Dubai-it Award opens nominations on 10th August

The Dubai-it Award has announced that nominations for its first edition are open from 10th August to 10th September 2026, inviting individuals, projects, companies, organisations and entities that have worked and achieved results in line with the ‘Dubai-it’ approach and philosophy to participate in the award’s various fields.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, launched the Dubai-it initiative to reflect Dubai’s philosophy of action: we say what we do, and we do what we say. It is a philosophy built on turning bold ideas into reality, transforming ambition into achievement, and delivering with excellence in record time. 

The initiative aims to instill Dubai’s philosophy of action in future generations, embed it as a culture across institutions and companies, and drive Dubai’s continuous transformation and development. It also engages individuals and institutions in highlighting achievements delivered in record time, so that every success becomes a new chapter in Dubai’s inspiring story. 

Launched under the directives of Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, the Dubai-it Award celebrates those who have achieved according to Dubai’s philosophy of work and embodied the true meaning of Dubai-it: to achieve something extraordinary with excellence in record time. 

The award is aimed at anyone who has contributed to turning extraordinary ideas into reality, ambitions into achievements, and visions into results that can be seen; whether they are an individual, a project, an organisation or a company. 

Mohammad Abdullah Al Gergawi, Chairman of The Executive Office of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, said, “The «Dubai-it Award» draws its vision from the philosophy of Sheikh Mohammed, and from his exceptional leadership experience in transforming big ideas into outstanding achievements. The launch of the award by Sheikh Hamdan serves to embed the ‘Dubai-it’ philosophy as a working philosophy within organisations and companies, an approach to developing and delivering projects with proficiency, distinction and speed, and a practice upon which Dubai will build its future growth and advancements.” 

He added, “The Dubai-it Award is the force that keeps Dubai’s philosophy of action alive, visible, and moving forward year after year. The award serves as a platform that ensures Dubai’s work philosophy maintains a constant presence, transforming it into a driving force that drives individuals, projects and organisations towards greater achievement, greater excellence and results representing Dubai. 

Mohammad Al Gergawi added, “The Award is designed to pull people toward action. To spotlight those who lead, build, transform, and deliver. To make Dubai-it not only something people recognise, but a philosophy that shapes how institutions work, how projects are delivered, and how future ambitions are turned into results. 

He also said, “The Dubai-it Award is an annual cycle that identifies, documents, and celebrates the achievements shaping Dubai’s progress. From individuals who lead change, to projects that transform reality, to institutions and companies that turn vision into tangible results, it is Dubai’s defining moment of recognition for those who deliver with excellence, urgency, and impact.” 

The Dubai-it Award is presented across three core recognition segments: Individuals, Projects, and Institutions & Companies. 

It recognises those who have embodied the Dubai-it philosophy of work and achievement, and who have brought its meaning to life: to achieve something extraordinary with excellence in record time. 

The Award celebrates the individuals who led the achievement, the projects that created transformation, and the institutions and companies that turned vision into tangible results, leaving an impact worthy of Dubai’s name, ambition, and place in the world. 

The Dubai-it Award is an annual award, structured as an annual cycle that runs from September to May. It is dedicated to celebrating exceptional achievement and designed to identify and spotlight the people, projects, companies, and institutions that embody Dubai’s philosophy of work: turning ambitious ideas into tangible outcomes, and delivering with excellence, distinction, and speed. 

Throughout the annual cycle, the Award highlights strategic fields that reflect Dubai’s development journey and future ambition. It celebrates the individuals who led achievement, the projects that created transformation, and the institutions and companies that turned vision into impact people can see, feel, and build upon. 

The months of June, July and August are set for receiving and evaluating nominations for the next edition, ensuring that the awards continue to serve as an annual platform for recognising achievements, documenting impact and raising the bar for ambition across various sectors. Nominations for the first edition will be accepted from 10th August to 10th September 2026. 

The annual cycle represents Dubai’s defining moment of recognition for exceptional achievers. It is the moment every dedicated doer works toward: those who act with the spirit of Dubai, create impact worthy of its name, and add a new achievement to Dubai’s record of exceptional accomplishments. 

The Dubai-it Award spans a set of vital fields that reflect Dubai’s development journey and its ability to turn vision into tangible progress across sectors. It recognises the individuals, projects, institutions, and companies that embody the Dubai-it philosophy in these fields, achieving something extraordinary with excellence, distinction, and speed. 

Across the annual cycle, each field is spotlighted at defined moments, creating a continuous platform to recognise exceptional achievement across Dubai’s most important sectors. The Award celebrates the people who lead, the projects that transform, and the institutions and companies that turn ambition into visible impact, ensuring that achievement is not only honoured, but seen, documented, and elevated. 

The Award fields include Government, Real Estate, Economy, Business, Technology, Sports, Society, Education, Services, and Health. Together, they represent the engines of Dubai’s progress, the spaces where transformation happens, and the platforms through which Dubai continues to raise the standard of what can be achieved. 

Through these fields, the Dubai-it Award does more than recognise accomplishment. It shows where transformation is happening, who is leading it, and how bold ideas become outcomes people can see, feel, and build upon across the city, the economy, and society. 

The ‘Dubai-it Award’ allows anyone to nominate individuals, projects, organisations and companies that have embodied the ‘Dubai-it’ philosophy in their work and achievements. 

