The information and communications sector contributes 4.4% to the emirate's GDP
Dubai is an incubator for digital companies and a center for their global launch
Dubai Internet City witnessed the implementation of billions of deals, such as the acquisition of "Uber" on "Careem".
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Sectors that built Dubai's economy
The Emirate of Dubai has achieved widespread global fame, making it a global destination for the economy, attracting capital and entrepreneurs from different countries, and becoming a springboard for many billion companies thanks to its advanced infrastructure and flexible legislative environment.
Several sectors have contributed to the growth of the emirate's economy and achieved leaps and bounds in all fields over the past years. Perhaps the most prominent of these sectors are: aviation, tourism, retail, technology, real estate, foreign trade, manufacturing and financial services.
The aviation sector continued to support the growth of Dubai's economy with high rates of passenger flow and linking the emirate to the outside world.
Dubai International Airport is an essential tributary to the emirate's economy, and a major enabling factor in the growth of the country's trade volume in general, and Dubai in particular, with various global markets.
The tourism sector has contributed to the diversification of the emirate's economy, as Dubai has huge tourism potentials and a developed infrastructure that has made it a favorite destination to visit throughout the year.
The retail trade sector is one of the activities that support the growth and diversification of Dubai's economy, as it has contributed to keeping pace with the economic development movement in the emirate.
The real estate sector has also recorded remarkable growth levels during the last period, as Dubai has become a magnet for investors from all over the world.
Dubai real estate witnessed a significant improvement in its investment attractiveness with the high return on investment from leasing it thanks to the stimulating measures.
Experts in various sectors of information technology systems said that Dubai has taken proactive initiatives in the early transformation of automation services and smart and digital solutions, which made it a destination for establishing and attracting the headquarters of global technology companies.
They pointed out to "Emirates Today" that the technology sectors in Dubai are a key supporter of the growth and diversification of the local economy, pointing out that the development of technical infrastructure in Dubai, and the facilities for the investment and living climate, have enhanced the attractiveness of emerging technology companies to work and develop their activities in Dubai and launch. of it to the world.
Dubai witnessed the launch of many cases of emerging technology companies that launched from the emirate's markets to international companies, most notably the companies "Souq", "Swvl", "Careem", and other companies that took Dubai as a cradle for the launch of their businesses, and the transformation into companies Unicorn billion.
A report issued by the Dubai Statistics Center showed that the information and communications sector contributes to the GDP of the Emirate of Dubai at constant prices for the first quarter of this year, at a rate of about 4.41%.
a decent position
In detail, Tariq Hegazy, head of the public sector at Microsoft UAE, said, "Dubai enjoys a prominent position as a center for technical innovation, especially with its distinguished geographical location and its important role at the regional and international levels in this field. Infrastructure for vital sectors such as ports, transportation and communications.
He added, "Dubai represents a unique and incubator environment for technical entrepreneurship, as it sees many accelerators and business incubators such as Dubai Silicon Oasis, Dubai Technology Center for Entrepreneurship, and the Fintech Hive Program, which is the largest center for financial technology, affiliated with the Dubai International Financial Center. And many other examples that reflect the existence of a fertile and incubating environment to support companies on the scale of their regional and global development.”
Hegazy explained that "all of this contributes to creating greater market opportunities and an attractive home for all talents, and in fact this is reflected in the achievements of the UAE in general, which is ranked first in the region and 12th in the world in global competitiveness."
He said, "Dubai is a role model in the way it dealt with the repercussions of the (Corona) pandemic, as it responded very quickly to face the challenges posed by the crisis, and the pandemic contributed to accelerating the process of digital transformation at the level of all sectors, as we witnessed an acceleration in the process of digital transformation, achieved In a few weeks.”
He pointed out that "with regard to the effects of Dubai's excellence in attracting technology companies and digital transformation initiatives, in support of the emirate's orientation towards a knowledge and innovation economy, the greatest impact is focused on the growing demand for technical skills. If you look at the regular surveys conducted by employment officials in the region, Around the most in-demand jobs, you will see continued demand for roles such as programmers, digital marketing specialists, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence.”
He added, "Based on its high rank in the Global Smart Cities Index for 2021, harnessing the power of today's advanced technologies, and the excellence of its skilled workforce, Dubai can strengthen its leadership in the region, as the most sustainable smart city in the future."
