• Eduployment Portals, Diwama and Soul Artists named as top 3 winners of the competition.

• Top 3 winners received cash prizes, access to investors and mentorship.

• UAE accounted for a majority of business solutions submitted in the 6th cycle of the competition, followed by South Asia, Middle east and Africa.

• Over 2,000 smart business concepts submitted over the last six cycles of the competition.

Dubai, UAE: Dubai Chamber of Commerce has announced the top three winners of the 6th edition of the Dubai Smartpreneur Competition at the closing ceremony of the Enterprise Agility Forum 2022, which took place earlier today at Expo 2020 Dubai.

Eduployment Portals, a global online recruitment platform designed to help blue-collar workers develop English language skills, claimed first place; Diwama, an AI-based image recognition software that automates waste analysis and drives recycling revenues for waste management companies, placed second; followed by the third-place winner Soul Artists, a global online peer-to-peer platform for discovering and booking performing artists and musicians for events and occasions.

The annual competition, organised under Dubai Startup Hub aims to support talented founders, incubator innovative technology concepts, and promote entrepreneurship in the Emirate. The announcements came after the top 10 finalists made their final pitch to an expert panel of judges, joined by Tomaso Rodriguez, CEO of Talabat; Mona Ataya, CEO of Mumzworld; Talal Bayaa, CEO of Bayzat; and Raja Al Mazrouei, Executive Vice President of FinTech Hive at DIFC.

In his opening remarks during the ceremony, H.E. Faisal Belhoul, Board Member of Dubai Chambers, noted that this edition of the competition aimed to identify novel technology solutions in the fields of Trade, Opportunity, and Sustainability, adding that the UAE accounted for 71% of submissions in the sixth cycle, followed by South Asia with 10%, the Middle East with 7% and Africa with just over 4%.

“There is no better platform than Expo 2020 Dubai for our finalists to pitch business solutions that are challenging the status quo while transforming existing industries, as the mega event is showcasing cutting-edge innovations from around the world,” H.E. Belhoul said.

Prior to the awards ceremony, a total of 30 submissions were initially shortlisted before the finalists were selected. The finalists, which also included Hamples; Manhat; Hydro Wind Energy; PalletPal; One Moto; AIOTIZE Pvt Ltd; and Digital Energy - made their business pitches in the final round of the competition.

Over 2,000 startups from around the world have applied over the last six cycles of the Dubai Smartpreneur Competition. The sixth cycle, held earlier this year, attracted over 280 smart business solutions which fell under the categories of Trade, Opportunity and Sustainability. 

Launched as an initiative of Dubai Chamber of Commerce in 2016, Dubai Startup Hub is the first initiative of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa region. The hub has been designed to emphasis the value of public and private sector collaboration and embodies the aim of encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship as a main driver of the economy of Dubai and the UAE.