Student Team Successful at 12th Edition of National Company Program Competition
Khalifa University of Science and Technology has announced that a five-member team of Chemical Engineering graduates has won the ‘Company of The Year Award 2021 – University track’ for its subscription box company Ulbati, under INJAZ UAE’s flagship Company Program.
The award was part of the 12th edition of the ‘National Company Program Competition’, which encourages students to use their entrepreneurial spirit to create their own start-up company. Nearly 200 students from five schools and four universities across the UAE participated virtually to compete for awards in various categories.
The Khalifa University team – Reem Almaskari, Fatema Alzaabi, Beshara Saad, Maha Al Seiari and Mariam Ahmed – won the award for Ulbati, the concept for a subscription box company. Created for kids, it is filled with activities themed around Emirati culture and achievements, as well as Islamic values. For every Ulbati box a child receives, 10% of the revenue is donated to Emirates Red Crescent to support students around the world.
Dr. Ahmed Al Shoaibi, Senior Vice-President, Academic and Student Services, Khalifa University, said: “The winning award for Khalifa University under INJAZ UAE’s flagship Company Program strongly illustrates that our students not only excel in research and scientific exploration, but also in entrepreneurial initiatives that aim to help the community through charity organizations. The Ulbati concept indicates the extent of our students’ commitment to sharing and giving back to the community, which is in line with the university’s mandate to build a diverse community of service-oriented, ambitious and talented individuals, through an environment that encourages and nurtures creative inquiry, critical thinking, and human values. We are delighted with the creative and commercial spirit of our students and we believe this award will encourage more students to explore entrepreneurship as an avenue to translate their knowledge into business ventures, offering valuable products and services.”
Reem Almaskari, CEO, Ulbati, said: “Ulbati promises to curate a fun, monthly-subscription box with enriching and entertaining lessons, across a variety of themes that would foster the love of learning among children. Moreover, we care deeply about moving forward sustainably and that is why we plan to implement it with different aspects such as culture, economics, and the environment.”
Almaskari added: “The idea of Ulbati came to us with the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout the lockdown, we noticed our younger siblings being exposed to excessive screen-time, rather than on other value-added activities that can improve their knowledge and skills. So, we decided to curate this box filled with unique experiences around various themes and activities that will help children utilize their time in a fun and enjoyable manner, while equipping them with knowledge and let them experience an exciting and memorable childhood.”
The team is looking forward to competing alongside other winners from the MENA region in the next stage.
Razan Bashiti, Chief Executive Officer of INJAZ UAE, of INJAZ UAE, said: “Every year, we are in awe with our participants’ potential and capabilities. We are happy to offer them a platform to fully express their creative abilities and bring their ideas to life. The role of Khalifa University of Science and Technology in harnessing the talents of these students and securing opportunities for them is in line with our core values at INJAZ. We are delighted to see community values as a fundamental pillar in the students’ project. Alongside their entrepreneurship aspirations and creativity, we are proud of their commitment to giving back to their community. We look forward to seeing the youth becoming the future leaders and entrepreneurs of tomorrow and are pleased to pave the way for them through the National Company Program Competition.”
Designed to enrich the learning experience of participating students, INJAZ UAE’s National Company Program provides a venue for students to bring their creative ideas to life by learning practical steps to start up their own entrepreneurial companies.
The 2021 competition was hosted by INJAZ UAE, a member of Junior Achievement (JA) Worldwide and INJAZ Al-Arab, the world’s largest non-profit business education organization, with key collaborative partners such as Citi, Dubai Chamber, Accenture and ExxonMobil.
Clarence Michael
English Editor Specialist
18 August 2021
