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Industry leaders highlight Dubai’s top competitive advantages for digital startups: GITEX Global 2022

Dubai, UAE – Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, one of three chambers operating under Dubai Chambers, recently hosted several thought-provoking panel discussions on the sidelines of GITEX Global 2022, which were joined by technology industry leaders who identified the top competitive advantages that enabled them to build successful digital startups in Dubai.

 

The panel sessions were organised as part of the Chamber’s role as a strategic partner for North Star Dubai, the world’s leading tech and startup event and one of the main highlights of GITEX Global 2022. The discussions were joined by startups, investors and tech industry players from the UAE and around the world.

 

The session provided an ideal opportunity for visiting startups and investors to learn about Dubai’s fast-growing and dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem, as well as practical advice from industry experts on how to navigate the market and capitalise on competitive advantages offered by the emirate to build a successful digital business in Dubai and access growth opportunities.

 

Enhancing competitiveness of digital businesses

 

Khalid Al Jarwan, Executive Director of Dubai Chamber for Digital Economy, elaborated on the Chamber’s commitment to enhancing the competitiveness of digital startups, ensuring a business environment conducive to innovation and business growth for their growth and development to ensure the smoothness of their operations and activities, pointing to the crucial role of digital companies in driving the emirate’s sustainable economic growth.

 

He noted that the Chamber is leveraging the North Star Dubai platform at GITEX Global 2022 to showcase Dubai’s thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem and attract digital companies to the emirate. He added that it would expand on these efforts when it hosts Expand North Star in May 2023, which will bring together unicorns and investors from the UAE and around the world and position Dubai as one of the Silicon Valleys of the world.

 

Prioritising the customer experience

 

One of the sessions was joined by Ronaldo Mouchawar, Vice President of Amazon Middle East and North Africa, who highlighted a number of recommendations and tips that contributed to enhancing the success story of Souq.com prior to its acquisition by Amazon.

 

Mouchawar stressed the importance of facilitating a seamless customer experience that adds value and transcends different cultures, in addition to the interest in facilitating the electronic payment process despite the prevalence of a cash payment culture in most countries in the region.

 

He noted that Amazon prioritised fulfilling promises to customers upon its entry into the market as it invested a great deal to improve the customer experience. He encouraged young startups in Dubai to focus its business models around the needs of the customer with the aim of ensuring the best experience possible.

 

Capitalising on growth opportunities

 

Another second session examined the business environment and ecosystem in Dubai that stimulates the growth of digital startups. Joining the discussion was Fadi Amoudi, Founder and CEO of IQ Robotics and Fulfillment, a technology systems company; Rabea Ataya, Founder and CEO of Bayt.com, the largest job site in the Middle East, and Arjun Mohan, Founder of and CEO of Tenderd.

 

For his part, Amoudi stressed that Dubai, due to the diversity in the cultures of its residents, is among the most suitable cities for establishing businesses and expanding to regional and global markets, considering that the emirate provides a sophisticated digital infrastructure that has contributed greatly to maintaining the continuity and sustainability of companies.

 

Amoudi stressed the need for digital startups to maintain competencies and not to neglect them even during a period of crisis, pointing to the constant need to develop operations, enhance security and safety at work, and preserve customers by providing high-quality products and services.

 

Ataya pointed out that the booming job market in Dubai is a reflection of the prosperity of business in it and noted that the ability of entrepreneurs lies to anticipate market needs and demand is extremely crucial for building any digital business that can enjoy long-term success.

 

For his part, Mohan explained the importance for entrepreneurs to develop skill sets that can support the development of innovative business solutions. He noted that digital startups can take advantage of huge business opportunities emerging in the technology and logistics sectors.

 

Source: Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry

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Large turnout to visit DEWA’s stand at GITEX Global to learn about the latest innovative technologies and smart solutions

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority’s (DEWA) stand at GITEX Global is witnessing a large turnout from visitors to the largest technology exhibition of its kind in the world. At its stand (S1-D), Sheikh Saeed Hall 1 at the Dubai World Trade Centre, DEWA is showcasing some of its most prominent digital initiatives based on the latest Metaverse and the Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies. These include Artificial Intelligence (AI), Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs); Energy storage; blockchain; Internet of Things (IoT); robotics and others; to provide an integrated, innovative and value-added experience that meets the aspirations and enhances the happiness of stakeholders and the quality of life in Dubai.

