UAE is leading the way in adopting smart technologies and innovation

Inayat-ur-Rahman, Business Editor

The Gitex Global 2023 entered its third day on Wednesday.  A cross-section of exhibitors and government entities share their candid views with Gulf Today. According to them the UAE is marching ahead in adopting smart technologies, adding that Gitex Global is a key platform to explore and exhibit latest technologies.

Abu Dhabi pavilion

The Abu Dhabi Government pavilion showcased further projects and initiatives on the second day of Gitex Global in alignment with its theme of ‘Leading the Digital Future of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi’.

Projects and initiatives across many fields and areas were highlighted, including cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, blockchain technology and analytics, all to leverage technology and innovation to deliver service excellence and an enhanced customer experience.

“The latest version of TAMM was only made possible by collaboration between more than 30 Abu Dhabi Government entities, all working together towards achieving the government’s vision of enabling the Emirate’s people and communities through innovation and digitalisation,” said Ahmed Tamim Hisham Al Kuttab, Chairman of the Department of Government Enablement - Abu Dhabi.

“In alignment with Abu Dhabi’s digital transformation strategy, our ambition is to create an advanced digital ecosystem that reflects the aspirations of our people and sets a new global benchmark for how government services are delivered,” he added.

Dr. Mohamed Abdel Hameed Al Askar, Representative of the Abu Dhabi Government Services Unified Platform “TAMM” at DGE, said, “Thanks to the insights of citizens and residents across Abu Dhabi, the latest version of TAMM has been developed to prioritise user needs, creating a more enhanced, customer-centric and personalised platform that simplifies access to government and private sector services for residents and businesses alike.”

Juwai IQI

The Co-Founder and Group CEO of global proptech Juwai IQI, Kashif Ansari, during a panel discussion at the Expand North Star 2023 shared his advice on how Gulf startups can rapidly grow and perhaps even become unicorns, or companies worth $1 billion.

“Scaling is always a challenge,” Ansari said. “The most important advice I would give to other startups is to get it right before you scale.

“If you’re trying to scale and at the same time fix fundamental problems, you will run into difficulties.”

Ansari said that Juwai IQI is already operating in 20 countries and that entering new national markets means dealing with new legal systems and real estate norms.

“We have to resist the urge to try to make each market fit our tech platform. Instead, we need to adapt the platform to best serve the reality on the ground.”

“Technology is digitizing things that people used to think couldn’t be digitized. Founders have to focus on solving problems for their customers and users if they want to survive.

“Juwai IQI is leading the new generation of residential real estate proptechs,” Ansari said. “We combine a 30,000-strong network of real estate agents with a super-app and Asia’s top international property portals.

“Our growth path involves expanding our agent network, building bigger audiences for our portals, and further improvements to our super-app so our agents can be increasingly productive.”

“We operate in the real estate industry and our growth journey involves capturing more of the revenue generated in a transaction process. We do that by owning the agency network, the marketing portals, and the productivity software.”

“The first generation of proptechs involved portals that simply put print classified ads online. At the same time, there were some proptechs providing CRM and operations management software to real estate agents and property developers.

“Juwai IQI is the next generation. We’ve seen that those two models can only go so far. So we bring them together and combine them with a network of human agents. Our platform includes Asia’s two largest online marketplaces for international real estate and also a super-app that empowers agents to be more successful.

“We have already established leadership in some key areas. Our international property portals are number-one in China and number-one across the rest of Asia. Our super-app, Atlas, is in a class of its own. And we recently rolled out new AI-powered technologies to defeat money laundering and further increase productivity.” Ansari concluded.

SurveySparrow

SurveySparrow, a leading experience management platform, is organically expanding in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region with a host of strategic initiatives aimed at delivering exceptional services and enhancing data security. The company hosted a premium, exclusive event, “RefineCX 2023,”, bringing together more than 40 prominent CX leaders, visionaries, and entrepreneurs. The event featured groundbreaking discussions and keynote speeches centered on leveraging technology to enhance customer journeys in the digital age.

The event was highlighted by a stirring keynote from Hazem El Zayat, Chief Experience Officer - MENA, Memac Ogilvy, titled ‘Crafting Exceptional Customer Journey in the Digital Age.’ “In today’s fast-evolving digital landscape, understanding and anticipating customer needs isn’t just beneficial; it’s essential. Technology isn’t replacing the human touch; it’s amplifying it. The brands that will lead tomorrow are those seamlessly integrating technology to craft customer journeys that feel not just personalized, but deeply personal,” stated El Zayat during his address.

