3.39 PM Friday, 29 March 2024
  • City Fajr Shuruq Duhr Asr Magrib Isha
  • Dubai 04:56 06:10 12:26 15:53 18:37 19:52
29 March 2024

Twofour54 establishes fund for Arabic apps

The ibitkar division of twofour54 will provide funding for the Arabic applications initiative. (EB FILE)

Published
By Vigyan Arya

Arabic applications for Apple products received a capital boost as twofour54, the Abu Dhabi-based content creation community, has announced a fund called AppsArabia to finance applications for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad.

The fund will be offered by twofour54 ibitkar, which provides funding and support to start-up and early-stage Arabic content initiatives.

Twofour54 executives told Emirates Business that AppsArabia will invest in the best ideas for apps from entrepreneurs, developers and businesses, and provide commercial guidance, resources and marketing support to make these apps successful.

"The iPhone OS is the world's most advanced mobile platform and, with more than four billion apps already downloaded from the App Store, it presents a huge opportunity for developers in the Middle East," said Tony Orsten, Chief Executive Officer of twofour54.

"Mobile adoption in the region is soaring and AppsArabia will empower Arab entrepreneurs to create apps that address the growing demand for local content."

A new community website, www.appsarabia.com, has been established to provide a supportive marketplace for all stakeholders in apps development – entrepreneurs, designers, developers and corporate clients.

This is in line with ongoing efforts of twofour54 to provide a platform for regional entrepreneurs to develop and enhance Arabic content. The company has already set up Comedy Club and Cartoon Network Animation Academy with the same intention of providing and improving world-class content in the Arabic language.

To extend their support to AppsArabia, a training academy, twofour54 tadreeb, has been appointed, which is a Pro-Apps Apple Authorised Training Centre. The certification and training courses will follow Apple's official pro applications curriculum and offer a range of training options on Apple's professional photography, audio and film industry software products including Aperture, Final Cut Studio, Final Cut Server and Logic Studio.

The courses will be delivered by Apple-certified trainers who maintain Apple's highest quality standards.

The project is open to all Arabs who intend to make applications for Apple's iPhone, iPod touch and iPad platforms, explained officials, who said there are no financial limitations. However, "it does have to be financially feasible".

"We recognise the need to provide world-class training to existing and aspiring media professionals in the region, which is why we have obtained Apple training accreditation," said Wayne Borg, COO of twofour54.

"Becoming an Apple Authorised Training Centre further enhances twofour54's reputation as a centre of excellence for content creation in the Middle East and enables us to offer the highest-quality training experience to help the region reach its full potential."

Apple's participation in the project is at 30 per cent of the revenue from each product with majority of the remaining going to the publisher of the software.

"We will be keeping a share of the revenue to compensate towards the funding of the project, so as to make it commercially viable, but majority of the remaining 70 per cent share will go to the entrepreneur," said Orsten.

The publishing rights will remain with the entrepreneur, but with legal conditions binding the contract.