Dubai Municipality, Expo City Dubai sign MoU to establish a regional ConTech innovation hub

In the presence of Her Excellency Reem Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Cooperation and Chief Executive Officer of Expo City Dubai Authority, and His Excellency Marwan bin Ghalita, Director General of Dubai Municipality, the Municipality has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Expo City Dubai Real Estate Developments FZCO to establish a ConTech innovation hub at Expo City Dubai supporting the development, testing, and deployment of advanced solutions in construction, and next-generation urban systems. The agreement reinforces Dubai’s position as a global platform for innovation in sustainable city development and the future of the built environment.
The hub will activate Expo City Dubai as a living lab for cutting-edge pilot projects and technology demonstrators that advance sustainable development, with both parties committed to the successful development of Expo City’s Green Innovation District, an initiative of the UAE Ministry of Economy and Tourism and a flagship hub for sustainable industrial growth, green technology innovation, and future-focused business ecosystems.
The hub will participate in strengthening Dubai’s leadership in the building and construction sector and position it as a global platform for launching innovations in modern construction systems, materials, and technologies, as well as in sustainable urban development and smart cities. It also aims to support the development of standards and certifications, and the testing and deployment of advanced technologies, including innovative and circular materials, robotics, modular construction, 3D concrete printing, light-gauge steel framing, digital twins, artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), Building Information Modelling (BIM), and net-zero solutions. In addition to supporting regulatory sandboxes to accelerate safe market adoption of these technologies, a key component of the partnership is the development of pathways for certification of innovative materials and construction systems, helping ensure safe integration into Dubai’s built environment while encouraging responsible innovation.
Training and capacity-building initiatives
Both parties will strive to strengthen ecosystem growth through structured engagement with start-ups, SMEs, corporates, investors, and academic institutions. In addition, the MoU provides for joint training programmes, capacity-building initiatives, international knowledge-exchange activities, and collaborative research, all aimed at nurturing talent and supporting a vibrant innovation economy.
The agreement also includes cooperation to host summits, forums, and global partnerships that highlight Dubai’s leadership in smart, sustainable, and future-focused urban development.
The Memorandum of Understanding was signed by Maryam Obaid Al Mheiri, Chief Executive Officer of the Buildings Regulation and Permits Agency at Dubai Municipality, and Ahmed Al Khatib, Chief Development and Delivery Officer at Expo City Dubai.
Al Mheiri stated: “This partnership reinforces Dubai Municipality’s efforts to develop a smart, sustainable, and globally advanced construction sector. Establishing the centre at Expo City Dubai will support the municipality’s focus on the adoption of modern and innovative building materials and systems with the ultimate aim of enhancing building quality, reducing construction time and cost, minimising reliance on unskilled labour, and lowering emissions and construction waste. It will also support digitalisation in the construction sector through use of data and digital systems across the building lifecycle, including Building Information Modelling, Digital Twins, the Internet of Things, and artificial intelligence. The centre will support the municipality and other regulatory entities with information and analytics that aid in regulatory decision-making within the construction sector. It will also offer services related to certification and conformity testing for building materials and construction systems.”
Ahmed Al Khatib noted: “Establishing the ‘04 ConTech Valley’ at Expo City will drive innovation in the construction sector, ensuring that, as our city and our nation continue to grow, they do so innovatively and responsibly. As an integral part of the Green Innovation District, the ConTech hub will attract pioneers in innovative urban thinking, nurturing new sustainable solutions that will benefit the wider industry, and creating a powerful ecosystem where growth and environmental stewardship go hand in hand.”