Dubai's growth a modern phenomenon, says co-founder of Apple

Steve Wozniak encouraged Dubai to continue to reinvest in education, entrepreneurs and innovation to secure a successful, prosperous long-term future

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, February 11, 2015: The growth and expansion of Dubai has been a modern success story which Steve Jobs would have admired and been proud to have contributed to, Steve Wozniak, the co-founder of Apple, told a distinguished audience on the second day of The Government Summit, held in Dubai, UAE.

During a well-attended session hosted by CNN’s Richard Quest, Mr Wozniak provided unique insight into the foundation of one of the world’s largest and most influential companies, Apple. Explaining how Steve Jobs and he had partnered in a garage to develop Apple’s original products, Mr. Wozniak described in colourful detail how having a clear and ambitious vision of what they wanted to achieve was crucial in developing the iconic brand.

In commenting on the contemporary world, Steve Wozniak encouraged the Government of Dubai to continue its focus on developing its young people, particularly higher education students and recent graduates. Speaking from his personal experience, and citing other successful global businesses, such as Facebook and Google, he alluded to the common theme of young people demonstrating the initiative, determination, innovation and foresight to create and grow such disruptive companies.

Mr. Wozniak said: “Life is changing so much because of technology and it no surprise that many of the world’s most successful businesses have been started by young people. In Dubai, as in the rest of the world, students and recent graduates should continue to be valued and provided with encouragement, investment and support so that they can achieve their dreams. With Government providing such an environment, it can encourage young talent to flourish, which can then feedback into society exponentially.”

“Although this is my first time in Dubai, I have been very impressed with how quickly the Emirate has grown and expanded in such a short time, as I know Steve Jobs would have been. It makes me proud to think that through the development of the first generation of personal computing, Apple has a significant role to play in this. As technology continues to evolve, a number of governments are engaging with it and using it positively. This is certainly the case in Dubai where innovation is currently top of the agenda.”
 
A Silicon Valley icon and philanthropist for the past three decades, Mr. Wozniak built the first Apple computer, alongside Steve Jobs, back in 1976. As such, he is credited with inventing the personal computer and heralding a new age of technology.

For his achievements at Apple Computer, Mr. Wozniak was awarded the National Medal of Technology by the President of the United States in 1985, the highest honor bestowed on America’s leading innovators. In 2000, he was inducted into the Inventors Hall of Fame and was awarded the prestigious Heinz Award for Technology, The Economy and Employment for “single-handedly designing the first personal computer and for then redirecting his lifelong passion for mathematics and electronics toward lighting the fires of excitement in education.

After leaving Apple in 1985, Mr. Wozniak was involved in various business and philanthropic ventures, focusing primarily on computer capabilities in schools and stressing hands-on learning and encouraging creativity for students. He is also the author of The New York Times best- selling autobiography, iWoz: From Computer Geek to Cult Icon.

The Government Summit concludes on Feb. 11, 2015. In total, there are 50 sessions, more than 100 speakers and 3,000 participants from 87 countries discussing the future of education, health services and smart cities. The third edition of The Government Summit, which is the biggest event of its kind in the world, is held under the theme ‘Shaping Future Governments’.