Dubai Design District (d3) To Aid Lebanese Design Businesses After The Beirut Blast The initiative will enable startups, entrepreneurs, boutique studios, and large-scale companies to restart their services and scale up locally and regionally.
By Entrepreneur Middle East Staff Edited by Aby Sam Thomas
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Dubai Design District (d3), a multi-purpose arena for creative thinkers and innovators, has extended its support to aid Lebanese design businesses after the fatal Beirut blasts of August 4, 2020. The initiative will enable startups, entrepreneurs, boutique studios, and large-scale companies to restart their services and scale up locally and regionally.
The three-year program, which is part of d3's Design for Good initiative to promote social change, will also entail the provision of co-working spaces that will enable the affected Lebanese startups and SMEs to maintain a presence in their home country while also expanding into the MENA region. Networking opportunities with major international brands, such as Dior, Burberry, and Zaha Hadid Architects, is yet another form of support that will be lent by d3.
Khadija Al Bastaki, Executive Director, Dubai Design Destrict (d3). Source: Dubai Design Destrict
In addition, Lebanese startups will also receive an option to join in5 Design, a d3-based business incubator with access to mentorship, investment opportunities, and state-of-the-art infrastructure."We were shocked and saddened by August's devastating explosion in Beirut and immediately started working with our partners on a program to support those affected," said Khadija Al Bastaki, Executive Director of d3. "The UAE has already dispatched humanitarian aid to help people impacted by the blast, as well as support the economy and limit the spread of coronavirus. Our initiative is in line with the vision of our leaders to provide assistance to those in need. We hope this program will let Lebanese designers enjoy the benefits of our community, so they can quickly get back on their feet and get moving again."
Lebanese design startups and SMEs have been encouraged to contact the d3 team to discuss eligibility and program requirements on Lebanon@dubaidesigndistrict.com.
