top of page
This site was designed with the
.com
website builder. Create your website today.Start Now

YVRDXB

BUILDING A BRIDGE OF OPPORTUNITY BETWEEN DUBAI AND VANCOUVER

A seamless flow of human, economic, and social capital between the leading cities of the world
ABOUT US
There exists a unique opportunity to connect two dynamic global cities

VANCOUVER

2.5 million*

40% foreign-born

Founded 1886

~$100 billion (US)

24th

Expo 1986

Dubai

2.9 million*

>85% expatriate

Founded 1833

~$100 billion (US)

28th

Expo 2020

*Greater Vancouver is the point of reference rather than just the municipality of Vancouver; Source: 2thinknow

YVRDXB has stepped into this space to catalyze this potential
Summer 2016
Initial strategy meetings and concept development
Spring 2017
Assisted in the organization of the Terry Fox Run in Dubai
Fall 2017
Incepted strategy for first investments in Vancouver tech sector; exploring other cross-city synergies
Fall 2016
Engaged with policy stakeholders in the UAE and Canadian governments 
Summer 2017
Met with provincial and local officials, and key influencers in the Vancouver start-up ecosystem
Spring 2018
Established strategic partnerships incubated with key business and policy institutions in Vancouver & Dubai
Opportunity

DUBAI

2.9 million*

>85% expatriate

Founded 1833

~$100 billion (US)

28th

Expo 2020

POPULATION

DIVERSITY

MODERN HISTORY

ECONOMY (GDP)

INNOVATION

GLOBAL STAGE

Timeline
Building a holistic bridge for long-term success 
Our Mission & Objectives

MISSION

​

To build vibrant, deep and tangible connections between two leading cities of the world 

​

To strengthen pillars of interaction and cooperation between Vancouver and Dubai, leading to increased prosperity on many levels for both communities. 

OBJECTIVES

​

  1. Facilitate economic and trade links both holistically and across specific sectors​

  2. Create a common community of interested people from both cities​

  3. Foster cultural exchange and interaction across these people

Mission
Technology
Vancouver and Dubai are in 
pursuit to become global 
technology hubs.
There are already forces of connectivity between the two cities
People
Several thousand Vancouverites live in Dubai. The Crown Prince of Dubai has a holiday residence in Vancouver.
Ports
DP World has substantial ownership of the Port of Vancouver and Prince Rupert 
Real Estate
False Creek and Dubai Marina bear a startling resemblance due to shared design talent
Film
Both cities have strong film sectors. Star Trek Beyond was shot in both cities. 
Social
Both cities host the annual Terry Fox run, with Dubai’s being one of the largest in the world
People
Several thousand Vancouverites live in Dubai. The Crown Prince of Dubai has a holiday residence in Vancouver.
However, there is a significant opportunity for greater connectivity
EDUCATION
​

  • 3,000 UAE Nationals study in the US – will they start to migrate increasingly to Canada? 

  • $1.7 billion in tuition will be paid this year in Dubai (K-12). 

TOURISM
​

  • More than 10 million people visited Vancouver in 2016 compared to 15 million who visited in Dubai

  • Are both cities marketing to one another’s populations?

​

GREEN ECONOMY
​

  • Vancouver has set a goal to use 100% renewable energy by 2050

  • Dubai aims to reach a target of 44% of clean energy by 2050​

OTHER SECTORS & TRADE
​
The possibilities to find intersections are endless given that both cities are economies open to the world 
And nowhere is this more apparent than the start-up & tech sector
VANCOUVER

  • Innovation-driven startup and technology sector

  • Access to ‘Western Corridor’ in the United States

  • Ranked as the 15th best startup ecosystem in the world

  • Progressive leadership – green focus, smart city, dedicated resources to development

DUBAI

  • Leadership and entrepreneur-driven startup sector

  • Access to ~2bn person market (India/MENA/CIS) within 5 hrs

  • Seen as the global emerging market hub 

  • Progressive leadership – smart city, first-movers, innovation-focused

We have learned that ...

  • There is tremendous curiosity within both the cities of Vancouver and Dubai about the potential of the other​​

​

  • The venture capital and investment space in Vancouver is extremely conservative while Dubai has become a growing center of capital for the startup community​

​

  • Many scalable Vancouver-based startups have little to no knowledge of the conducive investment and business climate in Dubai​

​

  • There is an opportunity build connectivity between the Dubai and Vancouver investment communities towards supporting dynamic high-potential start-ups

One of our first big moves is creating strategic investments into Vancouver’s start-up sector
Access to Capital
Facilitate access to progressive capital for Vancouver-based startups
Market Connections
Enable market connections for startups in Dubai as an entry point into the Middle East & Africa 
Growth
Assist in the strategic thinking for growth using YVRDXB connections
We are currently evaluating a number of initial startups who could meet our criteria
GLOBAL POTENTIAL
COMMUNITY ROOTS
TRANSFORMATIONAL
We are also hopeful to facilitate delegations between the two cities

Government

Meetings with federal leaders (cabinet-level); local authorities; free zones; and regulatory bodies

​

Private Sector 

Cross-section of intersections with large conglomerates, investors, start-ups

​

Society

​Meeting with media and journalists, charitable organizations, and professional associations

​

Private Sector
Government
Society
And we stand ready to support as others think through opportunities
1
Stakeholder Mapping
Assist companies and entities in navigating complex cross-cultural environments​
Private Sector
2
Market intelligence

Provide the right background, studies, and research to understand how to access markets in Dubai and Vancouver

3
Partnership development

If organizations and companies are ready to take the next step we can help them match with the right partner

Our Commitment
Advance job creation, livability, and knowledge exchange through cross-cultural interactions
Team
Our founding team leverages leading local and global connections

Taufiq Rahim

  • Born and raised in Vancouver. Lives in Dubai.

  • Global connector. Worked in 15+ countries. 

  • Founder/Exec. Director Globesight, policy/social sector thinktank

  • Past: UN, McKinsey & Company; Aga Khan Foundation; NDI

  • Education: MPP, Harvard; BA, Princeton

Niall Sallam

  • Born & raised in Saskatoon; moved to Vancouver ’93, Dubai ‘09.

  • Founder/CEO Elevision Media – largest digital out of home media network in the Middle East. 

  • Serial entreprenuer / Startup founder, mentor and advisor.

Adil Ahamed

  • Raised in Vancouver.

  • Global Finance & Banking, Executive, YPO member

  • Managing Director of Destination Auto Group

  • Past: Goldman Sachs, Deutsche Bank, IFC, Aga Khan Development Network

  • Education: MBA Columbia Business School; BA Cornell

Please reload

Contact Us

Success! Message received.

Contact
bottom of page