The Data Science Challenge

The Big Data Idea initiative is an ongoing effort by the Dubai Data Science Lab to crowdsource opportunities and put data science to work for people, businesses, society and the environment. We want to accelerate and grow the data science ecosystem in Dubai.

What we do

The Dubai Data Science Lab - supported by our partners IBM - works on the understanding that data science is a vital but relatively small part of a wider process. For data science projects to truly contribute to a smarter future, we need rigorous approaches to develop ideas and acquire data around them. We then require design thought to create solutions.

In this sense, we are in a team game. The Dubai Data Science Lab is about bringing the team and the skills together for data science success.

Who are You?

You may not be a data scientist at all. In fact, we want ideas to come from people on the ground, close to the challenge. You could be from a public sector entity, a start-up or large corporate. You could be an academic, a student, or a member of the public. What’s important is that you are prepared to work collaboratively and openly in this exploratory field.

What’s a good data idea?

Follow these guidelines, and there will be no such thing as a bad idea. Your idea must start in Dubai but could have wider application. It will create real economic, social and environmental improvement. It needn’t be complex – many powerful ideas start from simple needs. We are particularly interested in ideas that require collaboration between entities. For example, how can data be used to:

• - Reduce commute times and increase mobility across the city?
• - Encourage people to adopt good habits that limit waste, conserve resources and protect the environment?
• - Predict the impact of emerging technologies on the jobs of tomorrow?
• - Make a reality of the sharing economy?

These are just examples to kickstart your creativity. Our online submission form will help structure your idea effectively so we can assess it and work with you to turn it into a viable, properly resourced data science project