Intelligent CIO Middle East Issue 39 | Page 7

NEWS Ministry of Finance launches Mohammed Bin Rashid Innovation Fund Accelerator provide them with the necessary tools to grow both on a national and international level. The accelerator also aims to attract leading innovators from around the world by helping them establish their businesses within the country and providing them with all the benefit offered by government as well as private sector entities. T he Mohammed bin Rashid Innovation Fund Accelerator has been launched in the UAE. The Ministry of Finance announced the launch of the accelerator as a public– private partnership to support local and international innovators in a pioneering move aimed at enhancing the growth potential of innovative businesses, including those operating in the IT sector, that will shape the future of the country’s economy. The fund aims to identify and support the best innovators in the UAE. It will do so by supporting innovative local businesses and HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid said: “The UAE has been at the forefront of this year’s Global Innovation Index (GII) in the Arab World and this spurs us on to continue to support innovation as a key driver of the economy that, under an inspirational leadership, looks towards a stable and ambitious future. The initiative aims to explore the future, keep abreast of the latest developments and support innovative talents that seek to establish companies that contribute to the betterment of the UAE by achieving the objectives of the UAE Vision 2071.” ///////////////// Locus Chain to launch a digital asset exchange platform in Dubai S ingapore-headquartered Locus Chain Foundation, the developers of a next- generation Blockchain protocol, has announced it will launch an innovative digital asset exchange platform, Locus DAX in Dubai, during the first quarter of 2019. Locus DAX will allow users to buy, sell and trade digital currencies including major cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum and Locus Token (Locus Chain’s own digital currency). The exchange will also provide interoperability with financial accounts, allowing users to purchase cryptocurrencies with fiat currencies such as USD and AED. Her Highness Sheikha Moaza Obaid Suhail Al Maktoum, Co-founder of Locus DAX and Senior Adviser to Locus Chain, said: “Strategically located between Africa, Asia and Europe, Dubai sits at the international crossroads of business and investment and is fast becoming the region’s digital exchange hub. www.intelligentcio.com “We expect to attract investors from around the region as well as internationally, as innovations in Blockchain continue to capture keen interest from governments and private businesses. When you also factor in the liquidity of the GCC, we are confident that Locus DAX is uniquely positioned to serve this growing space, to quickly become a globally ranked exchange.” Dubai has embarked on an ambitious plan to be the first city in the world to pioneer an e-government system running entirely on Blockchain by 2020. INTELLIGENTCIO 7