Dubai residents, business leaders and public servants now have a formal platform to showcase how they have turned ambitious ideas into concrete results. The inaugural Dubai-it Award opens nominations on August 10, seeking to recognize individuals, projects, companies and organizations across government, real estate, technology, health, education and nine other sectors that have delivered measurable impact through rapid, excellent execution.
The award reflects a governing philosophy centered on action and tangible outcomes. Launched under the directives of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, the initiative stems from a broader vision promoted by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to embed a culture of achievement across institutions, companies and the wider community.
Mohammad Abdullah Al Gergawi, Chairman of The Executive Office of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, framed the award as a mechanism to sustain Dubai’s defining approach. “The Dubai-it Award is the force that keeps Dubai’s philosophy of action alive, visible, and moving forward year after year,” Al Gergawi said. He emphasized that the award would encourage pursuit of greater achievement, excellence and tangible results while establishing the “Dubai-it” philosophy as a working method across sectors.
The award recognizes achievements in three categories: Individuals, Projects, and Institutions and Companies. Coverage spans ten fields reflecting key areas of Dubai’s development: Government, Real Estate, Economy, Business, Technology, Sports, Society, Education, Services and Health. This breadth allows recognition across the full spectrum of Dubai’s institutional and economic life.
Evaluation centers on how achievements embody the core “Dubai-it” definition: accomplishing something extraordinary with excellence in record time. Judges will assess the scale and significance of an achievement, the quality of its execution, speed and efficiency of delivery, and alignment with Dubai’s philosophy of work. Additional criteria include the ability to convert vision into tangible results, scale of impact, sustainability and growth potential, and whether the achievement can serve as a model inspiring others.
For the inaugural edition, achievements delivered over the past four years are eligible. From the second edition onwards, the award will focus on achievements from the preceding 24 months. The annual cycle runs from September to May, with nominations and evaluation for the following edition occurring during June, July and August.
Applicants must provide detailed information about the achievement, the challenge or opportunity that prompted it, the steps taken to deliver it, the results achieved and its impact on people, the city, sector, organization, economy or society. Supporting evidence such as performance indicators, figures, reports, photographs, media material, certificates and other relevant documentation must accompany submissions. The award team may conduct interviews or request additional information to verify details and evidence.
Nominations remain open until September 10. Individuals, companies, organizations and other entities can nominate themselves or others through the award’s digital platform at www.dubai-it.ae. Individuals can be nominated directly or by their companies, organizations or affiliated bodies. Companies and organizations can nominate their projects, teams or individuals who played key roles in delivering an achievement.
Al Gergawi described the award’s broader purpose plainly: “The Award is designed to pull people toward action. To spotlight those who lead, build, transform, and deliver.” He added that the award would create an annual platform to identify and document achievements that contribute to Dubai’s progress, making visible the work that drives the city forward. Whether the first cycle of winners, to be determined between September and May, will set a benchmark ambitious enough to shape how institutions across the ten sectors approach delivery in the years ahead remains the real test of the initiative’s reach.