• Featured Books
• 20.02.2018 08:25 am
• The MENA innovation ecosystem is working hard to attract blockchain talent and expertise

At the end of 2016, the government in Dubai, announced an ambitious strategy that seeks to convert all of the Emeritus’ municipal documents to a platform based on blockchain technology by 2020. According to a statement from Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Dubai government estimates its blockchain strategy has the potential to generate 25.1 million hours of economic productivity each year in savings, while reducing CO2emissions.

This strategy was viewed as forward-thinking and ambitious by not only the surrounding countries in the Middle Eastern region, but by various other global tech ecosystems that are working to create environments that foster and encourage innovation for a range of industries, including smart cities, real estate and financial services. Dubai's blockchain strategy will be built on ‘three pillars’, including government efficiency, industry creation and international leadership. Industries Dubai expects to benefit from the transition include real estate, banking, healthcare, transportation, urban planning, smart energy, digital commerce, and tourism.

In this eBook, we sit down with five players in the MENA blockchain scene in order to get a take on whether the region’s ambitious plans and lofty goals match the practicalities and projects being undertaken by local banks, FinTech startups and the wider tech community.