2026-08-10
Dubai opened nominations for the first Dubai-it Award on August 10, 2026. Individuals, projects, institutions and companies can submit entries on the official platform dubai-it.ae until September 10, 2026. The award was established under the directives of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and it honours those who turn bold ideas into measurable results across 10 fields, from economy and real estate to technology and health. For the inaugural edition, achievements delivered over the past four years are eligible.
A new award born from a working philosophy
The award grows directly out of the wider Dubai-it initiative launched by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on June 17, 2026. The phrase “Dubai it” describes a way of working that the emirate wants to make its trademark: take an ambitious idea, execute it with excellence, and deliver a tangible outcome in record time. The new award turns that philosophy into an institution with its own annual cycle, criteria and public recognition.
Mohammad Abdullah Al Gergawi, Chairman of The Executive Office, described the intent behind the project: “The Award is designed to pull people toward action. To spotlight those who lead, build, transform, and deliver.” In other words, this is not a lifetime achievement medal. It is a prize for verified, recent execution.
Who can be nominated: three segments, 10 fields
The Dubai-it Award recognises three types of nominees:
- Individuals whose personal drive produced an exceptional result;
- Projects that moved from concept to delivered outcome;
- Institutions and companies, both public and private, that transformed the way they operate or created something new for the emirate.
Nominations are accepted across 10 fields: government, real estate, economy, business, technology, sports, society, education, services and health. The list deliberately covers almost the entire economy of the emirate, so a logistics operator, a school, a proptech startup and a hospital can all compete in their own lanes. Private businesses operating in Dubai, including foreign founded companies, fall squarely within the scope of the business, economy, technology and services fields.
Key dates and how to apply
The timeline for the first edition is compact. Nominations opened on August 10, 2026 and close on September 10, 2026, one month later. Entries are submitted through the digital platform dubai-it.ae. For this inaugural cycle, the judges will consider achievements, projects, initiatives and transformations delivered over the past four years. In subsequent editions the window narrows to the preceding 24 months, and the award settles into a regular annual rhythm: nominations in June, July and August, with the evaluation programme running from September through May.
A complete nomination is expected to document the story of the achievement, not just claim it. Applicants should prepare:
- a clear description of the achievement and the idea behind it;
- the challenges faced along the way;
- the implementation steps that were actually taken;
- the results and their wider impact;
- supporting evidence, such as performance metrics and media coverage.
Eight criteria the judges will apply
The organisers have published eight evaluation standards, and they read like a checklist of what Dubai values in execution:
- the exceptional nature of the achievement;
- excellence and quality of execution;
- speed and efficiency of delivery;
- embodiment of Dubai’s philosophy of work;
- conversion of vision into tangible results;
- exceptional impact;
- sustainability and potential for further growth;
- clarity of the model and its power to inspire others.
Two of the eight criteria, speed and clarity of the model, are worth underlining. The award explicitly rewards how fast a result was delivered and whether others can replicate the approach. That is a strong signal about the operating culture the emirate wants to encourage.
What the award means for the business community
For companies working in or with Dubai, the award matters beyond the trophy. First, it is public recognition infrastructure: a winning project or company gains a government endorsed reference that carries weight with banks, landlords, partners and clients. Second, the criteria telegraph how the emirate evaluates performance, and that same logic shows up in government procurement, licensing decisions and partnership programmes. Building a company that documents its results, measures impact and moves quickly is now, quite literally, an award winning strategy in Dubai.
The four year lookback window for the first edition is also notable. A business that launched in Dubai in 2022 or later and can show measurable outcomes is already eligible. For founders still weighing an entry into the market, the award is one more sign that the emirate competes for ambitious operators, not just for capital. Setting up the right structure is the first step, and our guide to the real cost of company formation in the UAE in 2026 breaks down what that takes in practice.
How Atlant Capital can help
Atlant Capital works with founders and companies entering the UAE market. We handle company setup in Dubai free zones and on the mainland, from licence selection to registration, and we support work visas and residency for shareholders and employees. If your company is building a track record in Dubai that could one day back a Dubai-it nomination, we can help you put the corporate foundation in place: the right licence, a working bank account and a clean compliance file. Write to us through the contact form and we will map out the practical steps for your case.
Conclusion
The Dubai-it Award is a small news item with a large subtext. Dubai is codifying its execution culture into a public institution, and it is inviting individuals, projects and companies, local and international alike, to be measured against it. The first window is short: nominations are open on dubai-it.ae from August 10 until September 10, 2026, covering achievements of the past four years. For anyone who has delivered a serious result in the emirate since 2022, the month ahead is the time to write it up.
FAQ
What is the Dubai-it Award and who established it?
The Dubai-it Award is a new annual award established under the directives of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai. It grows out of the Dubai-it philosophy launched by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum on June 17, 2026, and it honours individuals, projects and companies that turn ambitious ideas into measurable results with speed and excellence.
Who can apply for the Dubai-it Award 2026?
Nominations are open to three segments: individuals, projects, and institutions or companies. Entries can be submitted in 10 fields, including government, real estate, economy, business, technology, sports, society, education, services and health. Private companies operating in Dubai, including foreign founded ones, are eligible within the relevant fields.
When is the deadline to submit a Dubai-it Award nomination?
For the first edition, nominations are accepted on the platform dubai-it.ae from August 10 to September 10, 2026. The inaugural cycle considers achievements delivered over the past four years; in later editions the eligibility window narrows to the preceding 24 months.
How are Dubai-it Award nominations evaluated?
Entries are assessed against eight criteria: exceptional nature of the achievement, excellence of execution, speed and efficiency, embodiment of Dubai’s philosophy of work, conversion of vision into tangible results, exceptional impact, sustainability and growth potential, and clarity of the model. Applicants must document challenges, implementation steps, results and evidence such as performance metrics.
