Burj Khalifa teams up with HTC Vive and Dubai Future Accelerators, an initiative of Dubai Future Foundation to further business opportunities within the VR ecosystem across the Middle East and Africa.
The VR developers across the world are invited to participate in the competition to build world-class VR content themed around the world’s tallest tower, Burj Khalifa. The VR experience that ultimately wins the competition will also go on Viveport – the leading app library for VR content powered by HTC Vive and accessible to Vive users globally.
H.E. Khalfan Belhoul, CEO of Dubai Future Foundation said, “Having Dubai Future Accelerators support this initiative and challenge is a testament to our ongoing efforts of attracting global talents and fostering a collaborative ecosystem. ”
Participants will get exclusive access to Burj Khalifa premises and stunning high-definition footage of the building itself. Dubai Future Accelerators will also offer access to an incubator center and fully set-up VR hub situated at Area 2071, as well as office workspaces, throughout the project. HTC Vive is the VR partner for the program, and its latest premium VR system the Vive Pro will be the official VR device for the competition. Furthermore, HTC Vive will assist developers with full tech support, expertise, and mentoring throughout the competition.
Commenting on the collaboration, Ahmed Al Falasi, Executive Director – Group Operations, Emaar Properties, said: “With the introduction and popularity of the Virtual Reality experience that was unveiled for visitors to At The Top, Burj Khalifa, the world’s highest observation deck, further developing the VR ecosystem will open new opportunities for the region’s leisure sector. By hosting the event in Burj Khalifa, we are underlining our commitment to promoting advanced technologies and driving the spirit of innovation among our talented young people.”
The competition will be done in three phases. Participants will first be asked to submit their profile and previous VR content app samples. The second phase will involve a shortlist of competitors who are then challenged to develop a storyboard of their big idea. The competition will conclude by the spring of 2019 in which a final winner will be selected among the competitive submissions and given the chance to bring their vision to life.
Ramit Harisinghani, VP and head of Middle East & Africa at HTC Vive, commented: “Today VR is being embraced across industries—and at a government level—for its ability to unleash human imagination in entirely new ways. Strategic content and brand partnerships are helping to bring more exciting VR experiences to the mainstream, as is evident in this latest developer competition. We are committed to developing the VR ecosystem and proud to pioneer original platforms for developers to conceptualize, build and commercialize their VR ideas.”