Individuals, organisations and companies can nominate themselves or others, specifying the field under which the achievement falls, through the award’s digital platform at www.dubai-it.ae The award team also works to track outstanding achievements throughout the year and identify examples that reflect Dubai’s philosophy in putting ambitious ideas into practice and turning them into tangible results, ensuring that the award serves as an open platform for discovering achievers, documenting their impact and celebrating those who make a difference in Dubai. 

Nominations are open to all individuals, projects, companies, organisations and entities that have embodied the ‘Dubai-it’ philosophy in their work and achievements. 

For the first edition of the Award, nominations will include achievements, projects, initiatives, and transformations delivered within the past four years, ensuring that the inaugural edition showcases the most prominent examples that have embodied Dubai’s philosophy in practice over the past four years. 

From the second edition onwards, nominations will cover achievements made during the last 24 months of each cycle, thereby ensuring the award remains up-to-date and focused on recent achievements that have yielded clear results. 

Individuals may nominate themselves directly, or be nominated by their companies, organisations or affiliated bodies. Companies, organisations and entities may also nominate themselves, or nominate their projects, work teams or individuals who have played a pivotal role in leading the achievement and delivering its results. 

The Award is designed to be open, ambitious, and inclusive. It recognises those who led, built, transformed, delivered, and created results worthy of Dubai’s name. Whether the achievement belongs to an individual, a project, a company, or an institution, what matters is the extent to which it reflects the spirit of Dubai-it: bold ambition, disciplined execution, exceptional quality, speed of delivery, and tangible impact. 

To be eligible for the award, a complete application must be submitted via the digital platform, detailing the nominee’s achievement, its nature, objectives, field of work and the segment to which it belongs – whether the nominee is an individual, an organisation, or a project – as well as explaining the role the nominee played in achieving the accomplishment. 

The nomination must include a clear explanation of the achievement, the challenge or opportunity that prompted it, the steps taken to implement it, the results achieved, and the impact it has had on people, the city, the sector, the organisation, the economy or society. 

Supporting evidence and data must also be attached, including performance indicators, figures, reports, pictures, media materials and certificates, or any documents demonstrating the scale of the achievement, the quality of its implementation, the swiftness with which it was achieved and its actual impact. 

Nominations are subject to a thorough review and evaluation process to verify the completeness of the information, the credibility of the evidence and the clarity of the results.

The evaluation stage may involve meetings or interviews with nominees or parties associated with the achievement, and requests for additional information or supporting documents, to ensure that each nomination is assessed fairly and objectively, based on clear evidence and provable results. 

The strength of a nomination lies in the clarity of the achievement’s narrative, the accuracy of its data, the credibility of its evidence, the authenticity of its impact, and its ability to demonstrate that it is an exceptional achievement carried out with proficiency and excellence in record time. 

The Dubai-it Award evaluation criteria are grounded in the official definition of Dubai-it: to achieve something extraordinary with excellence in record time. 

Each nomination is assessed through a clear framework that looks at the scale of the achievement, the quality of execution, the speed of delivery, the clarity of results, the depth of impact, and the extent to which it embodies Dubai’s philosophy of work. 

Exceptional Achievement: This criterion looks at how distinctive and significant the achievement is, and whether it has created a meaningful shift beyond what is expected in its field. It considers the scale of the challenge, the level of ambition, the boldness of the idea, decision, or project, and its ability to create exceptional impact worthy of Dubai’s name and standing. 

Excellence in Execution: This criterion looks at the level of professionalism in planning and delivery, the quality of outcomes, the attention to detail, and the commitment to the highest standards. In the Dubai-it philosophy, achievement is not measured only by reaching the result, but by the quality of the journey and the excellence shown at every stage. 

Speed and Efficiency of Delivery: This criterion looks at the ability to turn an idea or vision into tangible results in record time, without compromising quality or excellence. It considers the speed of decision-making, the efficiency of resources, and the ability of the individual, team, institution, or project to compress time, accelerate delivery, and achieve results with discipline and effectiveness. 

Embodying Dubai’s Philosophy of Work: This criterion looks at how deeply the achievement reflects Dubai’s way of working: bold ambition, fast movement, agile execution, a distinctive experience, and the ability to turn challenges into opportunities. It considers how closely the achievement is connected to Dubai’s belief in action over waiting, results over promises, and execution over slogans. 

Turning Vision into Tangible Results: This criterion looks at the ability to translate a vision, idea, or ambition into a clear, practical reality with outcomes that can be seen, measured, and proven. It considers the clarity of outputs, the evidence behind them, and the extent to which they have become an impact people can see or feel across the city, sector, institution, or community. 

Exceptional Impact: This criterion looks at the scale and depth of impact created by the achievement, whether on people, the city, a sector, the economy, quality of life, or Dubai’s reputation and global standing. Impact is not measured by numbers alone. It is measured by the transformation created, the value added, and the real difference made. 

Sustainability and Potential to Grow: This criterion looks at the ability of the achievement to continue, grow, scale, and evolve beyond the moment of launch or delivery. It considers whether the achievement has created a foundation for future progress, opened a new pathway, or established a model that can be built upon. 

Clarity of the Model and Power to Inspire: This criterion looks at whether the achievement can stand as a clear model for others to follow, and as a success story that inspires individuals, institutions, and future projects. A Dubai-it achievement should not be an isolated success. It should raise ambition, invite others to act, and encourage more exceptional achievements in the spirit of Dubai. 

The award receives nominations via the approved nomination form on its digital platform, ensuring that data is properly documented, requirements are met, and all nominations are reviewed in accordance with a uniform and clear procedure. 

WAM