Hamdan Bin Mohammed Celebrates Winners Of Create Apps Championship In Dubai's Digital Innovation Drive
Under the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai has become a leader in the digital economy. H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum highlighted this during the ‘Create Apps Championship’ closing ceremony at the Museum of the Future. The event, organised by Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, is part of the ‘Create Apps in Dubai’ initiative launched in March 2023.
The competition attracted significant global interest, with 4,710 entries from 132 countries, marking a 328% increase from last year’s 1,100 submissions. Out of these, 340 projects were shortlisted to compete across four categories. Ultimately, 12 finalists were chosen to advance to the final stage of the championship.
Sheikh Hamdan honoured winners in four categories: 'Most Impactful App', 'Best Youth-made App', 'Best Mobile Gaming App', and 'Most Innovative App'. Boom won 'Dubai’s App of the Year' for its logistics solution connecting businesses with local vehicle owners. BieBite, an AI-driven food market app, won 'Best Youth-made App'. Rimal Game was awarded 'Best Mobile Gaming App', while Brainy received 'Most Innovative App'.
Each winner received US$150,000 and support from Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy for business licensing and banking services. The chamber also facilitates access to potential partners and clients for these innovative projects.
The ‘Create Apps Championship’ aims to position Dubai as a leader in mobile application development. It encourages entrepreneurs to present their ideas and projects, fostering innovation in mobile app technology. The initiative seeks to triple the number of app developers in Dubai by 2025 and support 100 new national projects for advanced mobile applications.
H.H. Sheikh Hamdan stated that honouring these winners celebrates Dubai's pioneering spirit and creative ideas that push human intellect's boundaries. These innovations pave the way for technological breakthroughs shaping future digital transformations.
Focus on Education and Training
The ‘Create Apps in Dubai’ initiative also focuses on training Emiratis in coding and app development through the Emirati Training Academy. This programme aims to equip participants with essential programming skills to create innovative mobile applications.
The competition saw health and wellness apps receiving the most entries, followed by education-related apps. Travel and tourism, e-commerce, sustainability, and gaming apps ranked third to sixth respectively in terms of submissions.
The award ceremony was attended by notable figures including Mohammad bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Omar Sultan Al Olama, Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah, Saeed Al Gergawi, along with senior officials from both public and private sectors.
Sheikh Hamdan expressed gratitude towards participants for their efforts and encouraged them to continue their creative journeys. He emphasised that Dubai remains a home for creative minds where bold ambitions transform into success stories captivating global attention.
With inputs from WAM
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