Create Apps Championship winners highlight Dubai’s strength as a base for scaling digital businesses

Winners of past editions of Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy’s Create Apps Championship have highlighted how Dubai is helping entrepreneurs transform promising ideas into scalable digital ventures, with the championship playing a key role in supporting their growth.

Launched in 2023 as part of the ‘Create Apps in Dubai’ initiative, the championship supports participants through specialised training, mentorship, connections with investors and partners, and funding to develop and launch winning apps.

Mariam Mohammed Almarri, Co-Founder of Boom, said: “A major milestone in our journey was participating in the Create Apps Championship, where Boom was recognised as ‘Dubai’s App of the Year 2025’ and ‘Most Impactful App’. This recognition enabled us to build Boom and transport it from an idea into a real product.”

Rakesh Mavath, Co-Founder and CEO of Takeem, said: “The first thing it gave us was credibility. The second was exposure; standing on that stage put Takeem in front of an audience we could not have bought our way into. The third was access; DCDE opened doors deliberately to enterprise players, government stakeholders, and investors. From that first cohort, we have now onboarded over 100,000 units and more than AED 9 billion in annual rental value.”

Bassem Nassif, Founder of The Intern, said: “The feedback from judges and mentors pushed us to refine the idea, the model, and the whole experience. The pitch process forced us to distil our story into something sharp enough to win over an HR director in five minutes.”

Mahra Al Hosani, Founder and CEO of Pharmedic, said: “The Create Apps Championship supported Pharmedic in strengthening the digital delivery of our healthcare services and refining how we bring precision medicine closer to patients and healthcare providers. It provided valuable exposure to board advisors, strategic partners, healthcare regulators, and stakeholders.”

About Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy

Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy works to position Dubai as a global leader in the digital economy. Its mandate includes attracting companies, talent, and investment while creating a supportive environment for digital business growth.