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FinTech Abu Dhabi Innovation Challenge

About the Challenge

Showcasing World-Class FinTech Talent
 

The FinTech Abu Dhabi Innovation Challenge brings together the most disruptive emerging and scaling FinTech talent from across the world to address real challenges championed by corporates through to proof of concept or prototype. In 2019, the challenge builds on two years of success in supporting leading innovators in working with regional corporates on real problems.

With FinTech Abu Dhabi as the gateway to the Middle East & North Africa for global and regional FinTech businesses, Abu Dhabi Global Market, in collaboration with Unbound and KPMG, will act as a catalyst for collaboration between corporate leaders and FinTech start-ups from around the world.

Be first to hear when the Innovation Challenge 2020 is launched

Innovation Awards
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Every year Abu Dhabi Global Market and partners hunt for the disruptive businesses developing the solutions to problem statements created with UAE-based institutions (Corporate Champions). Startups can apply directly to the Innovation Challenge and take part in the FinTech Abu Dhabi Tour / Roadshow events to learn more. Those selected are then invited to take part in Innovation Deep Dives with Corporate Champions during FinTech Abu Dhabi before pitching their solution to an audience of financial institutions, regulators, corporates and media in Startup Battles on the Main Stage of FinTech Abu Dhabi.

However, the FinTech Abu Dhabi Innovation Challenge doesn't just aim to present potential solutions to real problems. It seeks to solve them. In taking part in the Innovation Challenge, startups will have the opportunity to enter into long-term relationships with the Corporate Champions and will be invited to set up their base on Abu Dhabi's Al Maryah Island.

2019 challenge in collaboration with KPMG                2019 Lead Partner

KPMG logo                       Lead Partner

The Innovation Challenge 2020 - Have You Got What It Takes?

Challenge Areas

  • Financial Inclusion 
  • RegTech & SupTech 
  • Banking & Finance
  • Insurance
  • Digital Marketplaces 
  • Wealth & Asset Management
  • Security & Trust

Evaluation Criteria

  1. Value Proposition - ability of solution to address the problem statement
  2. Business Model - ability to scale and generate revenue
  3. Performance - market readiness and maturity
  4. Team - experience of team members

2019 Problem Statements

View the 2019 problem statements here. 
 

 

 

Benefits of taking part

Entering

  • Prove solutions to corporate partners and wider industry participants for increased market recognition
  • Obtain guidance and solution refinement from ADGM and KPMG
  • Explore potential market expansion opportunities with support from ADGM as a strategic partner 
  • Opportunity to tie up with our corporate champions for adoption of your innovative solution 
  • Utilize a branded exhibition booth for your company during the FinTech Abu Dhabi Festival in Abu Dhabi
  • Receive a travel stipend of up to $1,200 USD for travelling to the Fintech Abu Dhabi Festival 

Winning

  • An opportunity to apply to the Hub71 incentive program and win subsidized housing, office space and health insurance in Abu Dhabi
  • In 2019, the top two finalists benefited from the opportunity to represent Abu Dhabi and the MENA region at the Singapore Fintech Festival in November 2019, as well the chance to receive a PoC grant of up to SGD 200,000
  • Opportunity to co-develop Proof of Concepts (PoC) with Corporate Champions in Abu Dhabi, for future deployment in Abu Dhabi, the UAE, and beyond

Delivering Value to...

Corporate Champions

Corporate Champions

  • Access to leading talent and potential adoption of market-ready solutions
  • Branding and thought leadership
  • Innovation strategy support
  • Association with the world's most innovative FinTech Talent
Startups

Startups

  • Prove solutions with corporate partners and market recognition
  • Expert guidance and solution refinement from Abu Dhabi Global Market and Unbound 
  • Market expansion with Abu Dhabi Global Market as a Strategic Partner 
  • Adoption and collaboration with prototypes and proof of concepts

Organised By

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Strategic Industry Partner

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Government Partners

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  • ADDA is responsible for the definition of technology and IT policies, recommendation of standardised systems implementation across all Abu Dhabi government entities, the governance and use of governme ...
  • The Department of Finance was established in 1962, and it plays a fundamental role in providing Abu Dhabi government entities with the best-in-class financial services and specialized solutions as wel ...
  • Ma’an was established in February 2019 by the Department of Community Development in Abu Dhabi with the aim of bringing together the government, the private sector and civil society to support a cultu ...

