Thus far in 2022, companies, venture capitalists, and private equity firms have invested more than $120 billion in the metaverse, which is already more than double the $57 billion invested in 2021
metaverse business
Dubai
Dubai burger joint Pickl steps into the metaverse
With an area of 2,000 sq ft, the soon-to-be-opened venue will host exclusive brand-themed games and sell virtual apparel and Pickl-inspired NFTs, which can be redeemed for physical items
Artificial intelligence
CEOs don’t believe the metaverse hype, looking to AI, ESG to attract investors: Report
Gartner survey finds business executives are ambivalent about the metaverse, but are leaning into environmental sustainability more in 2022
Blockchain
Metaverse creator The Sandbox acquires tech firm Cualit to boost Web3 capabilities
The Sandbox is emerging as the first entertainment platform that combines a creator-driven, user-centric open metaverse with rich gaming and social experiences, true ownership, and licensed content from more than 200 major brands
Creative economy
Why the MENA region has ‘amazing potential’ for metaverse businesses
Abundance of creative talent among the region’s young adults, and their desire to express themselves online through Arabic content, are factors for success in the metaverse, said the CEO of WOLF
3D digital world
Benefits of seizing marketing opportunities in the metaverse and building virtual bridges
Is the comms industry really prepared for a metaverse future? And what opportunities does this new iteration of the web present for seamlessly bridging consumer experiences both online and offline?
Dubai
Dubai’s metaverse sector to support 42,000 virtual jobs and add $4 billion to its economy by 2030
Headed by the Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan, the higher committee overseeing the Dubai Metaverse Strategy aims to implement metaverse tech that can help improve the performance of resident surgeons by 230 percent and increase the productivity of engineers by 30 percent
Dubai
Sheikh Mohammed launches higher committee to develop Dubai Metaverse Strategy in two months
The higher committee headed by the Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan will supervise all future technological developments in the emirate and enhance Dubai’s position as a global hub for new metaverse technology
3D virtual worlds
Video: Four metaverse trends that companies need to address
As the line between people’s physical and digital lives further blurs, organisations have the opportunity and obligation to build a responsible metaverse
Blockchain
Metaverse mansions become a reality as Dubai real estate broker offers ultra-luxury virtual properties as NFTs
Real estate sales in the metaverse reached $500 million in 2021, and the sales volume is expected to double in 2022
3D virtual worlds
Reasons why the metaverse will have a transformational impact on businesses and the way people live
Approximately 84 percent of consumers surveyed in the UAE agree that they are spending substantially more time online compared to pre-pandemic levels, an Accenture report reveals
3D virtual worlds
Should luxury brands step into the metaverse?
Used correctly web 3.0 can benefit brand legacy, but the digital and physical must find a way to co-exist in perfect harmony to reap full benefits of this new world
BEDU
Newly launched UAE-firm BEDU looks to create an NFT factory and a proprietary metaverse
BEDU was formed to accelerate the realisation of the vision for Web3, blockchain, non-fungible tokens, and the metaverse, while bringing expertise and investment from around the world to the UAE
3D digital world
Dubai in the metaverse: Dubai Municipality to create a futuristic, virtual version of the city
The metaverse has become closer to reality than we could have imagined; residents could be joined by friends from other parts of the world in the form of avatars taking a virtual walk through a park in the city, the director-general of Dubai Municipality said
3D virtual worlds
AB Talks: Discussing all things Metaverse: the benefits, volatility, regulation, and security concerns
The Chairman and Group CEO of the Nexchange Group, Juwan Lee, talks about how businesses and consumers can benefit from the Metaverse in its nascent stages, while detailing the scale of adoption and security concerns surrounding virtual and augmented realities
Angel Investors
Dubai-based metaverse startup Eikonikos raises $2 million in pre-seed funding to bring more people into the digital realm
The company is currently in the process of issuing digital assets for investment as it gears up for commercial launch in May 2022, when it expects a jump in valuation
digital age
One in four people will spend an hour a day in the metaverse by 2026: Report
Gartner revealed that by 2026, 25 percent of people will spend at least one hour a day in the metaverse
