Staff Reporter
KARACHI: From urban kiosks and rural farmers to fashion stores, service providers and entrepreneurs in countless other sectors, the small business segment in the United Arab Emirates has faced unprecedented changes in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, further fueled by the rapid acceleration of digital transformation and e-commerce. To support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in navigating this journey, Mastercard Academy has launched ‘The Entrepreneur’s Odyssey’ – a first-of-its kind digital education platform that brings together a range of world-class academic and business resources to help small businesses learn and thrive.
Last year, soon after the world went into a lockdown, Mastercard announced a $250 million commitment over five years to support SMEs with digital tools and training during the pandemic. Now with the launch of ‘The Entrepreneur’s Odyssey’, Mastercard will further empower small businesses with data insights and knowledge to more efficiently and securely run their enterprises.
“Small businesses are the backbone of local communities and an engine for the global economy. Because of this, it’s never been more important to ensure that entrepreneurs and small business owners have access to educational resources, insights, tools and solutions to recover from the impacts of the pandemic and truly thrive. The Entrepreneur’s Odyssey is the latest in our Mastercard efforts to deliver on the needs of these critical businesses so they can design, launch, manage and grow their ventures,” said Michael Froman, Vice Chairman and President, Strategic Growth for Mastercard.
“Every small business owner and startup entrepreneur, particularly those with growth ambitions, should join The Entrepreneur’s Odyssey by Mastercard, a highly compelling online educational program. Particularly now that digital presence and operations are even more essential than in the past, The Entrepreneur’s Odyssey will help startup and SME owners upgrade their practices to use new tools to address rapidly changing customer expectations. The Entrepreneur’s Odyssey provides highly relevant entrepreneurship and management principles, and practical tools that anyone can apply to their businesses successfully,” said Professor Daniel Isenberg, CEO of Entrepreneurship Policy Advisors and former professor, Harvard Business School.