 

“We are pleased that DEWA, as one of the most distinguished and pioneering utilities in the world, is sharing its latest solutions and innovative technologies at GITEX Global 2022. The exhibition provides an ideal opportunity to expand DEWA’s partnerships and meet experts, specialists, solution providers, investors, government decision-makers, and potential business partners in various fields of the Fourth Industrial Revolution worldwide. This also supports our continuous efforts to enhance Dubai’s leadership as a global model in adopting future technologies,” said HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA.

 

Al Tayer noted that DEWA invests in the latest technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, including Metaverse technology, to contribute to shaping a new digital future for Dubai and develop future initiatives and projects that improve operations, increase efficiency and production, reduce costs, and achieve the happiness of all stakeholders. He noted that by Q3 of 2022, the adoption rate of DEWA’s smart services reached 98.99%. DEWA has also completed the digital integration of more than 70 projects with government and private agencies.

 

Marwan Bin Haidar, Executive Vice President of Innovation and the Future at DEWA, said that DEWA’s stand at GITEX Global is presenting key digital initiatives for smart cities developed by DEWA and its subsidiaries under Digital DEWA, its digital arm, using the latest Metaverse and the Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies such as AI, UAVs, energy storage, blockchain, IoT, and robotics among others, for an integrated and innovative experience that meets customer expectations.

 

Signing MoUs

 

DEWA’s stand at GITEX Global witnessed the signing of several MoUs and partnership agreements. DEWA and Moro Hub (Data Hub Integrated Solutions), a subsidiary of Digital DEWA, the digital arm of DEWA, signed a MoU with Siemens Energy to cooperate in digital transformation to achieve customer happiness and increase business efficiency and productivity. Moro also signed an exclusive agreement with 3W Networks by Elsewedy Electric. The partnership intends to share the know-how between the two,  while providing innovative digital solutions to clients inside and outside the UAE. Moro also signed a strategic partnership with Aster Pharmacy, a division of Aster DM Healthcare, to provide Cold Chain tracking services to ensure the safe delivery of drugs, medicines and vaccines and increase the efficiency of the supply chain process. Moro also signed a MoU with Dubai Courts to provide support and cybersecurity services. InfraX, a subsidiary of Digital DEWA, and DarkBlue Technologies, signed a strategic partnership to boost InfraX IoT network uptake in the UAE.

 

DEWA’s Innovative Projects

 

DEWA’s stand shows some of its key innovative projects including the ‘DEWAVerse’ platform on the Metaverse, which DEWA launched recently, making it the first local government organisation to launch its platform on the Metaverse to provide its services to customers, employees and members of society. DEWA invests in Metaverse technology to implement and develop its current and future projects, which contributes towards stakeholder happiness, the development of business, enhancing efficiency and production, and reducing costs.

 

DEWAVerse platform includes the Customer Service Centre, the 1st of its kind locally, which enables customers to communicate with the Customer Care Centre agents to answer their inquiries and complete transactions through the DEWAVerse platform; DEWA Workplace, which enables users to move around DEWA buildings and hold meetings; DEWA Future Lab, which enables users to hold brainstorming sessions, discuss challenges and develop the best solutions using innovation tools in the virtual world; the First Aid and Fire Safety, which introduces first aid and fire safety procedures; MetaDrone, which gathers information on solar panels, detects and fixes them, and generates reports in the virtual world; and DEWA Onboarding, which allows new employees to learn about DEWA’s vision and mission through the DEWAVerse platform.

 

The stand highlights DEWA’s smart app, whose revamped version will be launched by the end of 2022, to provide an easier, more intuitive, and efficient experience to achieve customer happiness; Smart Office for Employees, which is a leading digital workplace platform that addresses all enterprise operational requirements through a unified multi-functional and secure super app, that is accessible anytime, anywhere; Rammas Virtual Employee that uses AI to assist customers and answers their enquiries in both Arabic and English; Rammas at Work, which is an executive virtual assistant available on the Smart Office app. It also assists in faster decision-making and performing daily tasks in an easy manner.

 

DEWA’s stand also shows the Big Data and Analytics Platform, which combines big data, AI and machine learning technologies to simplify and improve operations across various business functions; the Duroob app, in its advanced version for Power Distribution Connection Services; Enterprise Service Bus, which is a secured platform to enable Business Service Integration to meet its Smart Grid Enterprise Architecture requirements; the Cloud-Based System for 24/7 remote management of Mobile/Standby Generators; and the Smart GIS Application for Field Operations that allows field employees to view 3D underground asset locations.

