A few years ago, Dubai made a bold decision: if the future is digital, it wouldn’t just participate— it would lead.

What’s truly impressive is how quickly the city turned vision into action.

Dubai started with talent

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Create Apps in Dubai was launched to teach coding, AI skills, and startup thinking. The goal? 1,000 participants. Dubai reached 1,300+—and the program keeps growing.

Then came opportunity

Each year, founders from more than 70 countries join a six-month championship, guided by over 200 mentors, pitching directly in front of leadership. How many cities give entrepreneurs that kind of stage?

But the real magic lies in mindset

Dubai updates its AI strategy annually, cuts bureaucracy before it slows anyone down, and even removed 500 outdated government procedures in one move through its “Zero Red Tape” initiative.

This is a city built by traders and entrepreneurs—and it still operates with that same energy today. Investors think in decades, not quarters. The public and private sectors work together like partners, not rivals. And with 200+ nationalities living in one place, startups can test ideas globally without ever leaving Dubai. Its strategic location, connecting the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and Europe, makes it a launchpad for founders.

Dubai isn’t trying to copy Silicon Valley. It’s creating something different: a global hub where ideas scale faster, red tape disappears, and the future is shaped through action.

For founders and innovators, the message is clear: Dubai is where ideas grow, scale, and shape the future.