Hans Henrik Christensen, VP Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority (DSOA) - Building Dubai Tech Hub
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Hans Henrik Christensen is an accomplished senior level leader and Vice President of Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority (DSOA). With more than 20 years international operational expertise in general management and corporate innovation, Hans Henrik Christensen successfully acted as CEO for three companies and today leads the award-winning corporate business innovation and venture investment department with a team of 20 employees and a record setting 900 start-ups as tenants, called Dtec.
Hans Henrik Christensen’s career is highly recognised, winning 10 awards and creating the biggest and most profitable tech hub in MENA. Exploring challenging chief executive positions.
Hans Henrik Christensen Questions
1. An introduction from you - background, overview, education...
2. You finished recently researching and PHD studies. Can you tell us about it?
3. Coming from Denmark and the Nordics, studying in USAm working in Latin America and now in Dubai, UAE and the Middle East, which major cultural background things and differences did you find?
4. Can you tell us about DSO - Dubai Silicon Oasis?
5. You are a member of the DSOA Smart City Committee and of the DSOA Dubai Islamic Economy taskforce. Can you tell us about it?
6. The DSO has been building an ecosystem of companies and innovation in Dubai. Can you tell us about its history, some numbers and present focus? How big is the DSO ecosystem?
7. Which sectors and industries are stronger in the startup sector and business network in Dubai, Middle East and its neighbours in North Africa?
8. For investors and companies from all over the world what are the most important and strength, things they can find in DSO?
9. How do you see the biggest challenges when it comes to the startup and business world, special when it comes to the concepts of Society 5.0 - 4IR and all areas of digital transformation, special in the context of DSO and UAE?
10. With Covid-19 what ways do you envision to redesign our society? Especially now with all new developments in technology and social empowerment and related impact?
Hans Henrik Christensen Interview Notes
About Dtec. Dtec is an integrated entrepreneurial ecosystem that provides everything entrepreneurs need to set up a new business in Dubai. We have created a great coworking space, we provide help with company formation in Dubai and we do events for entrepreneurs to learn and meet with other entrepreneurs.
Dtec is an initiative of Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority, Dtec is designed to conveniently set up a new business in Dubai. From 100% business ownership, visa processing, 24/7 access, high speed wifi, a range of creative meeting and events spaces.
Through our Dtec Ventures, which is the venture capital fund of Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority and part of Dtec, we invest in early-stage technology companies in the MENA region with a nucleus to Dubai, that are disrupting or enabling traditional industries.
Dubai Digital Park. An initiative of Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority is Dubai Digital Park. This is Dubai’s first smart city and is the ultimate business and living environment with its unique mix of office, residential and retail outlets.
What we want to achieve with the Dubai Digital Park is more than a coworking space, we want to build a lifestyle destination. Located amidst the promenades of boutiques and cafés in Dubai’s first smart city you can start your day with a fresh coffee, meet business leads in one of the many restaurants and relax after a busy working day in the central square, designed to host a full event program of concerts, promotional activities and festivals.
Dubai Digital Park is meant to offer a complete ecosystem with the capability to grow organically. That is why whether a startup, a corporate, an investor or a service provider, our range of small offices, corporate labs, acceleration spaces and more will provide everything they need. Dubai Digital Park will house coworking, acceleration programs, corporate innovation and a full program of events and networking opportunities designed to create the perfect startup ecosystem.
Business trends in Dubai. Dubai is a growing tech startup ecosystem, recognised in the whole Middle East region and worldwide. Due to the pandemic, we have seen a massive growth in Healthcare and healthtech startups and new initiatives. Deep tech, high tech, material tech, food tech, space tech, robotics are also important and we are seeing interesting projects happening right now here. Fintech of course is also important.
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Hans Henrik Christensen Biography
Hans Henrik Christensen is currently serving as Director of Dtec, the largest technology entrepreneur centre of its kind in the Middle East housing 700 Tech start-ups and incubators, labs and soon also accelerators. As the Director of Dtec, Hans Henrik Christensen’ responsibility is to lead a team that manages a co-working, incubation and growth investment unit supporting start-ups and entrepreneurs from 64 nationalities with running their ventures. Additionally he serves on the board of several start-ups.
In his 20+ years’ experience, he has become a specialist in building up departments in large organisations and starting small companies in South America, Europe and the UAE. In that regard, Hans Henrik Christensen has successfully attracted venture capital to several start-ups and held important global positions in large IT and financial institutions. Hans built-up and directed the team of the only technology incubator of Siemens ICN and ICM, successfully spinning off Garderos Software Innovation GmbH, a company specialised in access gateway software and routers for fixed and wireless hotspots.
Hans Henrik Christensen is a member of the DSOA Smart City Committee and of the DSOA Dubai Islamic Economy taskforce. The Smart City concept is based on creating a new approach to managing cities of the future. The Islamic Economy initiative targets building a technology centre focusing on start-ups and Muslim consumers using the seven pillars of the Islamic economy as guidance.
Hans holds a BA in Economics and Finance from Bentley University, and is currently finishing his EMBA at Hult International Business School.
Hans Henrik Christensen Links & Resources
https://www.linkedin.com/in/hans-henrik-christensen-719986/?originalSubdomain=ae
https://www.startupbootcamp.org/mentors/hans-henrik-christensen/
https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/313744
http://techleaders.itp.net/profile/entrepreneurs-z_a/Hans+Henrik+Christensen
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