Smart Dubai to Host Third Series of Global Blockchain Challenge

The Smart Dubai Office (SDO) is partnering with the Dubai Future Accelerators to host the Smart Dubai Global Blockchain Challenge 2019, which seeks innovative startups with original and feasible use cases that can contribute to Dubai's goals to become the first blockchain-powered city by 2020.

The deadline for has been set for January 30,2019, and the shortlisted 20 startups will be flying to Dubai to take part in a pitching competition at the world's largest blockchain gathering, Future Blockchain Summit. The final Pitching and Awarding Ceremony are scheduled to take place on April 3, 2019.

Finalists of the Challenge will pitch their ideas in Dubai to an audience of investors, experts, private and public institutions. Three winners will be chosen among the finalists to receive first, second, and third place prize money of $20,000, $15,000 and $10,000, respectively, and the opportunity to implement their product or service in Dubai.

Last year’s challenge attracted 200 applications from companies in 85 cities across 44 countries. The contest intended to find the most promising blockchain solutions from the private sector that can assist in the implementation of the Dubai Blockchain Strategy. 2018’s success was following up that of the first round of the Global Blockchain Challenge held in 2017, which saw 21 shortlisted startups fly to Dubai from 18 cities from 15 countries including Sweden, United Kingdom, South Korea, Netherlands, Canada, Ukraine, Brazil, New Zealand, Vietnam, Belgium, USA, France, UAE, Italy and South Africa. A wide range of topics were submitted such as integrating blockchain in energy, real estate, asset management, payments, education, healthcare, and supply chain management to social behavior.