I was honored to participate as a mentor and master of ceremonies at the first Startup Weekend Dubai. I met many entrepreneurs there, all of them with energy, enthusiasm and an idea for starting a business. Most of the ideas were innovative, or could be with a little work.

My experience in the technology sector has shown that innovation is a driving factor for many tech-based startups. In other areas that attract SMEs – service industries, handmade goods, small scale manufacturing, etc. – innovation is usually less common.

Why don’t SMEs and entrepreneurs naturally adopt an innovative mindset? For one, innovation is often associated with expensive and large-scale projects (especially in the Middle East). It’s also thought of as R&D (Research and Development), which many small businesses don’t have the resources to undertake. Then there’s also the fact that many entrepreneurs simply want to be their own boss – they latch onto the first idea that intrigues them, or they do what they know or simply enter the family business.

As an entrepreneur myself, and an innovation strategist and practitioner, I have seen how innovative thinking can make a big difference in any size business, in any industry. There are many ways that innovation can help SMEs, startups and entrepreneurs – here are just a few: [Read more...]