Technology and the digital economy
For his part, Vice President of Digital Infrastructure Solutions at GBM, Hani Nofal, said, "Dubai has been proactive for many years in supporting the fields of technology and smart and digital transformation, through various gradual stages, which has enhanced the participation of technology as a key factor. In supporting local economic growth, and the transformation of digital economy initiatives,” he pointed out, “Dubai has a global reputation for technology transformation initiatives, which has made it a haven for emerging technology companies, and a preferred location for the establishment of regional centers for global technology companies, some of which are based in Dubai since Long years.”
He added that "the facilities provided by Dubai, in terms of infrastructure development, work environment, and investment climate, support the transformation of many technology companies to work in them, whether through branches or corporate headquarters, which in turn is reflected in positive economic effects."
Nofal explained that “Dubai has succeeded in dealing effectively and quickly with the challenges of the pandemic, through technology initiatives and the rapid and expanded transformation in smart services in institutions, which made technology companies, in turn, integrate into that system, during the height of the pandemic, and participate in the digital transformation of services, and work.” Remotely, which made technology companies record remarkable growth rates in their businesses during the pandemic, whether by providing applications that support remote work, or technical devices or solutions for electronic security and privacy services, which enhance the process of remote work, or hybrid work in Companies, or even e-commerce solutions or digital platforms to deliver orders, as all of these products have witnessed a boom and revival in their business, in light of the pandemic, with the support of the infrastructure and the distinctive technical climate that Dubai provides as a smart city.”
digital initiatives
For his part, Nick Curran, Director of the Middle East and North Africa at Ndava International for Software Solutions and Digital Transformation, said, “The level of commitment that Dubai leaders and government figures have put into digital acceleration initiatives is the most attractive aspect for global technology companies looking to Establishing its headquarters in Dubai.
He explained that "Dubai's interest in keeping abreast of technology trends distinguishes it from other cities as an innovative and future destination for commercial centers for technology companies, and in a way that provides digital initiatives, which have many economic benefits," noting that "for example, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed announced Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, announced the “Dubai Metaverse Strategy” last July, which is scheduled to add four billion dollars (14.6 billion dirhams), and 40,000 virtual jobs to the emirate’s economy in the next five years, and this supports making the emirate a part of the emirate’s economy. One of the 10 largest economies in the world.
Attracting companies
Curran pointed out that "attracting technology companies and digital transformation initiatives contributed to the growth of the emirate and the digital economy of the country, as the digital economy of the UAE represents 4.4% of the gross domestic product, and the percentage is expected to rise significantly during the next few years."
He pointed out that «the country is expected to strengthen its position in the digital economy, supported by factors including developments in e-commerce, improving information technology infrastructure, increasing the spread of Internet services, the use of smart phones, and the expansion of electronic payment systems, as well as the great government support for digital acceleration. ».
He stated that “at a time when Dubai quickly adapted to the difficult conditions of the pandemic, which forced all global companies to close, this also paved the way for acceleration in digital transformation, despite the fact that companies have already implemented digital transformation strategies, and it was not expected These strategies have been in place for several years, and the (Covid-19) pandemic has made it clear that digital acceleration is inevitable, and Dubai has managed it well.”
He added that "technology companies operating in Dubai recorded a boom in their business, as more people began to shift towards virtual solutions and services."
pandemic management
Vice President and General Manager of VMware for the Middle East, Turkey and North Africa, Ahmed Odeh, said, "Dubai took decisive measures during the outbreak of the (Corona) pandemic, and encouraged institutions to adopt technology to help protect citizens and residents and ensure their health and well-being, while maintaining It also affected social and economic development, and this had a positive impact on technology investment, as it prompted many companies to accelerate their digital transformation plans, as managing the pandemic crisis in Dubai positively reflected on the technology sector.
He added, "Dubai continues to attract more technology companies and investments, while encouraging digital transformation in all sectors, and this certainly helps support a knowledge-based economy, which depends on modern applications and the efficient use of data and technologies such as cloud computing, edge computing, artificial intelligence and machine learning."
supportive business environment
Zakaria Haltout, CEO of SAP International Technology Solutions in the UAE, said, "The UAE in general, and Dubai in particular, is a dynamic and supportive environment for business, due to the ability to access the many talents in it, the desire for digital transformation, and initiatives to move to Cloud-based computing.
