Dubai-based TURN8 seed accelerator has commenced the Scouting Phase of its fourth round, searching forearly stage technology business ideas at a number of events around the world and via an online portal.
Founded in 2013 by DP World, TURN8 continues its mission to enhance entrepreneurship and innovation in the region by offering mentorship, training and seed funding to exceptional business start-ups, which it fosters from idea to market as part of a four-month accelerator program in Dubai.
The TURN8 program seeks innovative businesses or technology ideas in a variety of areas, including Web or mobile applications, e-commerce portals, Arabic content advancements, education and e-learning enhancements, sustainable living technologies, crowdsourced services, social networking innovations and healthcare technologies.
Entrepreneurs are encouraged to apply for the program via the online portal. In addition, idea pitching events will be held in select cities including Dubai and Abu Dhabi, as well as Beirut, Lebanon; Barcelona, Spain; and Nis, Serbia. Winning startups will be invited to Round 4 of TURN8, beginning 1 February, 2015.
Mohamed Elwazer, CEO and Founder of KinTrans and a TURN8 graduate said: "Building your start-up is a very tough process. Entrepreneurs need people around them to offer advice and support, people who you feel really believe in you. I found that with TURN8, and that is what has made KinTrans so successful up to now."
However, now that villas of all different specification have been completed and come online, Hydra Villas has performed very strongly in the residential rental market.
These types of villa compounds are very popular in the Middle East with ex-pats. Reputable UAE agents Pink Property report that Hydra Village is one of the most common searches on their website.
When it comes to transitioning from fulltime agency work to
freelancing, the biggest, and single most important, shift you’ll need to make
is inside your head. The fear and discomfort around not knowing where the next
cheque is coming from – and when – is natural and a hurdle that needs jumping,
but one that will set you free.
Chances are that if you’re thinking seriously about making
the work and lifestyle jump into the world of freelancing that you’ve already
got the necessary experience and skill set to make it work out. I often get
emails from would-be copywriters seeking advice on how to make it happen. It’s
really a confidence issue where people are looking for assurance. More on this
later.
I’ve been thinking about all this recently because I’m about
to start learning Final Cut Pro, Apple's video editing tool. It’s
something that’s been simmering away for a while on my back burner of ‘things to
do’.
The reason this is now moving from idea to action is down to
the content creation and social media work I’m doing for a client, Arabian Gateway. Social media loves video - nothing groundbreaking there - and any
well-rounded digital campaign needs video. Previously, when video content came
up in discussions with clients, I’d simply recommend people I know who can make
this deliver this part of the puzzle. Which got me thinking, sending work (and
cash) to someone else is an opportunity missed. Of course life - and
freelancing - is all about opportunities.
The wider my range of skills and services, the more
interesting I become to a potential client; the more value I can add to
answering the brief, and the bigger my invoice. Everyone is happy, and it all
serves to deflate nagging freelancer doubts about when and where the next job
is coming from.
You’ve already got your core set of skills. In my case,
content and copywriting. But what I’m driving at here is to keep learning the skills and tools that your
client is going to need, and ultimately you will expand your earning
capacity.
Understand the art of SEO, because that’s always going to be
critical to your clients’ needs. Elevate yourself beyond digital copywriting to
digital consultancy by putting in the time to learn successful website strategy
and the nuances and language intrinsic to front end design and back end
development so that you are able to competently lead and launch a web project.
Really truly read as much insight as you can in the field of social media, so
you can become an expert that executes beyond meaningless jargon and catch phrases.
So, it’s time for me to learn Final Cut Pro. I don’t imagine
I’ll be making award winning productions at Cannes Lions - there’s far better
qualified people than me who have dedicated their careers to this sort of
thing. But I know that, in time, I’ll be able to film, cut and edit interviews
and produce slick little montages and cool kinetic typography packages. And
that’s worth something to potential clients and my sense of financial security,
which help me maintain belief that work is coming, and my choice to be a
freelancer is the right one.
When it rains, well, it rains. Along with a rare belting
down of precipitation here in the Dubai desert came a mini flood of interesting
projects into my inbox.
The Dinner Merchants are a couple of Kiwi girls starting a
delivery dinner kit service in Auckland. I love working with entrepreneurs
about to push the button on the idea
that’s been keeping them awake during the wee hours. I’ve been developing their
brand language, an all-important tagline and writing copy for their new website
and print collateral. Throw in some digital consultancy, and it’s a full,
multi-dimensional project.
Arabian Gateway is also keeping me busy. It’s a seriously
ambitious business event scheduled for Dubai in 2014, with five satellite
events in London, New York, Johannesburg, Sao Paulo and Sydney. I’m driving
their social media management, primarily on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. The
LinkedIn element is a new one for me, and I’m beginning to understand the true
power (and share value) of this platform. I’m also writing business content for
their blog, including market analysis and commentary across many sectors,
including aviation, healthcare, food services, financial services,
construction, IT and others. I’ve enjoyed the editorial work, which is very
different from playing around with marketing / advertising copy.
Then there’s Pink Property, in Abu Dhabi. They needed to
grow their website to include a property listing and search functionality on
the existing site (a project I led and launched several years ago). I’m working
with my freelance designer and developer to make this happen. As well as the
functional changes, we’re creating a handful of new pages and the new website
is being built to work harmoniously across PCs, tablets and smart phones.
Critical to any real estate client is SEO, so there’s some new key search terms
Pink Property need me to deliver to 1st page Google – something I’ve
achieved for them in the past.
First Choice Properties, a real estate company also based in
Abu Dhabi, have tapped me up for some SEO work. This has involved optimizing
their SEO, on-site and off-site, front end and back end. With changes made,
we’re already seeing a positive shift in rankings. We’re yet to crack 1st
page Google, but are sitting pretty on the first pages of Yahoo! and Bing.
First Choice is focused on some quite competitive search terms so it’ll take a
little time. The obsessive in me really gets off on SEO, putting in place a
solid foundation for sustainable SEO and watching search results climb up the
rankings.
Anyway, after two days of unsettled climactic weather in
Dubai, the sun is back out. If you’re reading this and needing some
copywriting, editorial, SEO, social media campaign work or web consultancy, do
get in touch to talk about your project.
Al Reef Villas in Abu Dhabi is one of the most popular residential developments for ex pats living in the UAE capital city.
There are a wide selection of villas available for rent and sale. First Choice Properties, based in Abu Dhabi, has a strong portfolio of properties open for viewings.
There are four architectural styles of villas - Arabian, Desert, Contemporary and Mediterranean. Many come with swimming pools and landscaped gardens.
