Slovak Investment and Trade Development Agency (SARIO) within the national project "Support for the Internationalization of SMEs" from 3 to 8 April 2021 organized the participation of thirteen Slovak companies (SMEs) in a business mission on the occasion of the Cybertech Global UAE conference in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates.The main sector of the event was the area of information and communication technologies (ICT) with a special focus on cybersecurity. The main goal of the mission was to get acquainted with the business environment in Dubai, gain an overview of trends in cybersecurity, explore opportunities for cooperation with the countries represented, and gain new contacts in the segment in question.Every year, CyberTech Global offers a large number of professional presentations from the segment of the latest technologies and solutions in the field of cybersecurity across various industries such as the navy, aviation, finance, healthcare, and more.In addition to the highest representatives of major companies, the event also includes high-ranking representatives of state apparatus, investors, and representatives of the academic community. The biggest success this year was the discussion between the former head of MOSSAD, Tamir Pardo, and the former head of the CIA, David Petraeus. The significance of the event was also supported by the visit by Crown Prince Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamdan bin Rashid al-Maktoum during the first day.Traditionally, Cybertech is held in the capital of Israel, Tel Aviv, but for pandemic reasons, a new venue has been designated for this year - Dubai, UAE. The reason for choosing this territory was not only the COVID-19 pandemic but also the high potential of the UAE in the development of innovative technologies, due to efforts to diversify the national economy, one of the main pillars of which is support for innovation, science, and research. As stated by the founder of the Cybertech event, Amir Rapaport: "Dubai proved to be the perfect place to organize our event, because it is a vibrant city, a real technology and business center." In addition to the professional program offered by the Cybertech conference, Slovak companies were offered the opportunity to organize tailor-made B2B and B2G negotiations with leading Arab companies and associations. For example, they were able to negotiate with one of the largest suppliers of telecommunications networks in the UAE, the company Etisalat or with the state health authority, the Dubai Health Authority. Other important companies that had the opportunity to meet Slovak SMEs were the Dubai Start-up Hub, Safe City Group, and Dubai Sustainable City.These contacts helped Slovak SMEs not only to expand their knowledge about the possibilities of penetration into the United Arab Emirates but also about the ongoing Slovak-Arab trade cooperation and the conditions of entry as well as potential cooperation in the territory. Within the business mission, Slovakia has shown great interest in establishing cooperation in the UAE, where cybersecurity and innovation are currently coming to the fore. At the same time, the mission also demonstrated the competitiveness of Slovak SMEs, which have several innovative ideas in the field of ICT and cybersecurity.SARIO plans to carry out several business missions throughout the implementation period of the National Project, more information on the official website.
