Business & Money | Monday 27 April, 2015 12:52 am |

Dubai Internet City named official partner for the initiative

Dubai, Barcelona, Helsinki and Ghent are the four cities currently confirmed to participate in the global Smart City App Hack competition. The cities will join forces to create a network of citizens who will collaborate to develop mobile apps designed to help to design and build the Smart Cities of the 21st Century.
Dubai Internet City (DIC), the MENA region’s largest ICT free zone, is the official partner for Dubai’s Smart City App Hack project, which will connect the emirate’s local app and tech ecosystem with developers from around the world. The end objective is to create products and applications that will help improve the lives of citizens.
This follows a series of events and initiatives headlined by Dubai Internet City this year, including Decode Dubai, DIC’s first hackathon, and Drones for Good, an initiative launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum at the Government Summit 2015. DIC is at the forefront of the UAE’s National Innovation Strategy and continues to look at ways to encourage innovation and creativity across sectors.
Commenting, Majed Al Suwaidi, Managing Director of Dubai Internet City and Dubai Outsource Zone said;
“We are delighted to represent Dubai as an official partner for the Smart City App Hack. The competition is an excellent initiative, and will give Dubai the opportunity to showcase its creativity and innovation to a global audience. As part of the Smart Dubai vision launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, this initiative will play a major role in furthering the development of Dubai into a Smart City, connecting app developers from around the world as well as offering a platform to exchange knowledge and access to global mentors.”

Together with Dubai, the following cities are currently confirmed: Barcelona (Spain), founder of the project, and Helsinki (Finland); additionally Ghent (Belgium) is following the process as an associated city. The project is still open for participation and more cities are to be announced in the following weeks.
The Dubai Smart City App Hack will take place from May to September and during these 5 months, developers, entrepreneurs and citizens who want to get involved in the building of a Smart City will participate in the process of creating and developing their apps, and will receive mentorship from a global team of online experts, who will be on hand to guide them through the process and finalise their app.
Apps will be based around the main themes that pose common challenges for cities around the world: urban mobility, energy & emissions, shopping & retail, culture & tourism, and the collaborative city.
Towards the end of the competition, each city will shortlist their winning developer, who will be invited to present and compete in the final awards in Barcelona during the Smart City Expo 2015 in November.
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About Dubai Internet City

Dubai Internet City (DIC), part of TECOM Investments, a member of Dubai Holding, is the Middle East and North Africa’s largest ICT hub. Since the year 2000, DIC has successfully developed a prosperous ecosystem for technology organisations and today is home to Fortune 500 listed companies and multinationals as well as some of the region’s most dynamic and successful technology SMEs and start-ups from all elements of the ICT value chain.

DIC provides a wide range of facilities including state-of-the-art offices, a robust IT infrastructure, 24-hour security, retail services and hotels, spread across the business park’s unique and tranquil landscape; an environment that helps ICT businesses develop, innovate and grow.
For more information, please visit: www.dubaiinternetcity.com.

About the Smart City App Hack
The Smart City App Hack brings together a global network of smart cities that face similar challenges and share one vision: to turn citizens into App Makers, empowering them to build apps and businesses that will make for a better city.
The Smart City App Hack is sponsored by FIWARE and Mastercard both providing invaluable support including mentorship in their respective areas and some great prizes.
The Smart City App Hack has been initiated by the City of Barcelona as an open platform for cities around the world wishing to foster local entrepreneurship and value creation for it’s citizens.
For further information, you can contact us by email or mobile at maria@dotopen.com or +34 933568677. We are also in Twitter @smartcityhack #SCAH