DUBAI: A new series of short films produced by BBC Storyworks, titled Voices of Vision, is being broadcast globally on BBC News. The films celebrate the achievements of UAE-based entrepreneurs who are shaping the future with innovative solutions that realise global aspirations. This series is part of the global campaign Invest in the Emirates, highlighting the opportunities created by the UAE’s thriving innovation, logistics, and trade ecosystems.

The films, titled Future Solutions, Future Food, Future Technology, and Future Design, follow the journeys of innovators such as British designer Paul Bishop, Egyptian pitmaster Hatem Mattar, Swedish entrepreneur Magnus Olsson, American AgTech pioneer Sky Kurtz, Lebanese carmaker Ralph Debbas, and Emirati restaurateur Ahmed Abdulhakim.

They are joined by Spanish chef Patricia Roig, Emirati scientist Dr. Saeed Alhassan Alkhazraji, Australian chef turned restaurateur Tom Arnel, Emirati artist Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim, Lebanese venture capitalist Dany Farha, and Emirati investor Mahmoud Adi. Each of these entrepreneurs tells a unique story of ambition and innovation, transforming their communities and creating an enduring legacy of positive change.

“A lot of people thought I had lost it,” said Sky Kurtz, CEO of Pure Harvest. “You’re going to grow tomatoes in the deserts of the Emirates?” But the UAE has proven to be the ideal environment for visionary businesses like his – ventures that could redefine the future of food systems.

“The UAE offered the perfect combination of a challenging climate, a thriving start-up environment, and a government committed to supporting innovation, making it the ideal location for us,” Kurtz explained.

With a tax-free environment, global trade and logistics ties, a ‘can-do’ ecosystem, and access to funding and support, the UAE has become a springboard for thousands of businesses to find global opportunities.

“When I arrived in Dubai, it was uncharted territory,” said celebrated UAE-based interior designer Paul Bishop. “But you could feel the energy. The demographics were changing, the voices were changing. You could feel the momentum building. The Emirates was a land of opportunity. It still is today.”

Founded in 2004, Bishop Design is a leading-edge interior design firm based in Miami and Dubai, with a global portfolio of large-scale commercial, hospitality, retail, and residential projects. The firm has won more than 100 awards for its innovative work.

The country’s evolution is picking up pace as well. Bishop noted that the younger generation stepping into business, culture, and political leadership roles are introducing new ideas and inviting change, from cutting-edge designs to technologies that improve daily life. “In the Emirates, as a designer, if you have a dream, you can make that dream work,” Bishop said.

Government-backed initiatives and accelerators – from Abu Dhabi’s tech ecosystem Hub71 to the Dubai Future Foundation and Sheraa in Sharjah – have eased regulations and provided support for start-ups. Private investment firms like Shorooq have also played a crucial role. “There are opportunities to create local champions, and if you create local champions, they attract international investors who want to be part of this fast-growing economy,” said Shorooq’s Mahmoud Adi.

Today, the UAE boasts nearly 1,000 start-ups, including five unicorns, driving future industries such as biotech, food tech, and property tech. Recently, Microsoft invested US$1.5 billion in Abu Dhabi-based AI firm G42, cementing the UAE’s leadership in global AI development, as well as in crypto, fintech, and other key growth markets.

Magnus Olsson, co-founder of Careem, the region’s first unicorn, explained, “The government is moving fast. There’s the Dubai Future Foundation, the Abu Dhabi Global Market. There are incubators, accelerators, and dedicated funds. They targeted global AI and blockchain talent and encouraged them to set up in the UAE. It’s been a very thoughtful approach.

“The UAE has created an environment where people want to be. It’s attracting some of the best talent in the world. And when you have the best talent, they create amazing things.”

When Dany Farha co-founded BECO Capital in 2012, he said it was the UAE’s first early-stage venture capital firm. Today, there are hundreds of venture capital firms investing in emerging fields such as consumer fintech, agritech, and biotech.

The UAE “is incredibly encouraging of people who want to do good and build a better life,” noted Farha.

“It’s easy to do business. Setting up a company, opening a bank account, getting funded – it’s a dream for a start-up founder. Everything is possible.”