Dubai has opened nominations for the first-ever Dubai-it Award, giving individuals, projects, companies and institutions the chance to be recognised for achievements that have delivered measurable results. Nominations close on September 10, 2026, making this the final week for eligible achievements to be submitted.
The award matters because it is designed to recognise the people and organisations behind projects that have helped shape Dubai through ambitious ideas, fast execution and tangible impact.
Dubai-it Award nominations are now open until September 10, 2026, giving individuals, projects, companies and institutions a chance to be recognised for exceptional achievements and measurable impact. The first edition of the award is part of Dubai’s wider Dubai-it philosophy, which focuses on turning ambitious ideas into tangible results with excellence and speed.
Launched under the directives of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Dubai-it Award aims to recognise people and organisations that have delivered achievements with a clear impact on Dubai, its economy, communities and future development.
What is the Dubai-it Award?
The Dubai-it Award is a new annual recognition platform celebrating achievements that reflect Dubai’s approach to work and delivery.
According to the official Dubai-it Award platform, the initiative recognises those who have turned bold ideas into real outcomes and delivered exceptional achievements with excellence and in record time.
The award is built around the Dubai-it philosophy, which focuses on thinking boldly, acting decisively and delivering exceptional results.
It is open to achievements across three main recognition segments:
- Individuals
- Projects
- Institutions and companies
Rather than recognising ideas alone, the award focuses on achievements that have been delivered and can demonstrate clear results and tangible impact.
Who can nominate for the Dubai-it Award?
One of the key features of the award is that nominations are open to a wide range of participants.
Individuals can nominate themselves directly or be nominated by their company, institution or organisation. Companies and institutions can also nominate themselves, their projects, teams or individuals who played an important role in delivering an achievement.
This means a successful entrepreneur, a major transformation project, a government initiative or a company that has delivered significant results could all potentially be considered, depending on the nomination field and eligibility requirements.
The official nomination mechanism also states that the award is open to individuals, projects, companies, institutions and entities that reflect the Dubai-it philosophy through their achievements.
What achievements can be nominated?
For the first edition of the Dubai-it Award, eligible nominations include achievements, projects, initiatives and transformations delivered from 2023 onwards, according to the official award website.
The achievement should demonstrate more than a successful outcome. The nomination needs to show how it reflects key qualities associated with the Dubai-it philosophy.
These include:
- Bold ambition
- Exceptional implementation
- Speed of delivery
- Excellence
- Measurable results
- Tangible impact
The award covers 10 key fields reflecting Dubai’s development journey. These are:
- Government
- Real estate
- Economy
- Business
- Technology
- Sports
- Society
- Education
- Services
- Health
This broad structure means nominations can come from several sectors that contribute to Dubai’s growth and transformation.
How do you nominate someone for the Dubai-it Award?
The nomination process is completed through the official Dubai-it digital platform.
Here are the main steps to follow:
Step 1: Choose the achievement to nominate
The nomination can be for an individual, project, institution or company. Applicants can also submit a self-nomination where eligible.
Step 2: Select the relevant award field
The nomination should be submitted under the field that best represents the achievement, such as technology, business, education, real estate or government.
Step 3: Explain the achievement
The nomination should clearly describe the achievement and its objectives.
Applicants should also explain the challenge or opportunity behind the achievement, the steps taken to deliver it and the nominee’s role in making it happen.
Step 4: Show the results and impact
A strong nomination needs to demonstrate the results achieved and the impact created.
According to the official nomination requirements, this could include the impact on people, the city, a sector, an organisation, the economy or society.
Step 5: Submit supporting evidence
Supporting documents and data are an important part of the nomination.
These may include:
- Performance indicators
- Figures and statistics
- Reports
- Photographs
- Media materials
- Certificates
- Other documents demonstrating the scale and impact of the achievement
The nomination is then reviewed to check the completeness of the information and the credibility of the supporting evidence.
What will the Dubai-it Award judges look for?
The Dubai-it Award evaluates nominations based on several factors linked to the official definition of Dubai-it.
According to the award’s evaluation criteria, judges consider the scale of the achievement, quality of execution, speed of delivery, clarity of results and depth of impact.
The criteria also look at whether an achievement can continue to grow or create future opportunities.
Another important factor is whether the achievement can become a model that inspires others.
The award is therefore looking beyond numbers alone. The official criteria also consider the transformation created, the value added and the real difference made by the achievement.
For UAE residents and businesses, the Dubai-it Award offers a new platform to recognise achievements that may otherwise remain behind the scenes.
Entrepreneurs can showcase successful ventures, companies can highlight major transformations and institutions can put forward projects that have created a real impact.
The award also creates an opportunity for teams and individuals behind major projects to receive recognition for their role in turning plans into reality.
For Dubai, the initiative supports a wider culture of execution and achievement by highlighting projects and people that have delivered visible results.
With nominations closing on September 10, eligible individuals and organisations have limited time to prepare and submit their entries for the inaugural edition.
FAQs
When is the deadline for Dubai-it Award nominations?
Nominations for the first edition close on September 10, 2026.
Can I nominate myself for the Dubai-it Award?
Yes. Individuals, companies and institutions can submit self-nominations, provided they meet the award’s eligibility requirements.
Who can be nominated for the Dubai-it Award?
Individuals, projects, companies, institutions and other eligible entities can be nominated.
What sectors does the Dubai-it Award cover?
The award covers 10 fields, including government, real estate, economy, business, technology, sports, society, education, services and health.
Can nominations be submitted by email?
No. According to the official Dubai-it Award platform, nominations must be submitted through the award’s official digital nomination process.
Dubai’s first Dubai-it Award is giving individuals, businesses, projects and institutions the chance to put exceptional achievements in the spotlight.
With nominations closing on September 10, eligible applicants should ensure their nomination clearly explains the achievement, the results it delivered and the evidence behind its impact.
For those who have turned an ambitious idea into something real, this could be the opportunity to receive recognition on one of Dubai’s newest achievement platforms.
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