Dubai Future Foundation, in collaboration with the Dubai Land Department and Digital Dubai, has announced the launch of the “Real Estate Technology Data Sandbox” as part of the “Dubai Sandbox” platform, in a new step aimed at supporting innovation and developing data-driven solutions in the real estate sector.
The initiative gives real estate technology innovators, entrepreneurs, startups, and major technology companies from the UAE and around the world the opportunity to test and develop their business models, products, and services in a safe, real-world environment, with support from regulators and specialized experts.
Developing New Uses for Real Estate Data
The Real Estate Technology Data Sandbox focuses primarily on developing new solutions and use cases for real estate data, while exploring ways to make better use of data held by regulatory authorities to support more efficient products and services.
It also allows participants to test new uses of private data in cases where certain regulatory requirements may limit experimentation and testing, creating a more flexible environment in which innovators can develop their solutions within a structured and secure framework.
The initiative forms part of Dubai Sandbox’s wider objectives to support the development of Dubai’s legislative and innovation ecosystem and enable innovation in real estate technology by giving innovators the opportunity to test new solutions and business models within Dubai’s property sector.
Applications Open Until October 12
Entrepreneurs and technology companies can submit applications to participate in the Real Estate Technology Data Sandbox until October 12, 2026.
Selected applicants will have the opportunity to work alongside Dubai Sandbox experts and relevant regulators, while also benefiting from the wider Dubai Future Foundation ecosystem, providing them with a supportive environment to develop their solutions and turn ideas into practical applications.
Participants will also receive tailored regulatory support to help them test and develop their solutions, address market-entry challenges, and unlock broader opportunities for growth and expansion.
Dubai Strengthens Its Position in Real Estate Technology
Khalifa Al Qama, Head of the Dubai Research, Development and Innovation Ecosystem, which is overseen by Dubai Future Foundation, said: “The real estate sector holds enormous potential for technology-driven transformation. This open call to participate in the Real Estate Technology Data Sandbox represents an important step toward creating the right environment for innovators to explore and develop real estate technology solutions, overcome regulatory challenges, and bring these solutions closer to practical implementation, further strengthening Dubai’s position as a global destination for the future of innovation in the real estate sector.”
The initiative reflects Dubai’s continued focus on creating a practical environment in which companies and innovators can turn emerging technologies into applicable solutions while strengthening integration between innovation, regulation, and market needs.
Turning Real Estate Data Into Real Value
Majid Saqr Al Marri, Executive Director of the Corporate Support Sector at the Dubai Land Department, said: “The development of real estate markets can be measured by their ability to turn data into value and build faster bridges between innovation and market needs. Through this initiative, we are giving innovators space to work on real challenges and opportunities within Dubai’s real estate ecosystem and explore new uses for data that can lead to more efficient services and solutions. At the same time, this environment enables us to get closer to promising technologies and ideas and understand their potential in a practical context, contributing to the development of a more flexible, innovative, and future-ready real estate ecosystem.”
This testing environment is expected to support the development of solutions linked to real market needs, while giving relevant authorities direct access to emerging technologies and ideas and allowing them to assess their potential in a practical setting.
Data as a Key Pillar of the Digital Economy
Afaf Bu Asaiba, Executive Director of the Data and Statistics Operations Sector at the Dubai Data and Statistics Establishment at Digital Dubai, said: “Data is one of the most important and powerful enablers of innovation in the digital economy. However, its value is not achieved simply by making it available, but by our ability to make it accessible in a secure and interoperable manner across entities and sectors. This is where the importance of the Real Estate Technology Data Testing Environment comes in, as it allows us to address in practical terms the most difficult question in the data economy: how do we expand access and usage while maintaining privacy and approved governance frameworks, rather than delaying innovation until regulatory frameworks are fully completed? Through this collaboration, we are working to transform data from an information resource into practical value and scalable solutions, supporting Dubai’s competitiveness and its position as a global hub for innovation.”
The initiative highlights the importance of secure and well-governed use of data in advancing the digital economy, particularly as demand grows for solutions that allow authorities and companies to benefit from data while complying with privacy and governance requirements.
The cooperation among the participating entities also strengthens the ability to transform data into practical solutions that can be developed and scaled, supporting the real estate sector and enhancing Dubai’s competitiveness in innovation and data-driven technologies.
A Partnership to Support the Future of Real Estate Technology
The launch of the Real Estate Technology Data Sandbox builds on the partnership announced by Dubai Future Foundation and the Dubai Land Department in November 2025, which aims to enable the testing and scaling of the latest real estate technology innovations and solutions within a safe and regulated experimental environment.
The partnership also aims to facilitate knowledge exchange, build capabilities, share expertise and best practices, and involve technology companies, startups, and relevant government entities in the development of regulatory frameworks and policies for real estate technology.
These efforts contribute to building an integrated ecosystem that brings together regulators, innovators, and companies, helping accelerate the testing of promising technologies and strengthening their potential to move into practical market applications.
Dubai Sandbox Supports the Objectives of the D33 Agenda
Dubai Sandbox is one of the major transformational projects under the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, which aims to double the size of the emirate’s economy over the next decade and strengthen Dubai’s position among the world’s leading economic cities.
The platform provides innovators with an environment in which they can test and develop business models, products, and services that are ready or close to being ready for market launch under safe and realistic conditions, while benefiting from expert guidance and flexible regulatory oversight.
Dubai Sandbox also helps companies overcome a range of challenges related to experimentation and market entry, accelerating the transition of innovative solutions from testing to real-world implementation.
