LinkedIn launches new feature to help small businesses, freelancers scale up

LinkedIn has announced the global launch of ‘Open for Business’, a new feature that allows small business leaders and freelancers to add their services to their LinkedIn profiles, making them discoverable from a LinkedIn search.

With the Open for Business feature, LinkedIn demonstrates its commitment to support SMBs and freelancers across the world through a product that is aligned with Dubai’s keenness to support entrepreneurs and freelancers.

The global feature launch kicked off with an event that took place under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, in the attendance of Mohammad Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs; Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence; and Abdulla Al Basti, Secretary General of The Executive Council of Dubai.

“Support for small and medium enterprises is a critical pillar of Dubai’s economic policies and strategies. Open for Business aims to address the challenges these companies face in reaching potential clients. As such, it is a catalyst for growth that enhances the role small and medium businesses play in boosting the local economy and increasing its competitiveness while leaving a significant mark on the global economy and enhancing the business environment in Dubai,” said Al Basti.

The Open for Business tool allows freelancers and small business owners to promote their services to the 660 million worldwide members of the platform. The feature complements existing tools and underpins LinkedIn’s vision of creating economic opportunities for every member of the global workforce, be it through business development, acquiring new clients, recruiting exceptional talent or expanding their network.

“Small businesses and freelancers play a critical role in the growth and future of our global economy. And with 660 million members and 30 million companies on the platform across the world, LinkedIn is uniquely positioned to help them be more productive and successful, whether they are based in Dubai or Dundee. We developed this feature with a global mindset and are delighted to launch it from Dubai, a region in which there is a lot of focus on supporting a growing entrepreneurial ecosystem,” added Allen Blue, co-founder of LinkedIn.

Through its supportive infrastructural ecosystem geared to boost the private sector and enable small and medium businesses to thrive, Dubai has established itself as a global hub for entrepreneurship and innovation. According to figures from the Dubai Statistics Center, small and medium businesses contribute to more than 47% of the UAE’s annual GDP and represent 95% of companies in the country. Meanwhile, early-stage start-ups make up nearly 50% of companies registered in Dubai.