Smart Dubai is gearing up to launch the third round of the Global Blockchain Challenge, organised in partnership with successful local accelerator, the Dubai Future Accelerators, DFA, and is an initiative of the Dubai Future Foundation, DFF.
The Challenge seeks to source innovative Blockchain start-ups from around the world and bring them to Dubai, which, in turn, further establishes the emirate as an international capital for Blockchain technology.
The competition will be held at the Future Blockchain Summit, taking place April 2-3, 2019 at the Dubai World Trade Centre, where teams shortlisted in the preliminary stages will be invited to come to Dubai and begin training with DFA ahead of the final Blockchain Challenge Presentation and Awards Ceremony. Earlier in May 2018, the Future Blockchain Summit attracted 8,143 attendees, over 140 speakers, and more than 130 start-ups and entrepreneurs from 130 countries.
The objective of the Challenge is to identify innovative projects that can contribute to the implementation of the Dubai Blockchain Strategy 2020, which was announced by Smart Dubai and the Dubai Future Foundation, in a bid to make Dubai the first Blockchain-powered city by 2020.
Regarding the Challenge, Dr Aisha Bint Butti Bin Bishr, Director General of Smart Dubai, said, "Dubai has established itself, and in record time, as a global destination for innovators and entrepreneurs in the Blockchain industry. Guided by the vision of our leadership, the emirate has become synonymous with bravely embracing avant-garde technologies and utilising them to create an advanced, connected and seamless urban experience for its residents and visitors."
"To build a truly smart city, we must establish and empower a holistic Blockchain ecosystem. This includes building the advanced infrastructure for the technology to thrive, but also, and perhaps more importantly, to attract talented and ambitious individuals and start-ups, and empower them to implement their innovations – and that is the essence of the Blockchain Challenge, which now holds its third instalment," added Dr Aisha.
The Dubai Blockchain Strategy revolves around three main pillars: First, increasing government efficiency by transferring all applicable government transactions to the Blockchain network; second, creating a blockchain industry and ecosystem; and third, leading the thinking and advancement of Blockchain technology around the world. The Blockchain Challenge will contribute to be the Strategy’s industry creation pillar by identifying the most innovative Blockchain ideas from start-ups around the world, and bringing them to Dubai.
|