Mohammed bin Rashid Establishment for Young Business Leaders (MBRE), reported a 25 per cent increase in membership applications in 2008.

'Last year, about 1575 applications were submitted to receive the establishment's various services, a 25 per cent increase compared with 2007,' said Abdul Baset Al Janahi, chief of MBRE.

'70 per cent of these applications came from Dubai, 12 per cent from Sharjah, 9 per cent from Abu Dhabi, 3 per cent from Ajman, 2 per cent from Fujairah, 3 per cent from Ras Al Khaima, and 1 per cent from Umm Al Qaiwain.'

'These members are engaged in different economic activities, as 83 per cent of businesses are in service sector, 6 per cent in industry, 6 per cent in tourism and 5 per cent in professional activities.'

'By the end of 2008, the number of small and medium enterprises joining the establishment reached 790,' he explained.

'The volume of MBRE’s members' contracts with governmental departments in 2008 is estimated at more than Dh650 million,' he added.

Al Janahi pointed out the 13 training courses launched by the establishment in 2008 to help business leaders in the decision making process. He said that the most sought after courses for entrepreneurs were 'Identifying Business Opportunities' and 'Creating Ideas and Setting up Business Plans'.

Meanwhile, owners of small and medium businesses showed interest in courses like 'Understanding Basic of Financing and Accounting' and 'Marketing Principles for Small and Medium Enterprises'.

Al Janahi noted that MBRE will soon launch the Entrepreneur Business Village, the biggest project to support small and medium enterprises and to consolidate the concept of entrepreneurship.

The project, the first of its kind in the region, will provide a platform for young Entrepreneurs to express and exchange their thoughts and ideas and will be built on an area of one million square feet in a key location in Downtown Dubai.-TradeArabia News Service