Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy launches App Olympics

The announcement was made at Expand North Star, the world’s largest gathering of startups and investors, being hosted by the Chamber at Dubai Harbour from 13–16 October.

H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, said the App Olympics is one among a series of initiatives aimed at realising the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to strengthen the emirate’s position as a global hub for advanced technologies and digital innovation.

He emphasised the importance of inspiring the brightest minds to develop groundbreaking solutions that contribute to a building a better future for all of humanity.

One of the most future-ready cities in the world, Dubai is leading the global adoption of cutting-edge technologies, optimising their application across all sectors while building world-class infrastructure. These efforts, Sheikh Hamdan said, have positioned Dubai among the world’s top cities in shaping tech-based industries, creating a model for an economy driven by strategic investments in advanced technologies.

He added, “Building on Dubai’s remarkable achievements, particularly in the digital economy, we are continuing to position the emirate at the forefront of future-oriented innovation. The digital economy is a key pillar of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 and we call on all stakeholders to capitalise on opportunities to drive sustainable growth and prosperity.”

Sheikh Hamdan further said the significant global interest in the App Olympics highlights Dubai’s critical role in fostering innovation and accelerating digital transformation. He remarked that Dubai serves as a platform for showcasing and sharing innovative ideas globally, setting the stage for them to spread and shape emerging trends. This highlights Dubai's pivotal role in driving global digital transformation by acting as an incubator for technology ideas that have the potential to redefine various sectors, he added.

Omar bin Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications, and Chairman of the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, stated that the App Olympics, launched under the directives of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, has garnered significant worldwide interest. By attracting leading talent and innovators, the initiative will consolidate Dubai’s position at the forefront of the fast-growing global technology sector.

He added that the App Olympics reflects the leadership's commitment to reinforcing Dubai’s status as a leading global digital economy hub and a premier destination for entrepreneurs in app development. The initiative also plays a key role in supporting the objectives of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, he said.

Open to entrants of any age from anywhere around the world, the App Olympics features four awards categories: Best Youth App, Most Impactful App, Most Innovative App, and Industry of the Year – Mobile Gaming. A special category has been created for the mobile gaming sector in this year’s edition in line with the goals of the Dubai Program for Gaming 2033, which aims to position Dubai among the top 10 global hubs for the gaming sector.

The App Olympics offers financial rewards, in addition to a prize featuring a package of services worth US$150,000 to develop the winning mobile apps and participation in a six-month mentorship programme after the end of the competition. Winners in each category will benefit from a media support package, as well as access to the network of partners and participants in the App Olympics.

Key initiatives include the App Olympics Ambassador Program, which engages past finalist teams to expand the programme's global outreach, and the ‘Why Dubai?’ hub, which seeks to strengthen Dubai’s position as a leading global hub for tech and mobile app development. This innovative platform features specialised reports on the digital economy ecosystem in Dubai, together with the success stories of application development projects in the emirate. It also connects participants with resources including 100 bite-sized learning modules and comprehension quizzes, weekly community check-ins online, live webinars and interactive masterclasses focused on providing participants with the right tools to create successful digital projects.

In addition, an online training programme called ‘Olympian Mindset’, open to everyone, will support participants in preparing for success, encourage innovative thinking, and provide the tools needed to develop prototypes for applications.

The App Olympics competition is part of the ‘Create Apps in Dubai’ initiative launched by H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in March 2023.

Overseen by the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, one of the three chambers operating under Dubai Chambers, the initiative seeks to train over 1,000 Emiratis on the fundamentals of coding, building mobile applications, and business creation models through the Emirati Training Academy. It also aims to triple the number of app developers in Dubai by 2025 and support 100 new national projects for the development of cutting-edge mobile applications.

Registration for the App Olympics is open between 13th October and 13th November 2024. Participation in the App Olympics can be accessed through this link: https://createapps.ae/app-olympics.