The founder and CEO of the Okadoc digital platform, Fodhil Benturquia, stressed that “Dubai has developed into a major regional center and an attraction for technology and innovation. This makes it a popular website for businesses.”
He explained that "Dubai offers various centers to incubate emerging technology companies, most notably the Dubai Technology Entrepreneurship Center (DITEC), which is an integrated technical community center, which includes many emerging companies and leading small and medium companies in the region, so Dubai is home to many thriving startups. Especially in the technology sector.
In turn, the general manager of Eaton Middle East, Ashraf Yahya, explained that "there is another aspect of the prosperity of companies in Dubai, which is the ability to bring and adopt the latest new innovations and put them as a priority in the emirate's vision and strive to adopt the latest technologies and innovations before any other country, and this A distinctive feature of a city that welcomes innovation, new ideas and technologies such as 3D printing and artificial intelligence techniques and sciences.”
Rodrigo Castillo, Vice President for the Middle East and Africa at Out Systems, said, "It is not surprising that many technology companies and technology start-ups are seeking Dubai to become the ideal center to start their business, while adopting and accommodating all new technology trends. globally, and in a way that supports the growth of companies,” noting that “one of the most prominent initiatives adopted by Dubai is the “One Million Arab Coders” initiative, which works to empower Arab youth with programming skills.
Haider Pasha, Head of Information Security at Palo Alto Networks for the Middle East and Africa, said, "Dubai is distinguished by being a center of innovation, with its advanced infrastructure, and is constantly working to enhance its competitiveness and attractiveness for business," noting that "the Dubai government has directed, finally, By forming a higher committee to prepare a strategy (Dubai Metaverse) to contribute to enhancing Dubai’s position as a global center for new technology, and such efforts and initiatives help companies focus on new emerging technologies, which will positively reflect on the work of companies and the growth of the digital economy.”
Keri Kotsikos, Vice President and General Manager of Infor Technology in the Middle East and Africa, added, "There are many positives to the presence of the headquarters of technology companies in Dubai, most notably the continuous adoption of future technology initiatives, which makes Dubai about 10 years ahead of the rest of the world. The world, and demonstrates the government's commitment to technical transformation and the use of technology to stimulate investment and development.
• The technical infrastructure, investment and living facilities have enhanced the attraction of startups to work in Dubai.
• Dubai has implemented proactive initiatives in the early transformation of automation services and smart solutions.
Launching into the world
Dubai has witnessed many successful experiences that launched their businesses as emerging technology companies, from the city to international companies later, which led to attracting giant international companies to acquire and include them in their business.
Among the most prominent experiences in Dubai, and in particular Dubai Internet City, is the implementation of a number of billion deals, such as the acquisition of the international company “Uber” on “Careem”, which was launched from the city, through a deal worth 11 billion dirhams, as it was the largest time in the market Acquisition deals for start-up companies in the UAE and the region.
The Amazon acquisition of Souq.com at a value of three billion dirhams is one of the prominent deals on the launch of emerging technology companies from Dubai towards the world.
The South African company, Naspers, also announced, during 2019, its complete acquisition of the online shopping company Dubizzle, which was launched from Dubai with a total deal value of more than $400 million, while several companies that started in Dubai have launched to the world, such as Cleartrip. Technology for Travel Services, or “Swvl” for Transportation Services Technologies.
Proactive Initiatives
Dubai has been distinguished for many years by exploring the future through pioneering initiatives regionally or even compared to many countries of the world, and among the first initiatives that strengthened Dubai’s technical position and leadership was the directive of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, in 1999, establishing Dubai Internet City to be a free economic zone and a strategic business base for technology companies in various fields.
The city recorded rapid development stages, with the number of companies operating in it growing, from about 100 companies to reach more than 1,600 companies, while the city includes more than 24,000 specialists and entrepreneurs in technical sectors, and the city’s area has developed from several thousand square feet to reach about More than six million square feet to keep pace with the growth of demand for the city.
Many international information technology companies have taken the city as a center to manage their business in the state and regional markets, and among the most prominent international companies operating in the city are Microsoft, Oracle, Cisco, Google, and IBM. The city includes many data and innovation centers belonging to international companies, in addition to the "IN5" center, as an incubator for emerging technology companies.
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