This theme was further explored in a panel discussion, “CX 2.0: Leveraging AI for Transformative Customer Journeys,” featuring insights from Lara Khouri, Founder of there is no spoon, and Biju Nair, Assistant Director Customer Experience and L&D, Ejadah Asset Management Group. The discussion delved into practical strategies for integrating AI in customer experience, emphasizing that the future of CX is not just technology-driven but also empathy-driven.

“RefineCX 2023 was a congregation of visionaries, united by a common goal,” said Shihab Muhammed, Founder and CEO of SurveySparrow.

Schneider Electric

Schneider Electric has  launched the APC Smart-UPS Ultra, the industry’s first 3kW 1U single-phase Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS) at Gitex Global 2023

Designed to deliver more power, flexibility, and intelligent monitoring in the smallest footprint, the APC Smart-UPS Ultra enables IT professionals and solution providers to address many of the challenges with deploying IT infrastructure in distributed edge computing environments and at the edge.

“To meet the digital demands, it’s crucial that data centers in MEA be sustainable, efficient, and adaptable. Schneider Electric continues to innovate and address customer needs with the introduction of the APC Smart-UPS Ultra,” commented Mouna Essa-Egh, Vice President Middle East Africa, Secure Power Division, Schneider Electric. “The APC Smart-UPS Ultra is redefining the single-phase UPS, making it lighter and more powerful with the next generation semiconductor technology. In addition, it uses lithium-ion technology to power distributed IT and edge computing sites to ensure our digital Life is On.”

The edge computing market in the MEA region is undergoing tremendous growth, growing at 18.2% to reach $4.88 billion by 2028, according to Business Market Insights.

Cloudera

New research from Cloudera, the data company for trusted enterprise artificial intelligence (AI), has revealed that compliance is the main concern for 80% of IT decision-makers (ITDMs) when managing data. This comes when the same number of ITDMs (80%) also worry that data is spiralling out of control in their organisation.

“With data continuing to scale, compliance remains a significant challenge for many organisations, which is one of the many things we wish to address at GITEX Global 2023. Emerging innovations like AI will add further complexity, and with new regulations on the horizon, remaining compliant will only become more difficult,” says Karim Azar, Regional Vice President of Middle East & Turkey at Cloudera. “Organisations must start to think of data as a product and protect their greatest asset by ensuring that compliance is always on and everywhere.”

Minnapad

Minnapad, a leading startup representing Japan’s advancement in Web3 is exhibiting at GITEX alongside the JETRO, one of Japanese arms, further solidifying its position as a pioneer in the integration of Japanese IP creation and blockchain technology.

As an emerging market for Japanese pop culture overseas, the MENA region holds tremendous potential for Minnapad and its innovative blockchain technology solutions. During the exhibition, Minnapad is showcasing two Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs) powered by blockchain technology, which have revolutionized the way fans and creators collaborate. By leveraging the DAO model, Minnapad presents a unique opportunity for fans and creators to co-create, ensuring full ownership and profitability. This revolutionary approach sets Minnapad apart as an industry leader in empowering Japanese IP creators and their fanbase.

In addition to the groundbreaking DAOs, Minnapad is also unveiling its latest intellectual properties (IPs). These IPs exemplify the company’s commitment to taking Japanese IP creation to new heights by harnessing the potential of blockchain technology.

 “We are proud to be part of Gitex and represent Japan’s advancement in Web3 technology and a transformative future for Japanese IP creation. We recognize the MENA region’s unparalleled dedication to blockchain and cryptocurrency technology, making this the ideal platform to showcase its innovative solutions.  With a strong foundation in the region, Minnapad aims to attract more fans and investors who share its vision of revolutionizing the entertainment industry through the power of blockchain”, said, Tatsuya Nishioka, Founder and CEO, Minnapad.

Acronis

As the global cybersecurity landscape faces increasing turmoil, the latest report from global cyber protection leader, Acronis, reveals a remarkable story of resilience in the UAE and the broader GCC region. The report showcases Acronis’ Insights into the UAE and GCC cybersecurity landscape, painting a compelling picture of how these regions have stood strong against the tide of ransomware attacks, with threats showing signs of flatlining.

Driven by a steadfast dedication to fortify the digital realm in the region, the all-encompassing Acronis Cyberthreat Report 2023 forecasts a distinct levelling off in monthly ransomware detections throughout Q4 of 2023, down from a 6% jump reported in Q1 2023 over Q4 2022.  

The Middle East and largely the UAE region, due to its position as the go-to economic hub, both the public and private sector have been key targets for cyber-attacks. Over the last few years, ransomware has remained the leading threat but due to serious and cost-effective interventions in terms of preparedness and solutions by the key stakeholders, the region is steadily succeeding in mitigating the attacks. Sustained education, upskilling and investment in cyber protection by enterprises across all sectors continues to play a pivotal role in making the region cyber fit,” said Ziad Nasr, general manager, Acronis Middle East.