Under the theme “Connecting Minds and Creating the Future,” Dubai's Expo 2020 will showcase several technology initiatives that may have far-reaching implications for the future of global business in a digital-first world.

Expo 2020’s theme “Connecting Minds and Creating the Future” encapsulates the promising future of Dubai’s content creator industry. The UAE has developed influencer-friendly policies and tapped content creators to raise awareness of government initiatives and accelerate social and economic change.

Adviser Ama is a 30-year old investment professional based in Nairobi who advises entrepreneurs and investors on deal-making in Africa. In this episode, Adviser Ama and Entrepreneur Mugisha meet Investor Kevin, who requires that entrepreneurs join the Flat Earth Society to secure an investment. Read more and laugh below.

As Serbs and other Balkan nations, like Montenegro and Slovenia, participate in the upcoming Expo 2020, the UAE should consider deepening its ties in the Balkan region — both for economic opportunities and geopolitical gains. The Balkans, on their part, should fuel their economy by leveraging Expo 2020 to showcase their geostrategic value.

Since winning the Expo bid in 2013, the UAE government has doubled down on investments in areas like transportation, logistics, marketing, and tourism to make the Middle East’s first World Expo a success—and a sustainable one at that.

China may be the largest lender to emerging markets, but it is not the creditor that Africa should be most concerned about. The Covid-19 pandemic highlights the need for countries to rethink their relationships with commercial lenders, especially when it comes to seeking debt relief or renegotiating the terms of existing debt.

Meet Adviser Ama, an investment professional based in Nairobi who advises entrepreneurs and investors on deal-making in Africa. From deals gone awry to term sheet drama, you'll laugh at her accounts of the fundraising woes that African start-ups face each day. Each edition features fictionalized conversations between investors and entrepreneurs, all based on true stories.

The UAE is home to a large number of Small and Medium Consulting Firms (SMCFs), serving diverse clients in an array of industries and geographies. Yet, there is a conspicuous lack of information on their identities, activities, achievements, and obstacles. As a result of these information gaps and asymmetries, SMCFs typically operate in silos, including in situations where they would benefit from greater cooperation and collaboration.

For Gulf nations like Saudi Arabia and the UAE, hydrogen is both a threat and an opportunity. While hydrogen could cannibalize oil demand, it could also support national energy diversification strategies that have become a priority for all of the region’s governments.

As Middle East-based investors expand their African footprint, Middle Eastern and African countries should collaborate to create Sharia-compliant structures like Sukuk bonds to facilitate investments into the continent.

Digital needs, whether in identification, cell phone use, or internet access, are as critical to refugees’ safety and security as food, shelter, and water. The private sector can and should engage in these areas, as they are mutually beneficial.

The Emirati film industry is growing at a steady rate and currently represents 420 million euros to the local economy, but numbers only tell part of the story. By generating demand for culturally specific yet relatable stories, the UAE can paint its cultural portrait on the big screen while creating a viable and sustainable creative ecosystem.

Ramadan 2021 comes at a challenging time for the UAE economy. Reduced working hours coupled with an ongoing pandemic will likely result in very different economic trends compared to previous years, including 2020.

Working with a strategic investor provides a company with access to otherwise unavailable technology, resources, and know-how, all of which have an eventual impact on performance. But for all these benefits, there are several drawbacks associated with strategic investments that founders should carefully consider.

Transdisciplinarity is a complex, nuanced idea that has been tackled, discussed and utilized in myriad ways by an array of people over decades. But at its core, I believe it is fundamentally about learning how to curate, manage, and direct conversations with disparate people.

By investing in storytelling, governments can reshape public opinion about opportunities on the ground to advance policy objectives, attract foreign direct investment, and tell their own narrative on their terms.

Entrepreneurs may be better served by investing in profitability over press, by focusing their attention on strong strategy, sound operations, and building a loyal customer base.

The UAE is quickly emerging as the Gulf’s pharmaceutical leader by successfully attracting international companies and erecting dozens of world-class medical facilities.

Where African governments may be unwilling or unable to solve complex socio-economic challenges, philanthropy by Africa’s wealthy can bridge the gap.

While COVID-19 has accelerated digital adoption across the world, innovation in the UAE is growing at an unprecedented pace and builds on the government’s recent efforts to transform this desert oasis into fertile ground for tech entrepreneurship in the Gulf.