 

Other projects on display include the Smart Tracking System for Technical Notifications and Green EV Charger; Space-D Web Portal, which showcases satellite collected data, images of use-cases and IoT terminals; the Generation Division Cyber Security Operations Centre (GD CSOC) to proactively monitor and manage cyber incidents related to Generation Division Operational Technology system; the Robotic Process Automation; and the EV Green Charger initiative, which supports Dubai’s efforts to provide innovative and sustainable transport solutions.

 

In addition, DEWA is highlighting the projects of Digital DEWA, its digital arm, and its subsidiaries, such as Moro Hub (Data Hub Integrated Solutions). These include the Green Data Centre at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, MORO Cloud services and Moro digital products that include the Smart City Platform, Cyber Security services, Moro Managed Network as a Service, Moro Communications Platform as a Service (CPaaS), and MORO integrated physical security platform. DEWA is also showing Digital X products such as the Solar Innovation Centre Smart app, the Mobile Workforce, and Infra X products such as the Outdoor Air Quality Sensor, the Water Quality Sensor, the Passive Infra-Red Sensor (PIR), IoT device for protection against floods, fires and crop damage, the Fibre Sensing technology, Smart Manhole Sensor, smart waste management solutions and smart parking solutions.

 

Source: Dubai Electricity and Water Authority

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OIC Holds Meeting to Draft Rules for Acceptance of Special Envoys from Non-OIC Member States

The General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), held, on 12 October 2022, at its headquarters in Jeddah, the two-day second meeting of the Intergovernmental Group of Experts to draft rules governing the acceptance of special envoys from non- OIC Member States.

 

H.E. the OIC Secretary-General, Mr. Hissein Brahim Taha, addressed the meeting in a speech delivered on his behalf by Ambassador Youssef bin Muhammad Al-Dubaie, OIC Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs, in which he stated that one of the objectives of the OIC, as stipulated in its charter, is to promote cooperative inter-state relations on the basis of the principles and values ​​of justice, mutual respect and good neighborliness to ensure global peace, security and harmony.

 

Source: Organisation of Islamic Cooperation

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DoH launches Robotic Process Automation to support future-centric capacity building

In a continuous bid to elevate workforce productivity and improve sector outcomes, the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), launches the Robotic Process Automation (RPA), an incisive tool that digests and automates common processes such as auditing of healthcare professionals and licensing requests. Through RPA, DoH seeks to provide smart services and an effortless customer experience in Abu Dhabi utilising the latest machine learning tools.

 

On the side-lines of its participation at GITEX Global 2022, DoH unveiled the distinctive tool to visitors in the presence of HE Abdulla Mohammed Al Hamed, Chairman of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), HE Dr. Jamal Mohammed Al Kaabi, Undersecretary of DoH and Eng. Fares Khalifa Saeed Al Dhaheri, Acting Executive Director of Support Services Sector at the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH).

 

Contributing to the Abu Dhabi digital transformation agenda, DoH will leverage the automation of specific services to support increased skill development within the Department. The RPA will increase efficiency and maintain round the clock operations of healthcare services resulting in an unparalleled healthcare journey for customers as well as the tasked workforce.

 

Boosting the future of healthcare services in Abu Dhabi, the new innovative tool is sought to raise the productivity and quality of services by more than 80% while reducing the duration to complete processes by 90%. Positioning DoH at the forefront of innovation and digital services, RPA will enable the Department’s workforce to focus on the development of processes and drive extraordinary human potential hence increasing employee productivity.

 

Eng. Fares Khalifa Saeed Al Dhaheri, Acting Executive Director of Support Services Sector at the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), said: “In further contribution to Abu Dhabi’s pioneering digital healthcare model, DoH continues to set the stage for a future driven by technology, innovation and artificial intelligence, to further enhance the quality of the healthcare sector outcomes. DoH is committed to creating a world-class digital healthcare ecosystem enabled by AI solutions that unlock efficiencies at scale. We aim to continue utilising emerging technologies such as RPA to automate repetitive mundane tasks while allowing our workforce to focus on insight-driven activities and operations.”

 

The Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH) is inviting guests to visit its stand and view the latest healthcare technologies and innovations of Abu Dhabi’s healthcare sector. The DoH stand is under the Abu Dhabi Digital Authority (ADDA) pavilion, located in Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum Hall, Stand No. 28.

