Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, one of the three chambers operating under Dubai Chambers, has launched the App Olympics, a new competition designed to accelerate Dubai’s journey to become the mobile app development capital of the world.

The initiative was announced during the opening day of Expand North Star, the world's largest gathering of startups and investors, which is taking place at Dubai Harbour from October 15-18, 2023.

The App Olympics competition has been launched as part of the ‘Create Apps in Dubai’ initiative announced by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai, in March.

Overseen by Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy and supported by government entities and leading technology companies, ‘Create Apps in Dubai’ has developed a series of initiatives aimed at further strengthening the emirate’s position as a global leader in the digital domain.

Commenting on the launch, Saeed Al Gergawi, Vice President of Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, said: "The App Olympics represents another important step in developing the capabilities of the talented app developers who will help shape Dubai's ambitious future. By inspiring tomorrow’s digital talent, this competition will play a key role in bringing the wise leadership’s vision for the digital economy to life and contribute to the objectives of the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33).”

Open to UAE nationals and residents of all ages from any emirate, as well as global tech startups interested in establishing a presence in Dubai, the competition enables participants to learn about app development, build mobile applications, and compete for major prizes and awards that accelerate business growth.

The multi-phase challenge encourages aspiring digital entrepreneurs to submit their mobile app development ideas and benefit from expert support during their structured learning journey in the world of app development, which culminates with an exciting award ceremony that will be held during Dubai Innovation Month in February 2024.

Each finalist will have the opportunity to showcase their application through a one-minute promotional video, followed by a four-minute pitch presentation. 

The judging panel will feature leading experts from sectors including banking, venture capital, government entities, and the private sector. Each project submitted will be evaluated, with the top performers selected to compete in the January qualifiers.

The competition enables participants to benefit from complimentary access to a tailored package of mobile app development training modules and compete for a chance to build a fully funded application. Contestants will also receive mentorship from industry experts and have access to prototyping tools to facilitate the creation of their product. In addition, the competition provides opportunities to attend exclusive events and connect with potential investors.

Led by Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, ‘Create Apps in Dubai’ seeks to train over 1,000 Emiratis on the fundamentals of coding, building mobile applications, and business creation models through its ‘Emirati Training Academy.’ The initiative also aims to triple the number of app developers in Dubai by 2025 and will support 100 new national projects for the development of cutting-edge applications, which will be made available in digital app stores over the coming two years.