More than 15,000 participants representing over 100 countries, including a delegation from the UAE, will be participating at Slush 2016, an event dedicated to innovation, technology and entrepreneurship, to be held in Helsinki, Finland.

The event will open tomorrow (November 30) and conclude on December 1, and will also include 2,000 practising and budding entrepreneurs and 800 investors from various funding institutions.

The delegation from the UAE will be led by Abdullah Al Saleh, the Ministry of Economy’s undersecretary for Foreign Trade and Industry, and will also include several senior federal and local officials, entrepreneurs, owners of small- and medium-sized enterprises, and innovators.

The ministry's participation in the event forms part of its efforts to support entrepreneurs and innovators as well as provide opportunities for promoting trade and investment partnerships between the businessmen and investors of the UAE and Finland.

Additionally, included in the group’s agenda are the holding of the UAE-Finland Business Forum and several bilateral meetings with senior officials of the Finnish Government.

Al Saleh said that the UAE is eager to learn about outstanding international expertise in the areas of innovation and new technologies. He noted that the Republic of Finland is a prominent leader in these areas and is noted for the global prominence of the event which gathers experts and decision makers from around the world involved in innovation and entrepreneurship with specialisations in advanced industrial technology and international scientific research.

The undersecretary noted that although foreign trade between the UAE and Finland has been developing remarkably, the current level is still below the capabilities and potentials of the two parties.

He noted that their non-oil trade stood at $440 million in 2015 and amounted to $322 billion during the first half of the current year alone, reflecting sound growth which is expected to continue as both countries work on strengthening cooperation, specifically in innovation and research.

For his part, Mohammed Nasser Al Zaabi, director of the Ministry’s Trade Promotion and Investment Department, said that his organisation’s desire to join the event with an economic and trade delegation comprising many entrepreneurs is part of its objective of providing opportunities for gaining access to the best global and international practices in innovation as well as showcasing investment opportunities available in the UAE.

Mohammed Al Yousfi, national programme director for SMEs, said: “The UAE delegation's visit to Finland will enrich national expertise in the areas of innovation, entrepreneurship and small and medium enterprises through exposure to knowledge and new technologies that can be incorporated into broader efforts by the Ministry of Economy to support and promote these areas and develop priority sectors within the national economy.”

The delegates visiting the event include Dr Abdulrahman Mohammed Ali Al Shayeb Al Naqbi, director general of the Ras Al Khaimah Department of Economic Development; Mohammed Nasser Al Zaabi; Mohammed Al Yousfi; representatives from the Ajman Free Zone, Mubadala Development Company, Mubadala Renewable Energy Solutions, and Total Marine Services; and several entrepreneurs representing various economic activities, service sectors and businesses, it stated. – TradeArabia News service