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Ready, Set, Go: Here Are The 30 Finalists For Dubai Startup Hub's Smartpreneur Competition 6.0 As part of Dubai Chamber's efforts to encourage and explore the key themes of Expo 2020 Dubai, the selected startups (listed below) will be catering towards technological solutions in the fields of Opportunity, Sustainability and Trade.

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Dubai Startup Hub
A scene from the Dubai Smartpreneur Competition in 2019.

Dubai Startup Hub, an initiative by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry to foster and support entrepreneurship, has selected 30 finalists for the sixth cycle of its Dubai Smartpreneur Competition.

Hosted annually to give entrepreneurs a platform to become part of the Dubai government's strategy to transform the Emirate into a global hub for innovation-driven businesses, this year's edition competition invited applications from startups offering solutions in the Expo 2020 Dubai sub-themes of opportunity, sustainability and trade.

The top three winners of the competition stand to win a total of AED150,000 as prize money. They will also get to avail of a Startup Support Package that will provides industry-specific mentorship opportunities, overseas trade missions, as well as the opportunity to attend events and trainings hosted by Dubai Chamber.

The top 30 finalists also got to attend a four-day pitch bootcamp from November 21-24, 2021, where they were presented with the chance to pitch their business ideas and plans to a panel of seasoned mentors, industry advisors, and potential investors.

Of these 30 startups, 10 will be selected to compete for the final three prizes at a final ceremony that will be held at Expo 2020 Dubai in January 2022, where they will also be able to network with potential business partners and interested investors. Here's a look at the 30 finalists that have made it to Dubai Smartpreneur Competition 6.0:

Hamples - a Direct to Consumer (DTC), Digital Discovery Platform for consumers to try samples from brands before they buy.

Taccato - the first online music school in the MENA region.

EduPloyment Portals LLC - a global online recruitment platform to upskill blue-collar workers with English language and employ them in better jobs.

Lune Technologies Ltd - a mobile app designed to simplify spending and financial planning for Middle Eastern youth.

Mama ME - a platform that uses its Tinder-like interface to connect mothers in the Middle East with like-minded women nearby.

Hayi - a hyperlocal social network to connect neighbourhoods across the MENA region.

gigthree ltd - a gig economy platform for fractional and remote work by senior professionals and C-suite talent.

Applied Vision Solution (AVS) - an intelligent video analytics platform.

Headway.ai - a smart talent platform blending AI and behavioural science to power Enterprise Talent Acquisition, Talent Management and Development with analytics & smart-bots.

Soul Artists - a global online peer-to-peer platform for discovering and booking performing artists and musicians for events and occasions.

Buzzin FZCO - a visitor management solution to offer digital registration for visitors, eliminating the need to use the traditional pens and register books placed at the reception desks.

Manhat - an Abu Dhabi-based deep technology startup which focuses on natural water distillation. Its patented technologies deliver sustainable solutions for water production, irrigation, and transportation.

Diwama - an AI-based image recognition software that automates waste analysis and drives recycling revenues for waste management companies.

SmartBlock Beverages FZ LLC - a reward platform for engaging end-users in the circular economy and its associated mobile phone application to incentivize them for their pro-environmental behaviors with the main focus being on plastic bottle collection.

Hydro Wind Energy - a low-cost handheld, manually operable desalination device that can turn seawater to potable water.

FortyGuard - a heat resilience platform for cities suffering from acute temperatures, mitigating elevated heat zones using advanced sensing technology, predictive analytics and machine learning and bespoke know-how in material technology for pavements and roads.

Cupmena - an agritech and waste management startup that has built a waste collection system to collect the spent coffee ground (SCG) to maximize value by reusing it to develop and empower solutions for the agri-sector.

Elli Junior - a premium one-stop-shop in the Middle East for all your essential and lifestyle needs for your parenting journey with an environmental and sustainable approach as well as great designs.

E Waste Social - a one-stop online platform for businesses to manage e-waste.

Shukrani FZC - an online platform for close-to-expiry and close-to-clearance fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) goods to reduce wastage.

The Zola Collective - a startup that aims to popularize natural African products, export them to international markets and retail through its online marketplace.

ClearQuote - an app that can automatically assess damages on vehicles based on smartphone images using AI in order to make vehicle inspections simple, efficient and transparent.

PalletPal - a NextGen multi-modal digital freight platform that enables customers to procure, monitor, and track their cross border shipments allowing them to gain complete control, enhance operational efficiency, and increase transparency across freight operations its all-in-one procurement platform.

Solva Technologies - a third party delivery disruption platform that aims to tackle the most pressing issues in the logistics sector using cutting-edge solutions.

One Moto - a sustainable transport solution for the hyper-growth last-mile sector, combating environmental issues, safety and welfare of riders and profitability for all.

AIOTIZE Pvt Ltd - Aiotize offers drone agnostic bespoken artificial intelligence-enabled industrial automation and business intelligence solutions.

WideBot - a chatbot that incorporates the different dialects used in formal and informal Arabic, and can also pick up on intangible linguistic factors such as sentiment and tone.

Veehive - a platform for businesses to build and manage their community in order to do commerce.

Digital Energy - an AI-enabled platform that brings users into one singular space to connect fieldwork, supply chain and planning into one solution.

Crediti Fintech - a B2B fintech platform to enhance operational governance of the supply chain, credit utilization and trade finance.

Stay tuned to how Smartpreneur 6.0 unfolds--follow Dubai Startup Hub on @DubaiStartupHub on both Twitter and Instagram!

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