H.H. Sheikh Hamdan launches Dubai-it Award

His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai's Crown Prince and the UAE's Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister, has launched the Dubai-it Award, an annual prize intended to recognise "individuals, projects, companies and institutions that... transform bold ideas into exceptional achievements". The award, announced on social media platform X, will be handed out every year "to celebrate achievement while inspiring the next generation of transformative success".

"Dubai-it means delivering something exceptional with excellence, speed and impact, transforming bold ideas into reality, ambition into achievement, and vision into results the world can see," Sheikh Hamdan wrote in the post, linking the concept to the emirate's strategic priorities and development trajectory.

What the Dubai-it Award will recognise

The Dubai-it Award sets out multiple categories covering projects, institutions, companies and individuals. Categories listed in the announcement include:

• Projects: Government project that delivers exceptional results in record time
• Projects: Technology-driven project that transforms ideas into impact
• Projects: Real Estate project that creates exceptional urban impact
• Projects: Educational Project that embeds the Dubai-it philosophy
• Institutions: Government institution distinguished by speed and results
• Institutions: Company that achieves exceptional transformation
• Individuals: Government Project Manager who delivered exceptional achievement
• Individuals: Entrepreneur Who turned an Idea into Exceptional Success

The initiative was described as being "inspired by the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Dubai’s remarkable development journey." Sheikh Hamdan characterised Dubai-it as "a philosophy of action that drives innovation and progress," framing the award as both recognition and a statement of intent about the pace and nature of transformation sought in the emirate.

Context and significance

The Dubai-it Award appears designed to spotlight rapid, high-impact results across public- and private-sector activity, with particular emphasis on technology-driven delivery, urban transformation and education. By including separate categories for government project managers and entrepreneurs, the award explicitly bridges public administration and private innovation as complementary drivers of results.

Sheikh Hamdan's social post was shared by the Dubai Media Office, reflecting official communications channels for the emirate’s leadership. The announcement arrives amid a broader stream of ambitious initiatives unveiled by Dubai's leadership in recent months, including plans for an AI-designed park and other projects framed around technology and design.

Outlook

Organisers have framed the Dubai-it Award as an annual celebration meant to "inspire the next generation of transformative success." With categories spanning government, education, real estate, technology and entrepreneurship, the prize is positioned to become a cross-sector benchmark for speed, scale and visible impact. The coming months should clarify submission and selection processes, the timeline for the inaugural awards, and which projects or figures will be elevated as exemplars of the Dubai-it philosophy.