The Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry has teamed up with the Smart Dubai Office to launch the Dubai Smartpreneur Competition, a competition for young entrepreneurs interested in turning Dubai into a smart city.

The competition is designed with the aim to provide up-and-coming entrepreneurs with the opportunity and inspiration to be part Dubai’s transformation to a global benchmark smart city, supporting the vision to make Dubai the happiest city on earth through technology and innovation. Deadline for submissions is April 28.

The competition prize of 150,000 Emirati dirhams will be distributed among the first three winners. Winners will also have the opportunity to participate in the chamber's Tejar Dubai entrepreneurship development program, created to motivate aspiring entrepreneurs to enter the business world. The program helps individuals advance their business ideas through training and expert advice.

Dubai seeks to distinguish itself as the global leader delivering Smart Economy and Smart Living opportunities for all by a strategy that depends on the following dimensions: smart economy, smart living, smart people, smart mobility, smart governance, smart environment, smart people and smart ICT infrastructure. 

All applications will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• What problem does the business address? Does it address a large or growing market opportunity?
• Does the idea have a value proposition and identify customers’ need for the product or service?
• Has the idea evaluated the market and competitive landscape?
• Does the plan understand its customers?
• How does the idea support Smart Dubai dimensions?
• Has the team demonstrated passion about their idea?
• Does the team have a thorough and credible execution plan?
• What is the idea’s Business Model? What are its revenue generation methods?
• What are the idea’s financial growth projections?

If you have such a business idea, we welcome you to submit your pitch here.

All applications will be assessed by a high profile panel of judges from Smart Dubai and the Dubai Chamber.