UAE – The Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) has welcomed the first cohort of 10 regional and global startups graduates from the DIFC Metaverse Accelerator Programme.
Notably, two digital healthcare delivery platforms, Intelligent Assist and ShopDoc, have successfully completed the DIFC Metaverse Accelerator Programme.
The ten startups tapped for the inaugural DIFC programme include Artichoke Labs, Cognitive Technologies, Daoversal, DoDocs, Duverse, Evometa, Flan, Intelligent Assist, ShopDoc, and GoPal.
After an intensive 3 months of intense boot camp workshops, the onboarded promising startups have graduated from the DIFC Metaverse Accelerator Programme.
The graduation ceremony presented a chance for talented entrepreneurs to pitch and showcase the next wave of innovation to the region’s top venture capitalists, angel investors, and industry leaders.
In harmony with the strategic goals of Dubai’s Higher Committee for Future Technology and Digital Economy, DIFC promises to support the growth and development of selected startups at all stages.
In a press release, Mohammad Alblooshi, Chief Executive Officer of the DIFC Innovation Hub, said: “Dubai’s Higher Committee for Future Technology and Digital Economy endorsed the DIFC Metaverse Platform, positioning DIFC as the first government entity globally to champion an integrated Metaverse hub.”
The DIFC Metaverse Accelerator Programme onboarded ten startups at the forefront of innovation in different countries spread across the world including the United Arab Emirates, the United States, India, France, and the United Kingdom.
Remarkably, the DIFC Metaverse Accelerator Programme is backed by prominent programme partners including Abu Dhabi National Insurance Company (ADNIC), DP World, and Daoverse Capital.
The new accelerator programme has garnered the support of a network of over 60 DIFC Innovation Hub ecosystem partners.
Moreover, the inaugural DIFC Metaverse Accelerator Programme was the first initiative announced under the DIFC Metaverse Platform umbrella following the launch of its Metaverse Platform earlier this year.
On his part, Mohammad Alblooshi stated: “To see the DIFC Metaverse Accelerator Programme come to fruition as part of the DIFC Metaverse Platform umbrella is encouraging, without a doubt, it will inspire other startups to join us as we embark on our next phase of growth.”
Through its new programme, the Dubai International Financial Centre intended to extend its reach into specific technology subsectors including Metaverse, Artificial Intelligence, Web3, augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR), and Blockchain sectors.
The accelerator programme is expected to stimulate investment opportunities by building a creator community equipped with the technical and intrapersonal skills of the metaverse.
“Targeting a broad spectrum of Metaverse, Web3, AI, and AR/VR start-ups as well as potential Web3 investors and organisations, the DIFC Metaverse Accelerator Programme is poised to be a game-changer in this era of digital transformation in Dubai and beyond,” outlined Mohammad Alblooshi.
Unsurprisingly, DIFC is uniquely positioned to use its vibrant Metaverse platform to play a key part in reinforcing Dubai’s status as a global hub of innovation.
The strategic goals of the Dubai Metaverse Strategy are to add US$4 billion to the Gross Domestic Product in the Emirate of Dubai, support 40,000 virtual jobs by 2030, and attract 1,000 companies specialised in blockchain and metaverse technologies.
Building on Dubai’s strategic ambitions related to its digital economy, DIFC received over 160 applications from startups willing to join the first-ever cohort of the new accelerator programme.
The graduation of the first cohort of the DIFC Metaverse Accelerator Programme stands as a testament to the Centre’s efforts to drive the future of finance through cutting-edge technology, innovation, and partnerships.
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