Hamdan bin Mohammed launches Create AI Agents championship with AED2.5 million prize pool
New global competition builds on the success of the Create Apps Championship, which has attracted more than 15,500 entries from 153 countries and supported the launch of over 140 applications
Dubai: His Highness 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, has launched the Create AI Agents Championship, a new global competition designed to encourage the development of AI-agent systems that address real-world challenges and can be transformed into scalable products, services and businesses.
The launch marks a new phase of the Create Apps Championship, which is part of the Create Apps in Dubai initiative led by the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy.
Announcing the initiative, Sheikh Hamdan said Dubai's development model, inspired by the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, is focused on enhancing human capabilities and enabling people to benefit from advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence.
“Advancing Dubai’s global vision of transforming ideas into pioneering projects that benefit humanity, we announce today the launch of the Create AI Agents Championship,” Sheikh Hamdan said.
“Through this initiative, we will move into a new phase of harnessing these technologies, with the aim of making Dubai the first city to lead innovation in this field. This will contribute to shaping future approaches to service delivery, making services more efficient, faster, easier, and more closely centred on people.”
The announcement came during the awards ceremony for the third edition of the Create Apps Championship, where His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum honoured the competition’s winners.
According to the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, the Create Apps Championship has attracted 15,564 applications from 153 countries since its launch in 2023. The initiative has contributed to the development of more than 1,700 prototypes and supported the launch of over 140 applications. The third edition alone received 9,754 entries.
The Create AI Agents Championship shifts the focus from traditional app development to autonomous AI-agent systems integrated into practical solutions designed to address user needs and market requirements.
The competition encourages participants to identify priority challenges, develop AI-agent solutions, test their impact and explore opportunities to turn them into viable and scalable products, services and commercial ventures.
The championship is open to individuals and teams from around the world, regardless of technical background or age. Participants may enter with an innovative idea, prototype or early-stage minimum viable product (MVP), while existing companies can submit new AI-agent capabilities that have not yet been fully commercialised.
Participants will compete in four categories: Best Societal AI Agent, Best Personal AI Agent, Best Business AI Agent and Best Youth AI Agent.
Each category winner will receive a grant of AED550,000 to support the development of their solution and venture. One of the four winners will also receive the AI Agent of the Year title and an additional AED1 million prize, bringing the total prize pool to more than AED2.5 million.
Registration is now open to innovators, entrepreneurs, students and technology developers worldwide. Three introductory workshops on Agentic AI will be followed by the launch of the Digital Academy in November, offering training courses, practical workshops and mentorship sessions.
Applications can be submitted through the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy website, with registration closing in December 2026. Participants will be required to submit an AI-agent prototype, pitch deck and demonstration video.
At the awards ceremony, the Best Youth-made App award went to Ettan Ehsan, while RUSH won the Most Impactful App category. LiaPay received the Most Innovative App award, and POP by Kwelio won both the Longevity App of the Year award and the title of Dubai’s App of the Year.