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Dubai’s digital economy booms with 1,210 new startups in 2024
Emirati app development talent surged, with a 170% increase in training.
Dubai’s digital economy is experiencing rapid growth. The Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy reported support for 1,210 new digital startups in 2024, marking a 120% increase from the previous year. This surge highlights Dubai’s growing appeal as a hub for entrepreneurs in the digital sector.
The chamber also announced a significant boost in Emirati app development talent, with 1,333 citizens trained in mobile application development fundamentals, a 170% increase from 2023.
This achievement is part of the “Create Apps in Dubai” initiative, launched by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai. The initiative aims to train 1,000 Emiratis to enhance digital capabilities, tripling the number of app developers in Dubai by 2025 and supporting 100 new national app development projects.
Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications and Chairman of the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, emphasized the chamber’s commitment to realizing Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s vision and Sheikh Hamdan’s directives. He highlighted the importance of leveraging advanced technologies to reinforce Dubai’s position as a global leader in the digital economy.
Al Olama stressed the need to harness the potential of advanced technology sectors to drive Dubai’s economic growth and to continue initiatives that empower Emirati talent in smart applications. He also reaffirmed the chamber’s commitment to fostering a thriving business ecosystem for digital startups.
The “Create Apps in Dubai” initiative’s app competition, which received over 1,100 entries from 64 countries, showcased the growing global interest in Dubai’s app development scene. UAE participants accounted for 70% of the submissions, with the remaining 30% coming from international developers.
The Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy organized 20 international roadshows to promote Dubai’s digital landscape and Expand North Star, the world’s largest startup and investor event. The 2024 edition of Expand North Star saw record participation, attracting over 1,800 startups and 1,200 investors managing more than $1 trillion in assets.
The exhibition featured 65 unicorn companies with a combined market value exceeding $400 billion.
The chamber’s Business in Dubai platform was a key resource for companies expanding in the emirate, offering institutional services with 77 partners and facilitating business matching. Additionally, the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy hosted 21 events, signed 12 MoUs to enhance digital sector collaboration, and issued six economic reports, further showcasing Dubai’s dynamic digital economy.
