MEAM UAE Business Awards 2018

24 MEA MARKETS / 2018 UAE Business Awards , Best Futuristic Technology Company 2018 & Most Innovative Technology Project: IKEA Virtual Reality Store Takeleap is aMiddle East based futuristic technology company specializing in artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). We caught up withMr. Salman Yusuf, Founder andManaging Director of TAKELEAP, to learnmore about the unique and innovative solutions it creates. Drawing on its vast experience in the market, TAKELEAP is proud to have worked with a series of the world’s most iconic brands such as Mastercard, Samsung, IKEA as well as many government entities in the UAE like Sheikh Zayed Housing Programme, Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, ENOC, ESMA, DEWA, DP World and more. Self-funded since its inception in 2013, the firm has grown organically and successfully through careful strategy, which revolves around client support, as Salman explains. UA180088 ‘Here at TAKELEAP, we are dedicated to creating extraordinary experiences and enabling brands to enhance customer engagement in unique ways. We believe that the most important aspect of delivering a successful project is by listening and going beyond our client’s needs. Our aim is providing memorable and effective experiences that are focused on the user and that can be recreated throughout multiple occasions. We employ a customer centric technique. ‘Firstly, we gather and understand the requirements of the clients, we then consult and advise them when they go through the analysis of the best solution that can solve their challenges. Secondly, we design the solution to optimally meet the technological challenges as well as the needs. After the design phase, we build and develop the solution. This is followed by the deployment of the solution to check its operability in the client’s environment, thus, transforming the client’s challenge into an opportunity for success. This process follows our most important framework: the B-O-T - ‘Build – Operate – Transform’. This is over arched in the background by constant R&D. Thanks to our excellence and quality, TAKELEAP now consults and serves most of the government entities in the GCC region. ’Being based in this dynamic region offers many benefits for the firm.’ , Salman proudly outlines. ‘The key advantage of being based in UAE is that you keep evolving and government initiatives are supporting startup companies by creating a tax free country. Their initiative to help train one million young Arabs in the language of the future - computer programming, just goes to show how they are moving forward by thinking about the generations to come. UAE is the hub of ideas for innovative companies, with EXPO 2020 coming soon and a multitude of transforming initiatives UAE is bound to grow. UAE has a visionary leader, his vision gets trickled down onto companies such as ourselves, driving us to provide valued- based solutions for the clients. ‘ Furthermore, the core area that is growing and that we believe is ideal for our business is industrial augmented reality. UAE is one of the first countries that is actually looking to implement industrial augmented reality solutions on a national scale, which is what we are currently focusing on.’ ‘Along with these opportunities, there are also challenges for businesses in the UAE. Challenges faced in the UAE are faced everywhere around the world. However, unlike other parts of the world, it’s the private sectors in the UAE that are hesitant to adopt new technologies because of the doubts they have regarding security and long- term investment plans. Nevertheless, UAE is creating opportunities across many areas, Dubai is the first to have an AI minister, which just goes to show how UAE is striving to develop and position itself as the leading nation in the world. Numerous world-recognized conferences and exhibitions regarding technology now take