an urgent relief fund for those affected by "Covid-19"
Expo Live provides funding and support to startups from around the world. Archives
Expo 2020 Dubai launched an urgent relief fund worth 3.7 million dirhams for grantees within the Expo Live program who face financial difficulties as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The program provided urgent assistance ranging between 184 thousand and 367 thousand dirhams to 15 global innovators from 13 countries.
Creative solutions
"In line with the impressive model presented by the UAE, Expo 2020 Dubai is committed to bringing the world together and enabling creative solutions that will create a better future for all," said Yousef Kaires, Senior Vice President of the Expo Live Program at Expo 2020 Dubai.
Kiers added that despite the unprecedented challenge posed by the "Covid-19" pandemic, nations and peoples have shown a tremendous amount of creativity, cooperation and support, to instill a spirit of optimism and a desire to make a difference.
He pointed out that "Expo Live" is proud to encourage such ambitions, through the Urgent Relief Fund, to support companies that are already contributing to leaving a positive imprint on their societies, and to help them continue to focus on achieving their important goals.
Support
Kiers said that since Expo Live was founded, the program has provided funding and support for emerging businesses from around the world, with the aim of improving the lives of local communities and protecting the world.
He explained that the list of innovators benefiting from the Urgent Relief Fund includes “Atollo SE”, an educational technology institution based in Canada, which develops speaking posters designed to teach children to read and write at an early age, pointing out that in light of the “Covid-19” pandemic, it contributed “ Atollu aims to raise awareness about the health and safety of the virus by producing recordings in multiple languages, and publishing them using a smart phone application and speaking label technology.
«Invest Ed»
Kiers added that one of the beneficiaries of the Urgent Relief Fund is also the Filipino Invest Ed, a startup in the field of financial technology, which provides loans and financial training to low-income students, allowing them to complete their university education.
And he indicated that about half of the students borrowed from "Invested" are unemployed due to "Covid-19", indicating that the company has intensified its training services to help them find new job opportunities.
"Since the beginning of the pandemic, thanks to additional relief funding from (Expo Live), the Invested team has created new financial products to enable students to complete their education remotely," Caires said.
"Now Mane"
The list of innovators benefiting from the Urgent Relief Fund includes the "Now Money" project from the United Arab Emirates, which aims to support employees and develop business operations. The project introduces the first financial technology in the Gulf region, using banking technology, via mobile phone, to provide accounts, financial inclusion, and a range of low-cost transfer options for low-income workers. Now Money aims to enable everyone to obtain financial services at a minimal cost.