Dubai launches 'App Olympics' for individuals, teams across 4 categories

Dubai launched the App Olympics, an initiative to choose the best in the field of mobile application development, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE announced on Sunday.

In a social media post, Sheikh Hamdan said that the step comes in line with "Dubai's remarkable achievements across all sectors, especially in the digital economy field, which serves as a key pillar in achieving the goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33)".

The App Olympics is open to anyone of any age from anywhere around the world. This initiative features four award 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.

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Registration for the App Olympics is open from October 13 until November 13, 2024.

Winners will enjoy multiple prizes including financial rewards, digital service packages worth $150,000 (Dh550,000) to develop the winning mobile apps. They can also participate in a six-month mentorship programme at 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.

This contest is part of a series of initiatives aimed at strengthening Dubai’s position as a global hub for advanced technologies and digital innovation.

"Led by the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, as part of the ‘Create Apps in Dubai’ initiative, this competition encourages digital pioneers from around the world to be part of Dubai’s inspiring success story", the Dubai Crown Prince said.

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.

Sheikh Hamdan also 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.”

Omar 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 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.