 

Host City

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Platinum Partners

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  • Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) was established on 15th of November 2000 by Local Law No. (3) of 2000, the provisions of which vests the Market with a legal entity of autonomous status, independen ...
  • Headquartered in Abu Dhabi, Etihad is one of the world's leading airlines and the National Carrier of the United Arab Emirates. Etihad has innovation as part of its DNA and is leading the way in the r ...

 

Accelerator Partner

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  • Plug and Play is a global innovation platform. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, we have built accelerator programs, corporate innovation services, and an in-house VC to make technological advancement ...

 

Gold Partners

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  • Finablr brings together category-renowned financial services brands with a network reach over 170+ countries.

 

Silver Partner

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Bronze Partners

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  • DLA Piper is a global law firm with lawyers located in more than 40 countries throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the Asia Pacific, positioning us to help clients with their l ...
  • Grant Thornton is a leading business adviser that helps dynamic organisations to unlock their potential for growth. Their brand is respected globally, as one of the major global accounting organisatio ...
  • HBL, Pakistan’s largest bank, was the first commercial bank to be established in Pakistan in 1947. Over the years, HBL has grown its branch network to over 1,700 branches and +2,100 ATMs globally, ser ...

 

Education Partner

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  • Part of Abu Dhabi Global Market, a leading Financial Centre, ADGM Academy is working with global experts to build a portfolio of high quality financial education. Located in Abu Dhabi, the capital cit ...

 

Media Partners

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  • Payments & Cards Network is a leading supplier of executive recruitment, RPO services and headhunting in the fintech and payments industry. Our headquarters is based in Amsterdam and we also have offi ...
  • Economic Daily was founded in January 1983 and the characters were inscribed by Mr. Deng Xiaoping, the chief architect of China's reform and opening up. Economic Daily came into being in the tide of C ...
  • MAGNiTT, founded by Philip Bahoshy, is the largest online community for startups across the MENA region. Based out of Dubai, UAE, MAGNiTT connects entrepreneurs directly with ecosystem stakeholders in ...
  • CNBC is the number one business and financial news network on the planet. Their mission is to help the influential and aspirational to make astute decisions to get ahead. CNBC International ensures no ...
  • Banker Middle East is the region’s only and longest-running magazine serving the financial sector, providing news, analysis, in-depth interviews and features since 1999. The publication identifies key ...
  • Bloomberg Media Group, the consumer-facing media organisation of Bloomberg LP, is the leading global business and financial media company reaching a premium audience of more than 90 million consumers. ...
  • ArabNet is a leading events, insights and innovation programs focused on tech business and innovation in the MENA region They organize major conferences for the tech sector in Dubai, Riyadh, Kuwait an ...
  • Entrepreneur Middle East is a regional business magazine based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It is the guide for the region's entrepreneurs and business-minded readership.


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  • Founded in 2018, KoinPost is the leading independent digital media outlet covering a wide range of news on digital assets, blockchain technology, ICOs, IEOs, STOs, and other emerging fintech trends. K ...
  • Towards the pursuance of our goal to promote Islamic banking and finance all over the globe, AlHuda Centre of Islamic Banking and Economics is working diligently since its existence 10 years ago. AlHu ...
  • True Banking is a Bi-Monthly magazine on Islamic Banking & Financial Services sector with specific target on research development, market analysis, Training & advancement in this sector with focusing ...
  • Please visit the website for more information.
  • Please visit the website for more information. 
  • At Fintech Finance, they work with renowned executives in the industry to provide key decision-makers globally within leading financial services organizations with reliable and accurate intelligence o ...
  • A digital and print magazine helping tech startups connect the dots on their entrepreneurial journeys.