 

Source: Department of Health Abu Dhabi

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Dubai Police launches new version of its smart app in seven languages

DUBAI, The Dubai Police General Command has announced the launch of the new version of its smart application, which includes 70 services developed using the latest programming languages, techniques, and artificial intelligence solutions.

 

The updated Dubai Police smart app is available seven languages: Arabic, English, Russian, German, Chinese, French, and Spanish.

 

This announcement came during the second day of GITEX Global 2022, held at Dubai World Trade Centre.

 

Major General Khalid Nasser Al Razooqi, Director of the General Department of Artificial Intelligence at Dubai Police, said that the latest update to the smart app features several services that provide an exceptional customer experience. “To make the login process more accessible, customers can now sign in to the Dubai Police app using the face recognition feature,” he added.

 

Major General Al Razooqi pointed out that the new update also includes a “Dashboard”, which contains personal information, e-cards, and all transactions offered to the customer, in addition to statistics showing the percentage of services usage and traffic violations recorded on the traffic file.

 

Al Razooqi indicated that the smart app had been developed to provide serious accident detection, such as a car collision, and send out a distress signal (SOS) in case of a severe traffic accident without human intervention. “It also includes a new feature that notifies users of temporary street closures and major traffic accidents.”

 

“When a major accident that calls for a temporary road closure is reported to the Command and Control Room or police patrols, road users will be then notified via the Dubai Police app so they can seek alternative routes and avoid congestions,” Al Razooqi explained.

 

Maj. Gen. Al Razooqi indicated that the new update includes the “Smart Volunteer” feature, which enables volunteers to register and receive distress requests from the Dubai Police app users at any time, thus raising the culture of assistance among community members and creating a safer society.

 

Al Razooqi confirmed that the smart app includes new characteristics to protect women and children and support all vulnerable groups. This feature allows them to request assistance in emergencies, anytime and anywhere.

 

“The Dubai Police’s updated smart app includes a feature for visually impaired people to enable them to request assistance and submit complaints and suggestions. It also contains a camera reading for blind people, which processes captured images,” Al Razooqi added.

 

Source: Emirates News Agency

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DIEZ, du partner to expand free zone’s portfolio of competitive features and incentives

DUBAI, Dubai Airport Free Zone (DAFZ), part of Dubai Integrated Economic Zones (DIEZ), and du, part of Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company, have partnered to offer exclusive benefits to companies based in the free zone, as part of its efforts to expand DAFZ’s portfolio of competitive features and incentives.

 

A signing ceremony to mark the partnership was held at GITEX GLOBAL 2022, and was attended by top representatives and employees from both parties.

 

As part of the agreement, DAFZ will promote du as a preferred communication service to new companies who register or lease office spaces or acquire commercial permits at the free zone. In addition, du will act as a strategic partner for DAFZ’s “Hayak” programme, which caters to more than 18,000 employees working in more than 2,200 companies across 20 sectors that have their regional headquarters in the free zone. du will provide members with a range of exclusive offers and privileges from essentials to luxuries from major brands in a diverse range of fields and sectors.

 

The partnership will also see du provide a package of communications services to new businesses in the free zone to enable them to establish themselves with greater ease. These benefits will be offered to businesses once they receive their licence. In addition, du will follow up with businesses in the free zone and gather their input and feedback on their services to ensure their communication requirements are being fulfilled. A client service centre, equipped with the most up-to-date communication technologies, including 5G will also open on the free zone’s premises.

 

Amna Lootah, Director-General of DAFZ, said, “This partnership will further contribute to enhancing the expertise and experience of employees in our Hayak programme, thereby enriching DAFZ’s portfolio of exceptional facilities, incentives, and benefits.”

 

Fahad Al Hassawi, CEO at du, said, “As part of this partnership, we will offer a diverse and customised package of exclusive offers to companies based in free zone to ensure that their business requirements are met. We are also pleased to become a strategic partner of DAFZ’s Hayak programme to provide a package of comprehensive offers and benefits to a large number of employees across different sectors.”

 

This agreement is as a continuation of mutual and successful cooperation efforts between the two sides. Last year, the two parties signed a partnership agreement to automate licensing processes for activities that require a no-objection certificate (NOC) from other government entities in a single platform enabled through Blockchain, with DAFZ being the first free zone to provide this service. The new agreement is also an extension of the free zone’s recent efforts to strengthen its network of partners in a number of countries around the world.

 

Source: Emirates News Agency