Nominations are now open for the inaugural Dubai-it Award, a new annual recognition programme celebrating individuals, projects, companies and institutions that have transformed ambitious ideas into measurable results in Dubai.
Applications for the first edition opened on August 10 and will remain open until September 10, 2026. Eligible nominees can enter themselves or be nominated by another individual, company, organisation or affiliated entity through the official Dubai-it digital platform.
The award focuses on more than the originality of an idea. Entries will be assessed on how effectively an idea was executed, the quality and speed of delivery, the evidence supporting its results and the impact it created.
For its inaugural edition, the Dubai-it Award will consider achievements, initiatives, projects and transformations delivered during the past four years. This expanded eligibility period is intended to capture prominent examples of Dubai’s approach to turning ambition into action.
What Is the Dubai-it Award?
The Dubai-it Award is connected to the broader Dubai-it initiative, which was introduced on June 17, 2026, to describe Dubai’s established philosophy of turning ambitious plans into visible achievements through decisive action, speed and high-quality execution.
The award was subsequently launched under the directives of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai.
Its purpose is to identify, document and celebrate achievements that reflect the Dubai-it philosophy. These may include a major project delivered faster than expected, a technology that produced measurable improvements, a company transformation that created wider economic value or an individual whose leadership helped turn a difficult objective into reality.
Unlike an award centred only on concepts or proposals, the Dubai-it Award requires applicants to present completed work and provable results. The central question is not simply whether an idea was ambitious, but whether it was successfully delivered and created meaningful impact.
Who Can Submit a Nomination?
The Dubai-it Award is open to individuals, projects, companies, organisations and other entities whose achievements demonstrate the principles behind the initiative.
Individuals may nominate themselves or be nominated by their employer, organisation or an affiliated body. Companies and institutions may also nominate themselves, their projects, their teams or individuals who played a significant role in delivering an achievement.
Each nomination must be placed under the appropriate recognition segment and field. The three principal recognition segments are:
- Individuals
- Projects
- Institutions and companies
This structure allows the award to recognise both the people leading change and the organisations or projects responsible for producing wider results.
Which Fields Are Included?
The award covers 10 fields connected to Dubai’s development and future priorities:
- Government
- Real estate
- Economy
- Business
- Technology
- Sports
- Society
- Education
- Services
- Health
Applicants should select the field that most accurately represents the achievement being submitted. A technology-enabled healthcare service, for example, may fit within health or technology depending on its central purpose and primary impact.
The official criteria indicate that the strength of the achievement and its connection to the Dubai-it philosophy are more important than the size or profile of the nominee. Entries must demonstrate bold ambition, disciplined execution, exceptional quality, timely delivery and tangible results.
What Achievements Qualify for the First Edition?
For the first Dubai-it Award, nominations may cover achievements, projects, initiatives and organisational transformations delivered during the four years preceding the nomination period.
This is an important distinction for prospective applicants. An entry does not need to have been completed exclusively in 2026 to qualify for the inaugural award. However, applicants must be able to document what was achieved, when it was delivered and what measurable difference it created.
Beginning with the second edition, the eligibility period will be reduced. Future nomination cycles will consider achievements completed during the preceding 24 months, keeping the award focused on recent and demonstrable results.
An eligible submission should describe more than a general programme or continuing ambition. It should identify a specific achievement, the problem or opportunity behind it, the action taken and the outcome produced.
How to Apply for the Dubai-it Award
Nominations can be submitted through the official Dubai-it Award website. Applicants begin by entering an email address and completing the platform’s verification process before accessing the nomination form.
The submission should include:
- A clear explanation of the achievement
- The relevant field and recognition segment
- The objectives behind the work
- The challenge or opportunity that prompted it
- The nominee’s role in delivering the achievement
- The main implementation stages
- The results produced
- The impact on people, Dubai, a specific sector, an organisation, the economy or society
Applicants must also provide credible supporting evidence. This can include performance indicators, verified figures, reports, photographs, media materials, certificates and other documents demonstrating the scale, quality, speed and impact of the achievement.
A compelling description alone will not be enough. The evaluation process places significant emphasis on evidence, accuracy and results that can be independently assessed.
How Nominations Will Be Evaluated
Every nomination will undergo a review to determine whether the information is complete, the evidence is credible and the stated results are clear.
The evaluation team may request additional documents or information. Meetings or interviews may also be conducted with nominees or people connected to the achievement when further verification is required.
Submissions will be assessed against eight principal criteria:
- Exceptional achievement
- Excellence in execution
- Speed and efficiency of delivery
- Embodiment of Dubai’s philosophy of work
- Ability to turn a vision into tangible results
- Exceptional impact
- Sustainability and potential for growth
- Clarity of the model and its power to inspire others
The criteria show that speed alone will not determine a successful entry. Applicants must demonstrate that they delivered quickly without compromising planning, professional standards, attention to detail or the quality of the final result.
Judges will also consider whether an achievement can continue, expand or provide a useful model for other people and organisations.
How Applicants Can Strengthen Their Entries
A strong nomination should present a clear progression from challenge to action and from action to measurable impact.
Applicants should avoid broad statements that are not supported by evidence. Instead of claiming that a project improved a service, the entry should specify what changed, how improvement was measured and how many people or organisations benefited.
Useful evidence could include the time required to complete a project, operational improvements, customer outcomes, adoption figures, cost reductions, economic contributions or other relevant performance indicators.
Entries should also clarify the nominee’s direct contribution. This is particularly important when nominating an individual involved in a larger company or institutional project.
The official guidance notes that a nomination’s strength will depend on the clarity of its story, the accuracy of its data, the credibility of its evidence and its ability to prove that the achievement was exceptional.
Key Dubai-it Award Dates
The inaugural nomination period runs from August 10 to September 10, 2026.
After its first edition, the Dubai-it Award will follow an annual cycle running from September to May. June, July and August will generally be used to receive and evaluate nominations for the following edition.
The 2026 nomination period is therefore a special first-edition schedule, with applicants given one month to prepare and submit their entries.
Why the Dubai-it Award Matters
The award establishes an official platform for recognising how individuals and organisations deliver results, not only what they intend to accomplish.
It also creates an opportunity to document achievements that may otherwise remain known only within a company, institution or individual sector. By placing those results within a wider recognition programme, the award can show how different parts of Dubai contribute to the city’s development.
For potential nominees, the most important step is to identify one clearly defined achievement and gather evidence showing its execution, speed, quality and impact.
Individuals, teams, projects, companies and institutions with qualifying achievements can submit nominations through dubai-it.ae before the September 10, 2026 deadline.