 

Arabic Technology Partner

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  • MIT Technology Review was launched in partnership with Dubai Future Foundation in 2018. Founded at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1899, MIT Technology Review derives its authority from t ...

 

Community Partners

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  • Please visit their website for more information.
  • Please visit their website for more information. 
  • Founded at the heart of the United Arab Emirates, invertium is a fully integrated marketing and communications agency with diverse expertise put together and passionately developed to be naturally ins ...
  • Fintech Ireland is supported by like-minded financial professionals, academics and advisers who are keen to foster the development of Ireland as a leading global fintech centre.
  • Established in 1981 and headquartered in Dubai, Marshal Equipment & Trading is the largest and oldest provider of payment technology in the Gulf region. Delivering the most sophisticated transaction a ...
  • Please visit their website for more information. 
  • womena® is a multi-dimensional media company that accelerates equality through creative content and entrepreneurial experiences.We produce creative content focused on female founders, creatives and ch ...
  • HUB71 is a global ecosystem in the heart of Abu Dhabi, offering the most globally interconnected network to enable innovation and growth of transformational tech companies, making a real economic and ...
  • Wamda is a platform of integrated programs that aims to accelerate entrepreneurship ecosystems throughout the MENA region. Its core focus includes media, community development, research, corporate, an ...
  • Startupbootcamp is a global family of industry-focused programs. They support early-stage tech founders to rapidly scale their companies by providing direct access to an international network of the m ...
  • MIT Enterprise Forum (MITEF) Pan Arab is part of a global network of chapters dedicated to the promotion of entrepreneurship and innovation worldwide. We inform, connect, and coach early-stage technol ...
  • Zain is the pioneer of mobile telecommunications in the Middle East. They began life in 1983 in Kuwait as the region’s first mobile operator, and since the initiation of their expansion strategy in 20 ...
  • Oasis500 is a pre-seed and seed fund manager and accelerator that catalysed the development of an entrepreneurial ecosystem in the region continues to create opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs a ...
  • The Queen Rania Center for Entrepreneurship (QRCE) is a Non-Profit organization established in 2004 to help develop Technology Entrepreneurship in Jordan. The Center is part of Princess Sumaya Univers ...
  • The GrEEK Campus is the world’s first heritage-driven technology center. Not just a physical platform for entrepreneurs, startups, and SMEs. The GrEEK Campus is a catalyst for innovators, creators and ...
  • TechQuartier provides access to a valuable network of startups, corporates, investors, talents, and mentors. They represent a large community of forward-thinking professionals eager to learn and conne ...
  • Fintech Galaxy is a digital crowdsourcing platform that empowers fintech entrepreneurs and connects them to financial institutions, consultants, tech companies, mentors and investors. Fintech Galaxy w ...
  • Please visit the website for more information. 
  • MENA Fintech association is an inclusive, not-for-profit association that fosters an open dialogue for the region's Fintech Community. Bringing together all the 'movers & shakers' under one roof, the ...
  • Fintech Saudi was launched by the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority in April 2018 under the Financial Services Development Program to act as a catalyst for the development of the financial service tech ...
  • Casablanca Finance City (CFC) is an African economic and financial hub located at the crossroads of continents. Recognised as the leading financial center in Africa and a partner of the largest intern ...
  • Fintech District is the gateway to the Italian Fintech ecosystem and attracts the most relevant national and international stakeholders, acting like the team that allows you to co-create with the indu ...
  • H-FARM is an innovation hub where Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Education are combined together. Established in 2005, they are the first in the world to adopt a model that brings together investme ...
  • The LHoFT is Luxembourg’s dedicated Fintech centre where finance and technology interact to foster innovation and develop solutions to shape the future of financial services. Offering Fintech incubati ...

 

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info@fintechabudhabi.com
Al Khatem Tower, 9th Floor
ADGM Square, Al Maryah Island - Abu Dhabi
U.A.E. P.O. Box - 764624

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